| Early
this century bathing in the surf was not permitted during daylight
hours. In 1902 William Gocher, the editor of the Manly Daily defied
the law on three occasions and was finally successful in having
these laws changed.
As a result hundreds of people began flocking to the surf. 17
people had lost their lives prior to Gocher's first swim and now
with unrestricted bathing the locals began to find that they were
spending more and more of their time saving people from the frequently
turbulent sea that most did not understand.
The Royal Life Saving Society provided poles that were erected
on each beach with a line and heavy bouy hanging from them. The
idea was that a swimmer could take the bouy out to someone in
distress and then both would be hauled back to the beach with
the line. In Practice the line was usually rotted through exposure
to the weather and the heavy bouy gave the swimmer little chance
of getting through the break. As a life saving device they were
useless.
These impromptu rescues got on the regulars nerves and many
sought the seclusion of North Steyne and Freshwater however it
was not long before they too were discovered by the visitors.
The death of two women and a man in the surf at North Steyne
in 1907 helped make up the minds of several locals to form a surf
bathing and life saving club. In Setember 1907 a meeeting was
held in the Central Methodist Hall in Belgrave Street. Over 230
people attended including 100 women. The meeting elected the State
Premier C.G.Wade, patron, C.D.Paterson, captain, O.G.H.Merrett
vice captain and W.H.Commins Hon. Secretary of the club which
was to be known as the North Steyne Surf Bathers and Life Saving
Club.
They were to meet every Sunday morning on the beach opposite
Pine Street and agreed to voluntary patrols which would relieve
the Council's paid lifesaver every alternative Sunday from 8am
to 4pm.
information mostly from
"50 Years of Vigilance & Service 1907-1950"
published on the 50th Anniversary of the club
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