Crowds at Illawarra beaches are finally thinning after a busy holiday period that left local lifesavers run off their feet with rescues, but the team in red and yellow have warned locals not to be complacent.
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Volunteer lifesavers performed a "staggering" 144 rescues in the ten days between Christmas Eve and January 2, 2023 across the Illawarra coast.
While crowds are thinning, fine weather is expected to continue this week, and Surf Life Saving Illawarra's Anthony Turner urged beach-goers to keep water safety a priority.
"Sadly, there have been another few drownings over the last 48 hours - one in Jervis bay and one in Sydney - it highlights the importance of being vigilant," Mr Turner said.
Mr Turner urged swimmers to swim between the flags and know their limitations and abilities in the water, and ensure children are supervised, even in rock pools and lagoons.
Two near-drownings occurred over the Christmas period at the Stanwell park beach lagoon, which should be a reminder for parents to ensure their children are safe, even in calm waters, he said.
The high number of rescues over the Christmas period is likely linked to the number of people getting back into the water after COVID lock downs, when they may not have kept up with swimming lessons.
He urged swimmers who may not be confident in the water to enrol themselves in swimming lessons, and enrol their children.
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