Eden Marine High School relief teacher Kasia Cookson used her developing surfing skills at Merimbula’s Main Beach on Saturday when she paddled out to rescue a man, believed to be in his 70s, struggling in a rip.
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“It was about 8am, we had been surfing since 7am and I was on my way out and considering whether to go for one more when a big wave swept me out again,” Kasia said.
“That’s when I heard a voice calling for help and saw the man waving. It was lucky I am not such a strong surfer and I wasn’t out as far as the others so I could see him.
Kasia immediately got back onto her board and paddled towards him.
It's lucky I am not so good a surfer and wasn't as far out.
- Kasia Cookson
“He was in the middle of the rip closer to Bar Beach. He was pretty big, maybe more than 100kgs and I knew he could not get on my board; he was exhausted,” Kasia said.
She decided that the best way to bring the man in was for him to hang on to one end of the board while she swam the man and the board into shore.
“It took us about 10 minutes to get in; I have never paddled so hard. When we got to shore he could hardly walk and his friend had to help him. He was out of breath and couldn’t talk so we just sat there for a while.”
Kasia asked if he needed an ambulance but the man declined saying that he would be alright after a rest. She said the men told her they were from Canberra and on a golfing holiday.