Recovery

Rescue

KAIA

The turquoise salt water foamed against the golden sand at Bondi on a sultry summers day. Even in this early hour, I smiled at the sun warming my skin. I couldn't wait to get into the refreshing waves and ride some waves. An early morning surf with Jack, my 11 year old son, was a Wednesday ritual. Surf, breakfast, school run, work.

Dropping our towels on the beach, we sat on the sand and read the waves for a moment, happy to see the clean right breaks, before jogging down into the cooling waves. As the minutes passed, more and more surfers joined us and soon the break was filling up.

Jack and I lined up for a good looking set that was rolling in. I needed this. It'd already been a stressful week and it was only Wednesday. Being a single mum was not easy. Balancing work time, school time, Jack time and me time was a constant juggling act. On top of that, the medical bills just seemed to keep coming, so I really needed to clear my mind with a few good waves. I wasn't paying attention to the teenager to my right, who was also looking at the same wave for his ten seconds of bliss. Turning my board to paddle and line up for the wave, I thought I heard a yell, but wasn't totally sure and by then it was too late.

Thwack. Splash.

I went from catching my balance on my orange Mctavish board to feeling like a pair of socks in my tumble dryer, being tossed around in the briny whorl; the thick silence filling my ears, interrupted sporadically by the thundering drum beat of the crashing waves. My lungs started to burn and the salt water stung my eyes.

Shit. My head hurts.

Which way is up?

JACK

I always loved Wednesday mornings. Mum and I went for a surf before school when it was warm enough and that's an awesome way to start any day. We'd been doing it for as long as I could remember. Even when the ocean was flat like paper, we'd bring the paddleboards down and get our ocean fix that way. Dad used to come, but he stopped a few years ago. That made me sad, but Mum always told me, "Don't worry, be happy" and then she'd start singing the song and dancing really silly. She always knew how to cheer me up.

It was summer now, and today was already steamy. After the ten-minute walk down to the beach from home, I was sweaty, so I just wanted to dive in. But mum sat down on the sand, like she always did, and we just watched for a minute.

Once we'd picked a good looking spot, we paddled out and floated for a while, watching the sets roll in. I could tell Mum was upset about something, but our time out here always calmed me down, so I hoped it would help her too. Mum turned and paddled for a wave but I saw someone else who was paddling for the same break too close to her and I tried yelling to warn her, but I guess she didn't hear me. From where I was, it looked like he'd dropped in on her wave and knocked her off. I was so scared when I saw her board pop up out of the whitewash as she wiped out. Worried, I paddled towards where she had been, but couldn't see her anywhere. When I saw that her board was washing into shore without her, I really started to panic and decided to go in to the lifeguards for help. Speeding up the sand towards the lifeguard buggy sitting on the beach, I saw a one of the guys on duty coming towards me.

"My Mum! She's come off her board and I can't see her. Some idiot dropped in on her. I tried to yell to her, but she couldn't hear me. I can't see her!"

"It's okay mate, I'll grab my board and have a look. What does she look like?"

"Long brown hair. Tan skin like me. She's wearing pink swimmers today. Help her! Please!" I shouted. It was just her and me, so I was worried.

Turning to the other lifeguard who had now come down to us at the waters edge, the blonde lifeguard said,

"Lou, can you get onto the tower and see if they can see her?"

Looking back at me, he patted my shoulder and said,

"Stay here okay? Just stay with Lou. I'll go find your Mum."

Grabbing his board, he took off towards the waves.

NIALL

'Wednesday morning! Yes!' I thought as I woke up. Tomorrow off, which meant I could have a surf and finish that song that wouldn't leave my head. It was so bloody hot here already - this summer was going to be a scorcher. Getting out of bed, I opened the blinds to check the weather. It looked like it was going to be a gorgeous day. Even though it was still early, I could tell that clear blue skies were on their way.

"Lets get to it then." I said to no one in particular, stretching my arms and back, and headed for the shower.

Breakfast - the most important meal of the day. Not that any meal is unimportant in my books, but I couldn't head off to work on an empty tummy, so I hurried through a bowl of cornflakes, a banana, a cup of tea and some toast before shrugging my work shirt on and jogging out the door.

Working at Bondi Rescue definitely had its perks. Beautiful scenery, beautiful people and the other lads were good people. Lou, my best mate worked there too and this morning we were on shift together. Setting up the flags before the early morning surfers and holidaymakers, we parked the buggy near the shore and laughed and joked while watching our patch of water.

Lou had just finished roasting me about something stupid I'd done last weekend when we saw a boy running up towards us. I jogged down to meet him and listened intently while he told me that his mum had been knocked off her board.

"My Mum! Some idiot dropped in on her. I tried to yell to her, but she couldn't hear me. I can't see her!" he yelled to me.

"It's okay mate, what's your name?"

"Jack!" He replied hurriedly.

"Ok Jack, I'll grab my board and have a look. What does she look like?"

"Long brown hair. Tan skin like me. She's wearing pink swimmers today. Help her! Please!"

Poor kid was panicking.

I turned to Lou, who was approaching with a board, eyebrows raised in question, and said,

"Lou, can you get onto the tower and see if they can see her?"

Lou nodded and grabbed his walkie, walking away a couple of meters, looking towards the tower and started chatting with Harrison, who hopefully had a better view than we did. Looking back at the boy, I took a second to calm him before I went looking for his mum,

"Stay here okay? Just stay with Lou. I'll go find your Mum."

Grabbing the board and jogging into the water in the direction he was pointing, I ran towards the waves, hoping I could find this kid's Mum.