TWO shadows in the water near the mouth of the Patterson River – thought to be large sharks – prompted Carrum Surf Life Saving Club members to clear the beach on a Saturday over the Christmas break.
The dark shapes were spotted by a life saver on a routine jet ski patrol between Mentone and Frankston on Saturday 27 December.
On shore, lifesavers on the club’s all-terrain vehicle evacuated the beach as a precaution and life savers in the club’s inflatable searched the water.
Although nothing was found, patrol captain Ben Rooks said it would be wrong to downplay the incident.
“Because of the source of the warning we took it as written, but it could easily have been a seal or a dolphin. They all like to congregate near river mouths.
“Nevertheless, safety is always our priority.”
The lifesavers urged beachgoers not to panic, reminding them that there was no confirmed sighting of the sharks.
The club received assistance from Bonbeach life savers who used their all-terrain vehicle to clear swimmers from the northern side of the river, while lifesavers from Chelsea Longbeach joined the search in their rescue boat.
Mr Rooks praised beachgoers for their cooperation.
“Everyone got out of the water quickly and calmly,” he said.
Praising the work of the lifesavers, he said: “While we train for situations like these, they often sneak up on us. I’m really proud of the way our team responded.”
Despite the warnings, Carrum beach “is no more or less dangerous than it was yesterday,” Mr Rooks said.
“The lifeguards saw something that looked like two sharks but further searches failed to find anything.”
Lifesavers cleared the swimmers between the red and yellow patrol flags first: “Just another reason to swim between the flags,” he said.
Warnings after tragedy averted
A SERIES of near-drownings at the mouth of the Patterson River on Saturday evening has prompted Carrum Surf Life Saving Club to warn swimmers of the dangers lurking there.
A father and three children aged 2, 4, and 10 were saved by the quick thinking of a fisherman who swam to their rescue as they were being sucked into a deep channel.
He and a passer-by pulled the four to safety – even though the fisherman says he can’t swim.
His actions were praised by Carrum Surf Life Saving Club, with patrol captain Ben Rooks saying the club will give him swimming lessons.
“We have had drownings there in 2005 and 2008 but luckily not this time,” he said.
“In every instance it is people going into the water next to the river and being swept out into the strong current.”
In 2003, two off-duty policemen rescued seven swimmers – including three of their own children – from a rip near the mouth of the river.
Within minutes, a family of four who had been swimming nearby were also swept into the deep boat channel.
The policemen – one a surf lifesaver at Carrum – managed to calm the stricken swimmers and, with help from a passing boat skipper who threw life jackets, managed to get them all to shore.
“When the tide changes the current is very strong,” Mr Rooks said. “Swimmers can easily be swept onto the rocks or out into the channel.”
