1 00:00:00,000 --> 00:00:00,280 (CHILDREN LAUGH) 2 00:00:01,520 --> 00:00:03,160 # Take me back to the 3 00:00:03,160 --> 00:00:04,960 # The sweet times 4 00:00:04,960 --> 00:00:06,800 # The hot nights 5 00:00:06,800 --> 00:00:08,760 # Everything's gonna be alright 6 00:00:08,760 --> 00:00:10,800 # In the summertime 7 00:00:10,800 --> 00:00:13,200 # Baby, in the summertime 8 00:00:13,200 --> 00:00:15,520 # That is where I'll be. # 9 00:00:25,520 --> 00:00:27,040 It's Christmas Eve. 10 00:00:27,040 --> 00:00:30,080 Bondi is usually heaving with holiday-makers. 11 00:00:31,240 --> 00:00:34,120 But today, no-one wants to be here. 12 00:00:35,160 --> 00:00:37,840 There's a couple of people around. I can't believe they're down here. 13 00:00:37,840 --> 00:00:40,480 We just want to go home, see our families 14 00:00:40,480 --> 00:00:43,800 but we're stuck down here in this horrible, horrible weather. 15 00:00:43,800 --> 00:00:46,480 It was threatening to rain all day and now it's really coming down. 16 00:00:49,000 --> 00:00:50,280 Wet! 17 00:00:55,480 --> 00:00:58,880 MAN: You've got a river running through the middle of Bondi! 18 00:00:58,880 --> 00:01:00,840 Poor old Santa's gonna be wet, isn't he? 19 00:01:00,840 --> 00:01:02,520 Huh? And it's Christmas! 20 00:01:05,000 --> 00:01:08,320 Torrential rain is flooding the beach 21 00:01:08,320 --> 00:01:10,000 and the lifeguard tower. 22 00:01:13,200 --> 00:01:16,280 It was a weird one. Everything just came down at once. 23 00:01:17,280 --> 00:01:19,560 It was one of those different storms that come through, 24 00:01:19,560 --> 00:01:21,360 that come down in volume. 25 00:01:21,360 --> 00:01:23,480 It instantly wiped out the tower, the tunnels - 26 00:01:23,480 --> 00:01:26,000 everything just filled up, right up. 27 00:01:26,000 --> 00:01:29,280 This storm came right through before one of the busiest days of the year. 28 00:01:29,280 --> 00:01:30,960 Our tower's got everything we need, 29 00:01:30,960 --> 00:01:33,120 all our equipment, all our safety gear, all our rescue gear, 30 00:01:33,120 --> 00:01:34,920 so we knew everyone had to kick into gear 31 00:01:34,920 --> 00:01:37,320 and make sure everything was ready for the next day. 32 00:01:38,600 --> 00:01:41,320 I saw Chappo - he was head-to-toe in sand, wet 33 00:01:41,320 --> 00:01:42,800 and he was digging with a shovel, 34 00:01:42,800 --> 00:01:45,640 trying to make a trench through the whole middle of the beach. 35 00:01:45,640 --> 00:01:49,160 Looked like hard work so I thought I'd come up with a new idea. 36 00:01:53,800 --> 00:01:56,720 I thought, why not throw the buggies in two-wheel drive 37 00:01:56,720 --> 00:01:58,920 and see if we could make a couple of trenches with that. 38 00:02:02,440 --> 00:02:04,640 So we ended up, all the crew on shovels 39 00:02:04,640 --> 00:02:07,360 and then having the buggies just rip through the sand. 40 00:02:12,200 --> 00:02:14,720 It's working, eh? Yeah. 41 00:02:27,840 --> 00:02:29,520 CHAPPO: You know, we'll get this done 42 00:02:29,520 --> 00:02:31,520 and the boys won't be so flooded in the morning. 43 00:02:39,840 --> 00:02:42,480 MAN: Beautiful day down here, on Christmas Day. 44 00:02:42,480 --> 00:02:45,560 We've had...some pretty average weather in the last 24 hours, 45 00:02:45,560 --> 00:02:48,040 some of the heaviest rain I've ever seen in Bondi. 46 00:02:48,040 --> 00:02:50,840 You wouldn't know it, after seeing the sunrise this morning, 47 00:02:50,840 --> 00:02:52,440 how beautiful the conditions are. 48 00:02:52,440 --> 00:02:54,680 It's a sunny day. I think we'll be getting a big turn-out. 49 00:03:01,320 --> 00:03:04,960 NARRATOR: People come from across the world for a Bondi Christmas. 