SUNDAY turned out to be an eventful day at Narooma surf beach and the Narooma Surf Life Saving Club.
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Dropping in at the start of the patrol was the president of Surf Life Saving Australia Graham Ford, who regularly holidays in Narooma.
Graham is a life member of Bronte SLSC and has held many senior roles at club, branch and national level, including member of the National Board of Development and Director of the Southern Region SLSA (Westpac) Helicopter Rescue Service.
He checked out the Nippers program and had a chat with Narooma surfboat sweep Brendan Constable, who recently led his crew to first place in the Veterans division in the George Bass Surfboat Marathon.
He congratulated Brendan on the win and also the club for having such good numbers of Nippers enrolled this season with more than 140 youngsters involved.
The club is also sending a contingent of Nippers and senior competitors, including surfboat rowers, to the NSW Country Surf Life Saving Championships set to kick off on Friday at the new venue of Mollymook Beach near Ulladulla.
The surfboat competition is in sprint format where the rowers race out through the breakers around a buoy and back in.
Sweep Brendan will be joined by rowers Jae Constable, Johnny Davis, Rod Patmore and Adam Morris in trying out this new form of racing for Narooma.
They will be racing in the 120-plus masters division, based on adding up all their ages.
After the president came and went, and despite the very calm conditions in the surf, patrol members just after 10am were called to action when a teenage girl from Melbourne had what appeared to be a seizure in the surf.
The 18-year-old girl was pulled from the water and provided oxygen therapy by volunteer lifeguards assisted by a doctor from Orange who offered her help, before being taken to hospital by Ambulance paramedics.
Sandgrit – Narooma Surf Lifesaving Club news
DID you hear? Narooma boaties won seven out of seven legs in the vets division of the George Bass Surf Boat Marathon!
That's right - an absolutely incredible achievement, and thoroughly deserved. Our veteran rowers put in a massive effort preparing for the epic event held only every second year, through fitness training and fine tuning their technique, fundraising and setting up the O'Brien's Hotel surfboat with new seats, rowlocks and other maintenance, leaving nothing to chance.
Of course none of which would have been possible without the many support crew members who enabled rowers to compete by preparing meals, massaging bodies, driving boats, buses and trailers, washing towels, setting up tents and assisting with all kinds of logistics.
A historical win for any club and certainly for Narooma SLSC who maintained their dominance of the veteran division throughout the 180km marathon, the largest field of competitors in this season's race, travelling from as far as Northcliffe in Queensland.
Congratulations to each of the crew, Adam Morris, Glen Wilton, Jae Constable, Johnny Davis, Nigel Constable, Rod Patmore, Stu Croser, Unto Holopanien and sweep Brendan Constable.
Huge congrats to Narooma SLSC Ski paddler Nick Ziviani who finished sixth overall; a massive achievement. This was Nick's sixth George Bass having rowed three in a surfboat and three on a ski.
We are also proud to have our president, Steve Dobson, assist in his first season as a committee member of the George Bass Surf Boat Marathon, making some thoughtful decisions for the safety and wellbeing of all competitors.
Narooma Nippers Update
Perfect conditions last Sunday with really small surf, warm water and very little wind – all of our Nippers had a great day playing in the waves. A great start to Nippers for 2014.
Next weekend’s Nippers is cancelled as we are taking a group of 20 Narooma SLSC competitors to the SLS Country Championship three-day carnival in Mollmook. Best of luck to all those attending, a fantastic experience with an anticipated 1200 competitors taking part. To any of our Nippers in Narooma, feel free to paddle a board or have a swim between the flags, just remember to hose off your board and put it away when you’re finished.
The next Nippers meet will be our Twilight Nippers and Sippers beginning at 2pm on Saturday, February 1. The Saturday afternoon Nippers activities will be followed by disco dancing on the deck with DJ Mat Rat and dinner. More information to follow.
Australia Day Breakfast at the Surf Club
What better way to celebrate Australia Day, enjoying a typical Oz-style brekkie overlooking the beach at beautiful Narooma. The annual barbecue breakfast put on by Narooma SLSC and the Narooma Lions Club is on again from 8am til 10am in the car park below the clubhouse.
The brekkie always draws a crowd and is a great way to get you in the spirit of Australia Day. The breakfast includes a tea or coffee, sausages, bacon, eggs and toast, topped with your choice of ‘dead horse’ - tomato or barbecue.
Helpers for the Australia Day Breakfast are needed at 6.30am to set up the event. The car park in front of the club will be closed off to cars, boats will be taken out of the shed, tables and chairs will be brought down, as will the barbecue and food. If you can be available, please let Dobbo know you’ll be there to lend a hand.
The week ahead
Friday, January 17
NSW Country Champs at Mollymook SLSC
6pm Friday Fundraising Raffles at O’Brien’s Hotel
Saturday, January 18
Patrol A with Brendan Constable
NSW Country Champs at Mollymook SLSC
Wharf to Waves Ocean Swim at Tathra SLSC
Sunday, January 19
Patrol C with Pip Thorn
No Nippers – cancelled due to Mollymook Champs
NSW Country Champs at Mollymook SLSC
Wharf to Waves Ocean Swim at Tathra SLSC