surfresearch.com.au  newspapers : surf-bathing, 1900-1907

Yesterday was a glorious seaside day, and the crowds at Coogee showed at any rate that its popularity was not on the wane.
The children were paddling and surf-bathing to their hearts' content on the beach.
The ladies' and gentlemen's swimming basins and the aquarium baths had more than their usual share of patrons in consequence of the warmth of the day.
Family groups and picnic parties were scattered everywhere, and the merry go-round did not stop from early morn till late at night. The tram service ...

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... from town in the morning was hardly sufficient, and the engine-drivers had to whistle through a good many stopping places.

There were many people who witnessed the struggle for life of the two unfortunate people who were drowned.
Several of them were seen at Manly yesterday; and their accounts all tallied with one another.
They described the ineffectual battling with the undertow of the water, until the struggles became fainter and fainter, and at last ceased altogether, ending with the throwing up of the hands, and the disappearance of the bodies.
One of these gentlemen, who does not wish his náme published, said that at about 7 o'clock yesterday morning, there were probably 100 persons battling in the vicinity of where the accident occurred.
He described tho hole which exists a few yards south-ward of the line of pipes opposite the Clarendon Hotel, and said that it changes its position after every storm.
After a southerly gale it is probably to be found in one place, then there may be a period of custorly ? weather, when the hole will be found to have filled up, and another to be formed, perhaps close by, perhaps 100 yards away, or perhaps even further.
Then a north-easterly blow may cause auother change.
In short, the action of the wind and waves upon the sand may shift the hole from day to day.

The water coming in meets the surf line about 50 yards from the shore, and a line of foam marks its position.
The green water inside, between the surf line and the shore, shows were bathing may be practised with safety.
Pointing to the surf water, he showed the line of foam extending along the bench for hundreds of yards, but between the two lines of stormwater pipes was a patch of blue water, perhaps ?0 yards across.
This marked the location of the hole.
Throwing a piece of wood into the shoal water on the side, he allowed it to illustrate what would happen to a swimmer.
It struck the water, and for a low minutes was carried up and down on tho waves, but always closer lo the patch of blue water.
At last tho progress became more muíked?, it floated straight into the blue water, and then bobbed up and down, sometimes under the surface, sometimes swimming, and appeared to be going round and round.
"Now," he said, "that illustrates what must have happened to these two people.
Miss Thorpe was bathing nearest to the edge of the hole.
She was carried, probably unconsciously, close to it, and when she found that she wias being drawn into it, it was too late.
She most likely, all at once, found herself out of her depth.
When she was struggling Mr. Smalpsge saw her, and went to her rescue, but he, too, was carried away by the current and drowned.
There is a strong under-tow there, and the bodies ought be carried out to sea, or they might possibly be twirled round and round, and perhaps caught in the sand at the bottom.
It is just possible that the body of Miss Thorpe may be still at the bottom of the hole, caught in the sand."

This gentleman was one of the party which took the lifebuoy and rope and went into the water with a view of saving one or other of tho two unfortunate people.
There were about a dozen altogether who assisted in this way.
When they got out into the water there was nothing at till to lie seoii of ? either person.
All that could be discerned was a lady's straw hat, such as is used in bathing.
This floated close to the lines? and was secured and sent ashore.
The party with the lifeline and buoy remained in the water for about an hour, but could see nothing.

The matter of a boat being procured was mentioned during the interview, and the gentleman Biiid? that one of the bystanders was asked to go to Shelly Bench, where several boats were to be found, and got one, but it was upwards of an hour before it arrived. Then, of course, it was ot no use for life-saving pmpbscs?.

Another gentleman who had been listening to the account given above, said the condition of the life-line ought to receive attention. He presumed that it had been there a long time, and that it was decayed in places.

Several people were discussing the probability of the body of Miss Thorpo being recovered.
It was stated during the discussion that 17 drowning accidents have occurred there, one of the best remembered being that of young Mr. Holdsworth a few years ago.
The eil? cumstances under which he lost his life were similar to those in this catastrophe.
His body was never recovered, and a kanaka, who was engaged in diving for it, was sucked down by the under tow and was never seen again.

An early morning bathe in the breakers is a favourite pastime with many in spite of the dangers that are undeniably associated there- with.
This week a bather had a narrow escape at Bondi, and similar cases hare recently occurred at Manly and at Newcastle.
It appears that there are certain spots on these beaches that are particularly treacherous, and when a swimmer in ignorance of his danger bathes there he runs a considerable risk of losing his life.
Once caught in the undercurrent, he becomes helpless, and unless promptly rescued is drowned.
The number of such cases that have occurred should prove sufficient warning lo bathers.
It is not so, however, and it is quite necessary in order to safeguard human life that notices should be posted giving warning of dangerous places, and also that rescue lines should be provided for immediate use in cases of emergency.
The list of disasters as well as of narrow escapes is sufficiently large to warrant measures of this kind being taken.
Moreover, with the introduction of these precautions many would share in this invigorating pastime who are now deterred by their ignorance of the dangerous places and the difficulties of rescue in case of a mishap.
Surf-bathing is full of keen enjoyment, with its buffetings and shocks of billows rolling in  from the wide ocean.
It has a bracing tonic effect, and conducted with ordinary care, and a knowledge of the surroundings is indulged in with safety by large numbers.
Unfortunately, however, there are always attendant risks due to inexperience or other causes, and anything that can be done to minimise these risks is worthy of encouragement.