50 00:03:05,960 --> 00:03:09,000 Like British couple Chrissie and Gary. 51 00:03:09,000 --> 00:03:12,840 Christmas barbecues on the beach - it's not right. (LAUGHS) 52 00:03:12,840 --> 00:03:15,960 I need to have snow! It's normally minus-10 and snow. 53 00:03:15,960 --> 00:03:19,560 They have a soft spot for the boys in light blue. 54 00:03:22,360 --> 00:03:24,200 Thanks so much. 55 00:03:24,200 --> 00:03:26,320 We always said we wanted to come on Christmas Day 56 00:03:26,320 --> 00:03:29,240 and give them a present - not many people say thankyou for what they do 57 00:03:29,240 --> 00:03:31,560 and they spend so many hours here, even... 58 00:03:31,560 --> 00:03:33,040 Even after hours. 59 00:03:33,040 --> 00:03:34,680 ..after they're supposed to work. 60 00:03:34,680 --> 00:03:36,800 Just appreciation. Unreal. Have a good one. 61 00:03:36,800 --> 00:03:40,120 Free food never lasts long in the tower 62 00:03:40,120 --> 00:03:44,400 but the lifeguards won't have time to enjoy their Christmas feast. 63 00:03:47,240 --> 00:03:51,800 Today they expect around 20,000 revellers. 64 00:03:51,800 --> 00:03:53,200 ALL: Merry Christmas! 65 00:03:53,200 --> 00:03:55,080 Happy Christmas! 66 00:03:55,080 --> 00:03:56,640 Merry Christmas! 67 00:03:56,640 --> 00:03:58,960 Merry Christmas from Bondi! 68 00:03:58,960 --> 00:04:00,560 (CHEERING) 69 00:04:00,560 --> 00:04:02,520 (LIVELY MUSIC PLAYS) 70 00:04:03,880 --> 00:04:05,760 MAN: The majority of people at the beach today 71 00:04:05,760 --> 00:04:08,000 are tourists having a Christmas away from home, 72 00:04:08,000 --> 00:04:09,880 so everybody's out here for a swim, which is great - 73 00:04:09,880 --> 00:04:11,480 we love having people down here - 74 00:04:11,480 --> 00:04:13,160 but yeah, the rips are pulling, 75 00:04:13,160 --> 00:04:15,040 people are swimming in the wrong spot... 76 00:04:15,040 --> 00:04:16,680 (MUSIC CONTINUES) 77 00:04:16,680 --> 00:04:18,160 A lot of non-swimmers 78 00:04:18,160 --> 00:04:21,000 and it's every chance it could be chaos this afternoon, absolutely. 79 00:04:26,720 --> 00:04:30,240 Faddy has been a lifeguard at Bondi for six years. 80 00:04:30,240 --> 00:04:32,680 I love everything about it - your office is at the beach, 81 00:04:32,680 --> 00:04:34,520 I work with friends, 82 00:04:34,520 --> 00:04:37,120 get to give back to the community and help people, I get to keep fit - 83 00:04:37,120 --> 00:04:39,760 yeah, it's really... it's a blessing, this job. 84 00:04:41,480 --> 00:04:43,640 He's no stranger to the chaos 85 00:04:43,640 --> 00:04:47,520 but this is his first Christmas Day on duty. 86 00:04:47,520 --> 00:04:50,280 The beach is gridlocked, everyone's down here having fun 87 00:04:50,280 --> 00:04:53,720 but no-one's really paying attention to the rules as much as normal. 88 00:04:58,840 --> 00:05:02,200 Tommy spots a swimmer struggling in front of the tower. 89 00:05:03,840 --> 00:05:06,000 Jack and Eddie take a closer look. 90 00:05:11,200 --> 00:05:13,440 I got the call from Eddie... 91 00:05:14,840 --> 00:05:18,400 ..and there was a guy just, sort of, face-down in the water 92 00:05:18,400 --> 00:05:20,520 but still, sort of, flapping his arms. 93 00:05:20,520 --> 00:05:22,120 It was really bizarre 94 00:05:22,120 --> 00:05:23,600 and he was sort of signalling for help 95 00:05:23,600 --> 00:05:25,640 but he just wouldn't pull his head out of the water. 96 00:05:27,960 --> 00:05:29,080 Hey. Hey! 97 00:05:29,080 --> 00:05:31,000 People that aren't familiar with the beach, 98 00:05:31,000 --> 00:05:33,320 when they get themselves in trouble, do strange things. 99 00:05:33,320 --> 00:05:35,880 I almost thought, at any moment he would...started sinking. 100 00:05:37,040 --> 00:05:38,640 I haven't had many situations 101 00:05:38,640 --> 00:05:41,200 where the patient looks like they're not gonna make it. 102 00:05:41,200 --> 00:05:43,280 Go, go, go, go, go, go, go, go! 103 00:05:43,280 --> 00:05:44,880 Grab him! Grab him! 104 00:05:44,880 --> 00:05:47,720 Jack heads out on the board to back up. 105 00:05:49,640 --> 00:05:51,960 (WHISTLES) Out! Out, out, out, out, out, out. 106 00:05:54,400 --> 00:05:56,040 Oi! Oi, oi, oi! 107 00:05:56,040 --> 00:05:58,800 I pulled up next to him on the jet ski 108 00:05:58,800 --> 00:06:00,760 and got to just where I could reach him 109 00:06:00,760 --> 00:06:02,280 and grabbed him by his hair 110 00:06:02,280 --> 00:06:04,240 and pulled him up to the side of the ski. 111 00:06:09,120 --> 00:06:10,880 To my surprise, he was conscious. 