Yet it can be gone in an instant.

Unfortunately over the long weekend in the Illawarra we saw two instances where lives were lost in the blink of an eye.

While the loss of those lives can not be undone they should serve as a stark reminder as to just how precious life is and how quickly it can be taken away.

The first loss of life came when a 24-year-old man died after he fell from a ledge while sight-seeing on the cliff face above the Sea Cliff Bridge.

If that wasn’t bad enough residents reported to the Illawarra Mercury people continued to access the cliff face on Sunday, just a day after the tragic fall.

When the Illawarra Mercury photographer Adam McLean went to the Sea Cliff Bridge on Monday he captured a host of people walking along the unsecured cliff face taking selfies and images to add to their various social media platforms.  Is it really a view to die for?

We think not. This region is blessed with many wonderful, safe and secure lookouts and designated vantage points which provide the opportunity for glorious images of our wonderful coastline.

Please, stop endangering your lives and stick to where it is safe. Then on Monday afternoon came another tragedy.

Another 24-year-old man died after being pulled unconscious from the water at Stanwell Park on what was the opening weekend for beach patrols across the region.

At the official opening of the season last week, life guards reinforced the key messages of swimming between flags at patrolled beaches.

Unfortunately, the tragedy at Stanwell Park broke the guidelines: Not swimming between the flags, in a rip and wearing clothes. A recipe for absolute disaster.

Our hearts go out to the man’s family but it should serve as a reminder for anyone going to our beautiful, but potentially dangerous beaches this spring and summer.

Please. Swim. Between. The. Flags. 

Our hearts also go out to the brave surfers and people on the beach who tried in vain to revive the swimmer before emergency services arrived.