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harris : surf-bathing nsw, 1907 |
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SURF-BATHING IN
NEW SOUTH WALES
BY PHIL HARRIS
There is probably
no city with environs that offer more or better faculties for surf bathing
than Sydney does.
Within practically
a few minutes journey from the city by boat, tram, or train there are many
pretty sandy beaches where the great bounding sintillating Pacific roars
forth its enticing lnvitation to, all. to come and part take of its refreshing,
healthful qualitles.
And the residents
of the harbour city do not allow the invitation to go unheeded.
Whenever opportunity
offers they crowd to where the "great sea chafes and the white horses of
the Pacific shake their sounding manes"; and throughout the summer months
the numerous seaside resorts are thronged with thousands of frolicsome,
hilarious bathers- young and old, male and female- eager for a share of
the delights that the sea gratuitously offers to all.
Although the municipal
arrangements for the convenience of bathers may not be so elaborate as
those in other parts of the world, there are few places where the breakers
are more perfect or more beautIful, and where the beaches offer more natural
advantages for surf-bathing.
And the healthy,
sun-tanned bodIes of the thousands of bathers who regularly flock to the
more easily accessible beaches, their bnght, happy faces and blithe, buoyant
spirits- pregnant with a sense of absolute freedom, unmarred enjoyment,
complete diversion, exhilarating hilarity, and healthful excitement, which
finds expression in joyous shouts as they press eagerly forward to meet
the incoming breakers when they gather and swell, rise majestically and
curl over and tumble and spread in sportive glee, foam-flecked, blue-green
glories- afford eloquent testimony that Sydneyites are not wanting in appreciation
of their glorious heritage.
It is a welcome
sign that the youth of New South Wales are becoming so universally addicted
to surf-bathing- for there is no finer, no cleaner, no more invigorating,
health-giving, and health-retaining pastime known to mankind, nor one freer
from debasing influences and fuller of that which elevates and pleases.
To the healthy,
active youth who has once tasted of its delights, there is an accolt, irresistable
allurement and entrancmg beauty in the ceaseless swish and roar of the
breakers that draw him to them on every possible occasion.
To him the sound
of the restless surf is like the merry laughter of happy children at play,
and the louder roar of the great breakers as they gather and fall
is like the continuous approving applause and the joyful boisterous laughter
of admiring parents at the playful antics of theIr offspring.
Page 2
THE COMPARATIVE
SAFETY OF SURF-BATHING.
It is a fallacy
to think that surf-bathing is a highly dangerous pastime.
The occasional
publication of sensatinonal accounts of "bathing fatalaties"has had the
effect of intimidating nervous people; but there is really less danger
to life and limb in surf-bathing than there is in many other invigorating
outdoor sports.
Surf-bathing
mishaps are almost invariably the outcome of wanton carelessness and utter
lack of forethought; and they should not influence people against the enjoyment
of that glorious sensation which peculiarly and particularly belongs to
surf-bathing.
To the level-headed
bather, who keeps inside the further most point at which the waves break,
and who exercises a reasonable amount of care and discretion, the past
time possesses the minimum of danger.
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Photo by Hall & Co., Sydney. |
Often a man will
force his way through the line of breakers because he happens to possess
a little more than the average strength and luck, or because the breakers
seem to be not very strong, and with no small admiration of himself- which
he wrongly supposes to be shared by the onlookers- he swims far out.
While his luck
stands by him he gets back safely, but one day he may fail to do so, or
other people will have to risk their lives in the attempt to rescue him.
Then we may read
of how a strong swimmer fell victim to the "treacherous undertow," and
unreasonable people may be moved to speak deprecatingly of, and anxious
parents to prohibit their children from, indulging in an eminently...
Page 3
...healthful, harmless, and delightful pastime.
But it cannot
be said that the reckless individual who indulges in this sort of thing
is surfbathing.
Once outside
the outer line of breakers, that made the indesrcribably pleasant sensation
of being gathered up in the bounding, foam-crested breaker and taken in
its mighty arms and rushed rapidly but gently along, and landed, unharmed
and happy, on the beach, is entirely lost.
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Photo by Hall & Co., Sydney. |
Another source
of peril to the unwary bather is the undercurrent.
The danger from
this cause is not nearly so great as that from the undertow, and a fair
swimmer, with intelligence and presence of mind, can easily get out of
its influence by lying on his back and floating along with the affected
waters until its force becomes reduced, and then swimming out of the danger
zone by striking out along the beach.
