About 100 contestants aged from under 15 to over 50 from Batemans Bay, Bermagui, Broulee, Moruya, Narooma, Pambula and Tathra will be competing.

Director of Surf Sports FSC Melissa Meaker said before the events start at 10.30am there will be minute silence in memory of Tathra Surf Life Saving Club vice-president Dave Elliott, who died recently.

“Dave was an integral part of our club and Far South Coast Branch Person of the Year and our heartfelt condolences go to his wife Fran and the family,” Ms Meaker said.

After the opening ceremony the surf boats will take to the water at 10.30am with a round robin of three rounds each in the open men's, open women’s, U23s, U19s, veteran men and women.

Spectators will be able to watch the Narooma men’s veteran rowing team who won the Pambula Club to Pub race earlier this year.

The Narooma veterans team also came 11th out of 37 in the Georges River Rooster Run coming in second out of seven veteran crews.

The Rooster Run is over 12km long and without any crew changes is a real test of stamina for the rowers.

The boats will be followed by the main events starting at 12.30pm.

Among the afternoon's events are the Ironman events for open, U15, U17, U19, over 30, 40 and 50 men and women.

Following the Ironman events are the single and double male and female ski events before surfers hop on their board for the surf events.

While the water events are taking place there will be action on the beach with the sprint events, beach relays and flag races.

“Another fun event on the day are the tube rescue races,” Ms Meaker said.

There are various tube events with tube rescues for teams of four, two and a tube race for one person.

Water safety is of prime importance to organisers with a number of Inflatable Rubber Boats (IRB’s) and a jet ski patrolling the water during the carnival.

“If the visibility is poor or the conditions too rough, we will hold a modified carnival for the water events,” Ms Meaker said.

“The surf boats and beach events will still go ahead as normal,” she said.

The local coffee and fish and chip shops are open for lunch and the Surf Club bar will be open at the end of the carnival.

There are three senior carnivals during the season with the next one at Broulee on Sunday, January 31.

The first Nippers carnival for this season is planned to be held on Sunday, December 6 at Moruya Surf Life Saving Club.