What started as a summer swim at the Kiama rockpool turned into a life-or-death rescue on New Year’s Eve, as a tourist was swept into the surf and injured.

With the quick thinking and teamwork of three young Kiama Nippers, local cadets, and lifeguards, a potentially fatal incident ended in safety.

The Kiama rockpool was bustling with tourists that afternoon. The surf was high, with waves breaking into the pool and surging over the edges.

“We actually thought it was a prank,” said 10-year-old Parker Parr, recalling the moment he first saw the victim floating in the dangerous waters.

 “There was a helicopter that came over and said ‘wear your lifejacket’ and we were like, oh, it might be a prank, but then we figured out he was floating.”

Parker was accompanied by two young Nippers and friends, nine-year-old Willow and 12-year-old Charley Hallinan, who were meeting for a swim when they noticed the man in trouble.

“I was nervous for the man,” Willow said. “He was just laying out – if people had not gotten to him in time, he might have actually died.”

The children acted quickly. Their first attempt to alert an adult failed: “I don’t believe you,” someone told them and “he’s just practising floating”. 

Refusing to ignore the danger, the kids ran to Diggies and the alarm was raised.

By coincidence, Peter Gallagher, Kiama Nippers Water Safety Supervisor and lead coach, was returning from a surf-ski training session with cadets Forbes Robertson, 14, and Finnlay Smee, 16.

“He told us to get away so we wouldn’t have to see a dead guy’s body because he looked dead,” Forbes said.

From the water, Pete quickly assessed the situation, grabbing the man by the arm and asking, “Are you alive? Are you awake?” The injured tourist, estimated to weigh 130 kilograms, had a dislocated shoulder and multiple lacerations from the rocks. 

Pete worked to keep him above the water and out of the surf, supported by the cadets.

Meanwhile, lifeguard Jake Willick was alerted via SurfCom and raced from Surf Beach on a jetski. 

The swell was extreme, with waves around eight feet, and getting the injured man onto the jetski sled proved a complex task.

“It was quite difficult getting him onto the ski with the size of him and the size of the swell and his injuries,” Jake said. 

“We had to drag him, Pete, and the surf ski out of the impact zone because of the big swell - they’d get pushed into the rocks.”

The victim was finally transferred to the jetski and taken to the boat ramp, where the fire brigade assisted with a stretcher before paramedics arrived to take him to hospital and he is now on the road to recovery. 

Throughout, the only responses from the man were vomiting from swallowed water and screams of pain.

The young Nippers who raised the alarm watched the rescue unfold.

“Once our parents told us it was a big deal, then I was proud,” Charley said. 

Parker added: “I’m just glad and thankful that he’s alright.” 

Willow remembered an unusual moment during the rescue: “When he was getting carried in by the jetski, there were dolphins following – it was strange.”

For the cadets, the experience was like none other. “We thought he was a log, but then he got closer, just laying on his back – we just thought he was dead,” Forbes said. 

Finnlay added: “When I saw him there was a lot of adrenaline – that’s the first time I’d ever seen something like that.” Both have been part of Nippers for 10 years.

Kiama local Jake, who has been lifeguarding since he was 17 and is now 25, reflected on the severity of the situation. 

“A couple of years ago, the same thing happened and a swimmer got washed out of the rockpool and died,” he said. 

“In the end, this was a good outcome. He was very lucky with the surf. If Pete and those boys hadn’t been paddling past and I was on my own, I would’ve struggled a lot.”

As young Charley said, “Nippers is very helpful for learning about the waves and how the tide works.” 

For everyone enjoying the water, staying alert, swimming between the flags, and knowing your limits can make all the difference.