The phenomenon
of the undercurrent is caused by the waves which, through outside influences,
approach the beach from different dlrection, converging and rushing back
with great velocity between the incoming waves, with the effect of producing
a current, the strength of which depends upon the force of the surf
and the quantity of water influenced.
The regular surf
bather, however, learns to tell at a glance where these dangers exist,
and he gives them a wide berth.
Page 4
THE PSYCHOLOGY
OF SURF-BATHING.
Surf bathing
is sometimes aluded to as "fightIng the breakers."
This is a misnomer.
The individual
who sets out with the intention of combating the forces of the ocean will
surely come out a bad loser.
When treated
properly there is nothing more pleasant and docile than a breaker.
But it is a rough
and relentless fighter.
Learn to give
it the treatment it requires and it is gentle, playful, and yielding.
Try to fight
it, and it is a raging, exasperated monster, eddying, rushing, fuming;
and the offending bather will find hImself embraced tightly in its powerful,
unyielding grip, and, like a powerless pigmy, dashed and tumbled about
in its briny midst until, after numerous eccentric gyrations, it will throw
him, bruised, choking, panting, and unhappy, on the beach.
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Photo by Hall & Co., Sydney. |
Although to the
outsider surf bathing may appear to be a very simple and unscientific pastIme,
there are certain imperative rules which must be observed if one desires
to obtain from it the fullest enjoyment and benefit.
Even among regular
surf-bathers there are very many who know nothing of the proper methods
for negotiating the breakers.
They may readily
be discerned by the ungraceful and excitable manner in which they tumble
and splash about at almost every breaker, while the advent of what the
scientific bather would designate "a beauty" completely demoralises them,
and generally lands them in ludicrous attitudes on the beach.
A faithful observance
of the rules herein laid down will save the novice many embarrassing up-endings
and humiliating poundings in the sand.
Page 5
The first and
primary factor to be considered by the surf-bather is the preservation
of balance -that is, to be able to withstand the force of a rush of water
without suffering an overthrow.
This is possible
only by judging correctly the force of the wave and exactly when it will
break, and then acting with skill and expedition.
The first is
merely a matter of judgment- the force of the breaker will depend on the
volume of water which it contains- and the ability to act with skill and
expedition will come with practice.
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Photo by Hall & Co., Sydney. |
Another effective
method under similar circumstances is to dive deep
down under the
breaker and push the ...
Page 6
... body, or if
the volume of water be great, swim hard through it, being careful to keep
directly head on.
If you swerve
to the right or left you will find yourself hopelessly entangled in the
rushing, whirling water, and, after getting pounded about in the sand,
will probably bring yourself up eventually
somewhat scraped.
Be sure to dive
deep down, to escape the perturbed surface water and to prevent collision
with other bathers who are shooting in.
ThIs is the most
difficult method of all, and the novice will have to exercise care in performing
it.
If you are too
far out for shooting- that is, if the breaker is going past you before
curling over and spreading -the best plan is to "ride" it.
Instead of throwing
yourself into it, as in shooting, keep yourself upright, and
when it meets
you spring forcibly, and it will carry you gracefully into its summit,
and, continuing on its onward course, let you glide gently down on the
other side.
Don try to shoot
when you are too far out; either adopt the above method or dive through
the wave.
If there are
two or more large billows approaching in rapid succession (large breakers
generally come in threes) it is advisable to dive through the foremost
of them and shoot on the last.
The last is generally
the largest, and therefore the best for shooting on.
Besides, if you
come in on the first you will meet the others in shallow water after they
have broken
and spread.
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Photo by Hall & Co., Sydney. |
No doubt, with
the knowledge that l comes from experience, the bather will discover new
methods, but I am sure he will always find that those indicated above are
the most useful.
I have chosen
them only after confering with a number of the most experienced surf-bathers
in Australia; and where difference of opinion has existed between these
I have come to
a decision by
actual experiments in the breakers.
When a breaker
is approaching, the bather must decide ...
Page 7
... quickly which method he will adopt, and act with decision and judgment.
The necessity
for exercising care and prudence cannot be too often or too forcibly impressed
upon surf-bathers. Thoughtless persons frequently allow their better judgment
to be overcome by a desire to impress their friends with a sense of their
skill. Stupidity is not courage: and carelessness or recklessness may possibly
be the cause of bringing into reproach one of the healthiest and most invigorating
of pastimes.
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(In the foreground a bather is seen in the act of diving under a wave.) Photo by Hall & Co., Sydney. |
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The Red Funnel 27 Rattay Street, Dunedin, New Zealand. Volume V, Number 1, August 1907 Pages 1 to 7. |
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