On 21 January, Surf Life Saving NSW (SLSNSW) Warriewood patrol participated in the rescue of three boys who got into difficulty at the Warriewood blowhole at Warriewood beach and were unable to get back out on the land. One of them allegedly hit his head after jumping into the water.
Two Warriewood Inflatable Rescue Boats (IRB) responded to the incident. Sixteen-year-old lifesaver Saskia Rundle Trowbridge didn’t think twice and jumped into the swirling water to save the distressed teens.
“I jumped in the rescue boat with the driver, Adam Kovac. Unfortunately, it was too rough and the waves were too big to go over and pick them up in the boat,” Saskia told Peninsula Living.
“We heard that one of them was suspected to have a concussion, which meant he couldn’t swim out by himself safely (…) it became apparent that I would have to swim out and bring him back myself,” she explains.
With Saskia’s assistance, the teens reached the rescue boats. Patrol captain Martin Carlisle confirmed that the 15-year-old boy, who had a concussion, was taken to Northern Beaches Hospital and was discharged on the same night.
Although there are fencing and warning signs in place, people continue to swim and jump into the Warriewood blowhole.
Northern Beaches Mayor Sue Heins urged the community to exercise caution and use common sense: “Engaging in this risk-taking behaviour jeopardises not only the safety of the individual involved but also the emergency responders who may have to intervene. I strongly encourage people against this irresponsible behaviour.”