Lurking danger in beach photo as hundreds rescued from ocean this summer

Bondi lifeguard Bruce ‘Hoppo’ Hopkins has revealed the disturbing amount of rescues they’ve had at the iconic beach this summer.

Beachgoers have been issued an urgent warning after a photo captured a lurking danger at a popular Sydney beach amid a summer of rising drownings and rescues.

Lifesavers shared a seemingly picturesque photo of Bronte Beach, in Sydney’s east, on social media last week, warning swimmers of a “dangerous” permanent rip at the south end of the beach.

“Commonly where the beach looks most inviting at Bronte is the most dangerous spot in Sydney at the moment!,” Bronte Surf Life Saving Club wrote in the post.

“Where you see white water and waves usually to the north is where the Red and Yellow flags go up. It is where the waves tend to push you back to shore.”

“The green water in the south end is where all the water escapes and heads back out to sea (along with people sadly) and this is the No Swim area at Bronte.”

The post was shared after a swimmer was rescued from Bronte at 8pm on Thursday night, an hour after lifeguards finished patrolling the beach.

“This is the time we ask to avoid the ocean but take advantage of the pool and stay safe”, Bronte Surf Life Saving Club wrote.

Beachgoers were warned of a “dangerous” rip at Bronte Beach. Picture: Facebook/Bronte Surf Life Saving Club

‘Tragic summer’
The warning comes amid a disturbing rise in summer drownings as Aussies flock to the water to cope with the sweltering heat.

According to Royal Life Saving Australia’s summer fatal drowning toll, there have been 66 deaths since December 1, 2023, compared to 57 deaths on the same date last year.

“Drowning is still a major issue for Australia, with 281 lives lost in 2022/2023,” Royal Life Saving Australia Chief Executive Officer Justin Scarr said in a statement on Tuesday,

“It continues to be a tragic summer”.

On Wednesday, four people from the same extended family were pulled from the water at a beach at Phillip Island in Newhaven, Victoria.

Melbourne nurse Jagjeet Singh, 23, university students Kirti Bedi and Suhani Anand, both 20, and Punjab national Reema Sondhi, 43, all died after struggling in the surf at Forrest Caves Beach on Wednesday.

Mr Singh, was a permanent resident in Australia, while Ms Bedi and Ms Anand were on student visas.

Reema Sondhi.

Ms Sondhi arrived in Australia two weeks ago.

Ms Sondhi arrived in Australia two weeks ago for a holiday.

“There seemed to be a group of 10 people who came here for a really nice day,” eye witness Alex Tzatzimakis, told 7News.

“Obviously it turned to tragedy.”

Four people died in a tragedy on Phillip Island on Wednesday. Picture: 7 News

‘Busiest days’

Swimmers in NSW are also finding themselves in need of rescuing, with lifeguards performing over 300 rescues at Bondi Beach since the start of summer.

It’s double the amount of rescues since last summer, Chief Lifeguard and Bondi Rescue personality Bruce ‘Hoppo’ Hopkins told news.com.au.

“It’s been busy with the warmer weather,” he said.

“There was a day between Christmas and New Year’s, where there were about 120 rescues for the day,” he explained, adding a typical day would see around 30-40 rescues.

Nearby, lifeguards at Maroubra Beach experienced their “worst day” with over 50 swimmers needing to be rescued on Sunday.

“That day, in my 27 years as a lifeguard, was one of the busiest days [in rescues] that we’ve had at Maroubra,” Randwick City Council Lifeguard Supervisor Paul Moffatt told news.com.au.

“Unfortunately, people are coming down to the beach thinking it’s a pool, and if they can swim in a pool they can swim in the beach … The ocean is not a swimming pool, if you get caught in a rip, it’s going to drag you away.”

Mr Moffatt said lifeguards have been rescuing swimmers of all ages – from children as young as five to people in their 60s – and typically those who aren’t local to the area are most in need of help.

“A lot of the people we’re speaking to are travelling from in out west. The M4 and M8 (motorways) have opened up a new corridor for people to easily come to the coast now.”

“A lot of people are also just swimming outside the flags and not looking around, and the next minute, they’re floating outside the flag area.”

Head lifeguard Bruce "Hoppo" Hopkins said there have been over 300 rescues this summer in Bondi. Picture: Supplied.

How to spot a rip

Hoppo said rips are the most common cause of beach rescues – which can typically be spotted when the water is deeper, smoother and appears more green in colour.

“People get scared by the waves, so they go into this area where it looks a bit more calm and flat, but not realising that water is moving away from the shore,” he explained.

During his 31 years as a lifeguard, Hoppo said it’s “frustrating” watching people who attempt to swim against rips when they are caught in one.

“They fight the water and just get tired and exhausted,” he explained.

“When people drown, [others] say they couldn’t swim, but the majority of people who drown can swim, they just get exhausted.”

Instead, Hoppo strongly urges swimmers caught in rips to simply roll over and float on their backs.

“If you just float and go with it, the waves will potentially push you back in and you’ll be able to stand up on the sandbank.

“If you float as well, it gives us more time to be able to get to you, rather than just panicking and going up and down in one spot.”

It’s advice echoed in Randwick City and Waverley councils ‘Float to Survive’ campaign.

“Floating to me is a survival skill, so everyone should learn to float before you learn to swim,” said Hoppo.

Lifeguards have performed over 300 rescues at Bondi Beach since the start of summer - double the amount of last year. Picture: NCA NewsWire / Gaye Gerard

Hoppo said it's hard hearing about the spate of drowning fatalities across Australia in recent weeks.

“As a lifeguard, it’s never nice to hear that people are losing their lives in the water,” he shared.

“It comes down to the knowledge of the of the ocean. I think a lot of people have moved here from overseas that have been living here over the last 20-30 years, and they haven’t got that knowledge growing up around water.”

With the Bureau of Meteorology predicting a warmer-than-normal February, Mr Moffatt said the next couple of months at Maroubra, where “there’s a lot of strong rips” are going to be “tricky”.

“But at the end of the day, if people follow our instructions and swim between the flags, we’ll have a safe rest of the summer.”