2024/2025 Rescue of the year - good friday rescue

Jackson English, Chris Parker & Nigel Tebb

As the sun went down on Thursday night 17th April 2025, the predicted Huge SE swell started to arrive. As the sun rose on Friday morning the predicted swell had hit 14 foot from the SE, 15 second interval with SW winds. People started to gather on the point to watch the huge waves, the power of which we hadn’t seen for a while. At 6:30am a group of local surfers decided to paddle out. Some from the beach and others from the rocks. What they didn’t anticipate was the drag and rip that was happening in the water. As the sets rolled in the water went back out and was running all the way around the point making it very difficult to paddle and stay in a safe area.

About 6:55am a member of the public made some club members aware that there were 4-5 people in trouble in the water. They were being pushed around by the swell and unable to return to shore. Jackson English, Nigel Tebb & Chris Parker were checking out the surf thinking about heading out themselves. It was at this time that they became aware of the situation. It was without hesitation that they said “LETS GO” and “GET THE IRB”.

Chris & Jackson grabbed some lifejackets and radios and brought the IRB down to the waterline. Nigel grabbed a rescue tube and headed around the rocks. They launched the IRB with Jacko driving and Parkesy as the crew. As they took off from the beach there was a huge amount of foam on the water making the motor cavitate, but that didn’t stop them. They locked in and went for it, as they did they noticed 3 to 4 huge sets breaking and had to come back and set up again. Remember these were waves approx. 12 foot, the size of a 2 story house. After assessing the waves they made a run for it. Full throttle they went for it and as they came up to a wave they had to do a sharp turn left to avoid the powerful set approaching. They made it then off they went, gunning it through the break in hope no more sets would come. They made it out & searched for the 2 boys in trouble.

An onlooker commented “I thought they were gone, As they went to pick up the two surfers a huge 10 foot wave came in. I thought it was going to break right on them. They held the boat upright at the crest of the wave, grabbed the two and got out of there”

That was the easy part, now they had to get back in with 4 adults and 2 surfboards through the massive surf. They waited until the sets finished then rode on the back of a wave straight in. The look of amazement was clear on the two surfers' faces.

Jackson, Chris & Nigel showed traits of a great lifesaver - Bravery, selflessness & skill.

Thanks boys!