WAINUI RESCUE

Gisborne Herald, Volume LXVI, Issue 20133, 30 December 1939, Page 4

WAINUI RESCUE

PLUCKY VISITOR WOMAN IN DIFFICULTIES SWEPT OFF HER FEET EFFORT TO SAVE CHILD The necessity for care when swimming in sheltered waters at Wainui Beach were emphasised yesterday afternoon when Mrs. Frank Wise got into difficulties while attempting to assist her nine-year-old daughter, Dorothy, who was in a similar plight. Mrs. Wise was rescued by an Australian visitor to Gisborne, Mr. Ron Hussey. who was assisted by a friend and residents. Mr. Hussey • was well acquainted with life saving work through his active association with a club in Brisbane, his home town. At the time of her unfortunate experience Mrs. Wise and family were visiting Mrs. R. Witters at the southern end of the beach. While her daughter was bathing close inshore in a hole Mrs. Wise noticed that she seemed distressed and went to her assistance, wading in waist deep and holding on to the child’s hand. Unable to Swim Back ■Then, however, Mrs. Wise found that she was unable to make her way back to the shore against the outgoing current. Mrs. Wise was compelled to give way step by step and was soon swimming and attempting to hold up the child. She was unable to make any headway towards the shore and as she found her strength failing told Dorothy, a better swimmer than herself, to make her way towards the shore. Mrs. Wise then had the presence of mind to turn on her back and 'conserve her energy by floating. It was not until then that Mrs. Witters realised that all was not well and gave the alarm. Mr. Hussey and his friend answered promptly and soon after others made use of the Wainui Surf Life-Saving Club's reel housed at thai end of the beach for emergency purposes. The Australian brought Mrs. Wise ashbre and the men with the reel were near to assist.

By that time Dorothy had swum into the reach of willing helpers and was little the worse for her experience. Mrs. Wise was attended by a doctor, who had been summoned from Gisborne, and soon recovered.

Prompt Answer to Alarm

The incidents occurred at about 3 o’clock yesterday afternoon and the alarm was not received in Gisborne until 3.20 p.m. It was the first alarm, under emergency conditions, to be received by members of the Wainui Surf Club during business hours and proved the efficiency of the arrangements made by the club lor such an emergency. Within five minutes of receiving the alarm a team of members was on the beach at the site of the accident. By that time the danger bad passed.

The co-operation of employers and Messrs. Ormonds Motors, Limited, who made possible the speedy transport of the team to the beach, was made use of for the first time. It has been announced by the executive of the club that similar service always would be available during week-days. As soon as a person gets into 'difficulties an urgent telephone call should be put through to the police or Herald and the emergency team will turn out with the utmost speed. Holes Should be Avoided Another pleasing feature of the distress call was the fact that a team of members from the Gisborne Amateur Surf and Swimming Club also made a dash for Wainui to-offer their services. jThe Wainui Beach has not offered the best bathing conditions so far this summer on account of numerous holes with sandbanks behind them. Even strong swimmers would not be advised to go out more than waist deep in any' hole on an ocean beach. However, there are several safe bathing positions at Wainui and care should be exercised by bathers to select a section of foreshore with even, broken surf.

Waves breaking a short distance out and then banking up again ana breaking a second time before reaching the shore indicate the presence of a hole. Such spots should be avoided or, at least, treated with respect because of the danger of an off-shore current. Safe swimming is to be had in surf that breaks some distance from the shore and shows no further signs of banking up again into a wave.