Streaky Bay mourns deaths Zenaida Hunt and her friend Beth in rough waters at Back Beach

One of the two women who died after being swept off rocks at Streaky Bay has been identified with her grieving husband speaking of their love and his loss.

A note put up on the walkway at the entrance to Back Beach, 10km from Streaky Bay, after two women drowned at Salmon Hole. Picture: Brett Hartwig

• Tragic end to search for missing women

The family of one of two women who died in a drowning tragedy at Streaky Bay on Tuesday say she died a hero trying to rescue her friend.

The bodies of the two friends – Zenaida Hunt, 65, from Streaky Bay and Elizabeth Peters, a 67-year-old from Sturt – were recovered from the water after they went missing near Back Beach, nearly 10km away from the town.

The pair were salmon fishing when a wave swept Ms Hunt out to sea.

Ms Peters attempted to help save her friend and also was swept away.

It is understood Beth’s husband, Carl, watched helplessly from the beach.

Ms Peters’ family is remembering her as a hero who did not hesitate to try and save her friend.

“She didn’t think twice, she went in there to save her friend and I wish she could have made it back,” Ms Peters’ niece Karen Dodge told 7EWS.

“It was such a heroic act to be brave enough to go in there with the strong currents.

“We adored her, her infectious smile (and) always had a positive outlook on life.”

Ms Hunt, affectionately nicknamed Aida, has been remembered by her husband Michael as a “beautiful woman” and “a damn good cook”.

The photograph Michael Hunt shared of his wife.

Zenaida’s husband Michael seen clutching the photograph of his wife Zenaida, who has drowned. Picture: Brett Hartwig

Mr Hunt remembered his late wife fondly, smiling at a photograph that was taken when she’d first moved in with him after they married 15 years ago.

“It’s right there, out in front of that bush just there,” he said, pointing to the front of his Streaky Bay home.

He said his wife would often go fishing, and would have been at the Streaky Bay jetty on Tuesday instead of Back Beach, but ongoing work on the jetty has put it out of use.

“It was just a bit of bad luck, she went down there and got taken by a wave and that is just it,” he said.

He fondly recalled how the pair first met.

Mr Hunt was sending letters to a friend in the Philippines when the friend told him about Aida.

The pair were married and Aida moved to Streaky Bay, Mr Hunt’s longtime home.

“She was a beautiful woman,” he said.

A surfer reportedly tried to rescue one of the women from the water, however, she could not be revived.

Streaky Bay resident Jenny, who knew Aida, laid flowers at Back Beach on Wednesday morning.

“She was a lovely local lady,” she said.

“It is just sad.”

Floral tributes laid at Back Beach for the two women. Picture: Brett Hartwig

Back Beach is usually a hotspot for surfers and fishers on the Eyre Peninsula, but was quiet on Wednesday. There was no sign of the tragedy that happened the day before, other than a small note wrapped around a pole in the car park that read “Drowning @ Salmon Hole”.

The two women were fishing when they were pulled out into the ocean. Picture: Brett Hartwig

A lone dog walker, who has frequented the spot for 40 years, said the incident was a tragedy, but it was inevitable.

He rescued a British backpacker at the beach a couple years ago, after he and his girlfriend ran out into the strong surf with a boogie board.

“This guy started wading into the water and I just jumped up and ran over, started waving my arms at him and shouting,” he said.

“I pulled him out and said ‘mate what the hell are you doing?’.

“And he just didn’t know because he’d never seen the sea before like this.

“I said to him ‘You’re safer playing Russian roulette than going out there today’. Ever since then I’ve said, it’s only a matter of time before someone drowns at this beach.”

Police at Back Beach near Streaky Bay after the two women drowned. Picture: Supplied

The stretch of coastline is popular with fishers and surfers. Picture: Supplied

The stretch of coastline is frequented by anglers, with the SA Tourism Commission listing it as an “excellent location” for beach fishing due to deep holes which offer “prime conditions”. However, swimming at the beach is not recommended due its strong rips and heavy swell.

The tragedy comes just months after the small coastal town was rocked by the death of Lance Appleby, who was mauled by a shark at nearby Granites Beach.