Tourists warned of dangerous ocean mistake at famous Aussie beach

Tourists were almost washed away by large swells this week at an iconic Aussie beach, prompting lifeguards to remind people of one simple thing that will help minimize the risk of being wiped out on the shoreline.

More than a dozen beachgoers admiring the chilly water at Bondi Beach on Wednesday were forced to flee up the beach as large waves rolled in towards them, seemingly from nowhere, with children scurrying to safety while some were even carried off their feet.

Bondi lifeguards kept a close eye on the situation from the watchtower as the group were caught off guard. Fortunately all escaped relatively unscathed aside from some soggy shoes and clothes. However, the footage of the incident has highlighted what can happen if people face away from the water.

“On the east coast of Australia we face east towards the water, we (the lifeguards) have a joke down at the beach that rings true, ‘Never face west’. You never want to turn your back on the ocean because it’s so unpredictable , it changes so quickly,” Bondi Rescue lifeguard Luke Faddy told Yahoo News.

Over the last few days, large swells from a low pressure system over the Tasman sea have pounded the NSW shoreline. Although lifeguards see this at least “once a year”, it’s been particularly dangerous this week as it’s “coincided with high tide”, with ocean pool railings at Bronte, a few kilometers south of Bondi, twisting from the “power of the ocean” .

“During big swells, it’s quite common for people to be wiped off their feet on the beach because there’s so much energy in the ocean,” Faddy said. “The waves can push right up to the break wall or at the back of the beach. It can come on quite unexpectedly. There’s tides, swell, waves, wind, all these different factors that are completely out of our control. So it’s definitely something that you want to keep your eye on.”

Hazardous surf warnings remain in place right along the NSW coast up to Byron Bay. NSW Police advise people to consider staying out of the water and avoid walking near surf-exposed areas and rock platforms. The large swell has however lured some to the ocean, with big wave surfers flocking to breaks like Fairy Bower at Manly, shown in the video below.

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