The stir that was created at Bondi Beach amongst the early morning bathers on Wednesday by the presence of the members of the local police force was more apparent yesterday.
There was a larger attendance of bathers, and in consequence of the fact that the two police had great trouble the previous day in obtaining the names nnd addresses of persons who were alleged to have offended against the law, additional police were expected on the scene yesterday.
As the morning wore on, however, no police arrived, and the large crowd enjoyed their swim without molestation.

Mr. John Clubb, the local council clerk, when spoken to on the matter by a "Herald" reporter yesterday, said there remained nothing further for the council to do.
Tho attention of the police had been called to the matter, and it rested with them as to what further action should be taken. .

Mr. P. Fanner, lessee of the Bondi baths, when seen, said ho wished to refute the statement that he had anything to do with the council's action.
He considered that partrons had a right to bathe at the beach if they thought fit and were willlng to risk the dangers of so doing. There were, he said, many who patronised the baths for a swim, and then proceeded to the beach and enjoyed a dip in the surf and breakers that rolled over on to tho beach.

Shortly after 10 o'clock on Saturday morning a fisherman named Sly, while walking along the cliffs at Manly, noticed a man lying near the water's edge.
Sly climbed down a path which is used by fishermen, and found that the man was Mr. Henry Lawson, poet and story-writer.
He was quickly carried t the top of the cliffs, and Dr. Hall, who was summoned, found that Mr. Lawson was suffering from a broken ankle, a lacerated wound over the right eye, besides other injuries.
It was ascertained that Mr. Lawson had fallen over the cliffs, which at that place are about 80 or 90ft. high.
He was conveyed to Sydney.

A meeting of the Manly branch of the Life- saving Society was held at the Steyne Hotel on Friday for the purpose of electing officers.
There was an attendance of over 50 members.
The election resulted as follows :-
Patrons, Mr. Dugald Thomson, M.P., and Mr. E. W. Quirk, M.L.A. ; president, Mr. D. Hogan ; vice-presidents, Dr. David Thomas, Dr. L. Watson Harvey, Dr. G. R. P. Hall, and a number of prominent residents ; hon. secretary, Mr, J. A. Rosenthall ; committee, Messrs. P. Lowe, L. Glasson, W. Daley, J. Bedwell, F. Bell, J. Strong, and A. Rosenthall.
It was moved by Mr. W. H. Gocher, -" That the residents of Manly should be invited to subscribe funds for a lifeboat together with a bell and belfry, the bell to be rung when any   person was in danger in the breakers, and its final tolls to denote at what part of the beach the services of the life-saving corps were required."
Arrangements were made for drill at St. Athanasius' Schoolroom every Monday evening.

Mi George Pile writes -"There is no danger in surf bathing at Manly if the northern end of the beach (or freshwater beach) is selected for the purpose, because the under-current only sets in at its southern end, and in view of this well-known fact, it does seem passing (?) strange that the municipal authorites should have selected as a site for the public bathing shelter the most dangerous spot on the whole beach "

"Shooting the Breakers," showing a phase of surf bathing at Manly, is the subject of a picture in this week's " Mail.'' -Advt.

The subject of surf bathing was brought up by a letter from the local Life Saving Society, to whom the council had offered flags for defining the positions of   dangerous holes and treacherous bathing places.
The society preferred that the council should put the flags up.
It was decided to ask the Premier to supply Manly with a surf boat and gear.

Mr. D. Hogan, of Manly, writes today that the lifeboat crew did very smart work in rescuing the people whose lives were endangerd in the surf at the ocean beach on Wednesday.
As soon as the crew observed the signal the made for the breakers and skilfully effected the rescue.
Another correspondent also bears testimony to the work of the crew, which did very smart work, considering, that in his opinion, the boat was undermanned.

Mr. Archibal Hannan writes to say that the report of a life saving incident at manly was incorrect, so far as it referred to himself.
He simply went to the rescue of a friend, and got ashore without any assitance.

Mr. W. V. H. Biddell, president of the Bronte Surf-bathing Association, estimates that if surf-bathers are hampered with dress in which they have not absolute freedom of arms and legs- in fact, of the whole body- they will be four times as liable to get exbausted if they accidentally got into a current.
The costume may bocome the cause of four times as many people being carried out to sea, and more loss of life In consequence.

The Manly surf carnival and official opening of new dressing accommodation at Manly by the Minister for Lands takes place to-day at 3 p.m.
The principal events are a fancy dress parade, Sly Bros, in surf boat rescue work, and resuscitation by a squad from the Royal Life-saving Society.
There will be numerous other events.
The ladies of Manly will make a special collection on behalf of the Royal Life-saving Society.

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