Shark sightings cause Gold Coast beaches to be cleared

MULTIPLE shark sightings forced Gold Coast beaches to be cleared over the weekend and a junior surf competition to be called off.

off Boulders Beach on October 3 near Ballina on north coast. 3m plus white pointer shark near surfers. Credit: Rotorwing Helicopter Services

A PERFECT storm of stunning weather, packed beaches, rough conditions and shark sightings created chaotic conditions on Gold Coast beaches at the weekend.

Lifesavers said there were up to 300 people in the water at any one time in the patrolled section of Surfers Paradise beach at the weekend.

There were three separate shark scares — at Surfers Paradise, Miami and Kirra.

On Saturday, a junior surf competition at Nobbys Beach was called off from about 11am after organisers saw what appeared to be a feeding frenzy in the breakers.

Lifesavers were alerted and nearby flagged areas were immediately closed.

Lifesavers search around the headland between Burleigh and Tallebudgeera Creek after a boat was found upside down. Picture Ch9

“There was a lot of action and a few fins came out of the water,” competition organiser James Brooks from MNM Boardriders Club said.

“We were not 100 per cent that there were sharks but it is part of our duty of care to keep our surfers safe.”

Lifesavers scoured the area but could not confirm sharks were in the area.

On Sunday at 6.30am, boardriders reported to dawn patrol lifesavers at Surfers Paradise that they had seen a shark.

Some Gold Coast beaches were cleared after shark sightings.

After the water was cleared of swimmers, lifesavers in rescue boats and on jetskis searched the area but did not find a shark.

At 11.15am beachgoers were evacuated from Kirra beach when a “large shark” was spotted just 50 metres from shore.

Just half an hour after they were ushered out of the water by lifesavers, swimmers were able to return to surf after a 10-minute search of the area failed to identify any nearby sharks.

A lifesaver on duty said a shark alarm — similar to an old fashioned school bell mounted on the patrol vehicle — had been sounded but many of tourists and locals did not know what the warning meant.

Santa hit the waves at WhiteWater World on the Gold Coast. Pics Adam Head

Many swimmers stayed in the water as lifeguards frantically swam in to tell them to get to shore. Defiant surfers chose to stay in the water near Kirra Point.

“There was a sighting from an aircraft of a large shark — probably a couple of metres long — about 50 metres offshore,” the lifesaver said.

“We shut the beach, dropped the flags and rang the bell, then some of the guys got the jetskis out there and our rescue boat and the one from North Kirra.

“At first people were a bit scared and quite concerned, asking us how far away it was and if they were in danger.

“It’s the second shark sighting near here in three weeks which isn’t comforting.”

Connor Kuhnemann, 14, and Codie Fish, 14, feed the seagulls at Main Beach during a hot weekend. Pic by David Clark

Beach patrols worked also worked tirelessly rescuing people from treacherous surf and treated scores of swimmers stung by bluebottles.

Gold Coast City Council lifeguard supervisor Scott Franzmann said while there was a number of suspected shark sightings at the weekend, the tough conditions posed the greatest threat.

He said persistent wind and swell from the east created unstable conditions for swimmers with the northern Gold Coast copping the worst.

Mr Franzmann said lifeguards at some beaches, including Elkhorn Ave at Surfers Paradise, performed up to 20 rescues yesterday.

“Surf conditions are looking quite unstable at the moment,” the lifeguard with 26-years experience said.

“We are lucky that there have been incoming tides during the day so the rips aren’t pulling too hard.”

Spending some time at the beach is sisters Lily, 7, and Molly Harris, 5, from Labrador. Pic by David Clark

He said the difficult conditions were set to continue over Christmas and Boxing Day and urged people to only swim between the red and yellow flags.

“If forecasts are correct and beach conditions stay the same all through Christmas, I think lifeguards and lifesavers can expect to be extremely busy,” he said.

In the afternoons, bluebottles were blown in by onshore winds causing lifesavers to put up signs warning of marine stingers.

There were reports of at least a swimmer being stung every 10 minutes at Surfers Paradise on Saturday afternoon.

Gold Coast surf life saving duty officer Helen Hallett said clubbies were kept on their toes at Mermaid Beach.

They treated a man for a stroke about 6.30am yesterday before patrol hours which begin at 8am.

The man was taken to Gold Coast University Hospital in a stable condition.

She said a boat with one occupant had capsized at the mouth of Tallebudgera Creek about 9.30am yesterday.

Burleigh lifesavers and the Westpac Life Saver helicopter were called in and rescued the male skipper.

Volunteer Marine Rescue volunteers then towed the boat back into the creek.

At 5pm lifesavers and paramedics were called to a male jet-ski rider who fell off his craft at The Spit but he did not need to be taken to hospital.

Ms Hallett reminded water users to take care in the water and only swim during patrol hours and between the red and yellow flags.

Originally published as Shark sightings cause Gold Coast beaches to be cleared