112 00:06:16,760 --> 00:06:18,920 Kind of tried to reassure him a little bit. 113 00:06:20,160 --> 00:06:21,960 Coming, I'm coming, I'm coming. 114 00:06:21,960 --> 00:06:24,560 Just due to the nature of it and the way he was behaving, 115 00:06:24,560 --> 00:06:28,240 made the decision for me to pass him on to Jack on the rescue board. 116 00:06:30,120 --> 00:06:31,600 It's a bit easier 117 00:06:31,600 --> 00:06:33,800 to manage a patient, when they're a little bit limp, 118 00:06:33,800 --> 00:06:36,080 on a board rather than one person on a jet ski. 119 00:06:37,080 --> 00:06:39,240 As I passed the patient on to Jack... 120 00:06:39,240 --> 00:06:41,000 Take him straight in, Jack. 121 00:06:41,000 --> 00:06:43,600 I looked up and seen a set wave coming straight at us. 122 00:06:43,600 --> 00:06:46,400 Luckily I've had time to let go of the patient and hit the trigger 123 00:06:46,400 --> 00:06:48,520 and gas over the wave on the jet ski 124 00:06:48,520 --> 00:06:51,320 but Jack didn't have that luxury - he had no motor 125 00:06:51,320 --> 00:06:54,000 and a patient that was essentially dead weight. 126 00:06:57,840 --> 00:06:59,600 Oh, no! Oh! 127 00:06:59,600 --> 00:07:01,200 Oh, Jack! 128 00:07:04,000 --> 00:07:05,680 NARRATOR: Christmas Day. 129 00:07:05,680 --> 00:07:09,800 Jack and Faddy have found a man face-down in a powerful rip 130 00:07:09,800 --> 00:07:13,120 but it's a battle to bring him back to shore. 131 00:07:14,200 --> 00:07:17,200 I looked up and seen a set wave coming straight at us. 132 00:07:18,240 --> 00:07:20,480 I've just given Jack an absolute hospital pass. 133 00:07:24,240 --> 00:07:25,880 Oh, no! Oh! 134 00:07:27,360 --> 00:07:28,840 Oh! 135 00:07:35,600 --> 00:07:37,520 He did a good job to re-gather him, 136 00:07:37,520 --> 00:07:39,720 because it was deadweight in the impact zone of the surf. 137 00:07:40,840 --> 00:07:42,400 Yep, yep, yep, yep. 138 00:07:42,400 --> 00:07:44,000 You can't plan for everything. 139 00:07:44,000 --> 00:07:45,840 The aim of the game is to keep people safe - 140 00:07:45,840 --> 00:07:49,000 in this instance, it was get a drowning man back to shore alive 141 00:07:49,000 --> 00:07:50,720 and Jack did the job. 142 00:07:50,720 --> 00:07:52,200 Let's get in. 143 00:07:54,680 --> 00:07:56,120 Out, out, out, out. 144 00:08:05,720 --> 00:08:08,240 It is nice to feel like you've made a difference. 145 00:08:10,400 --> 00:08:12,280 And those sort of days, you really do. 146 00:08:12,280 --> 00:08:14,800 I mean, if we weren't there, that guy probably would have died. 147 00:08:21,080 --> 00:08:23,080 NARRATOR: It's a Bondi tradition 148 00:08:23,080 --> 00:08:26,160 to show your Santa style on Christmas Day. 149 00:08:27,160 --> 00:08:29,680 But there's only one real man in red. 150 00:08:29,680 --> 00:08:31,960 Santa! 151 00:08:32,960 --> 00:08:35,760 Hello! Merry Christmas! 152 00:08:35,760 --> 00:08:39,760 Santa has been visiting Bondi since the 1940s. 153 00:08:41,000 --> 00:08:43,200 Though never quite like this. 154 00:08:43,200 --> 00:08:44,520 (KIDS CALL OUT) 155 00:08:47,760 --> 00:08:50,000 Harries is off-duty... 156 00:08:50,000 --> 00:08:51,440 and off-balance. 157 00:08:51,440 --> 00:08:53,760 Oh! Whoa! 158 00:08:58,080 --> 00:09:01,000 This has to be the greatest day in lifeguarding, 159 00:09:01,000 --> 00:09:03,240 when someone turns into Santa 160 00:09:03,240 --> 00:09:06,280 and they have the best day of their life. 161 00:09:06,280 --> 00:09:07,880 (KIDS CALL OUT) 162 00:09:08,880 --> 00:09:12,160 It's so beautiful to just see families and kids go wild 163 00:09:12,160 --> 00:09:13,640 when they see Santa. 164 00:09:13,640 --> 00:09:15,640 What have we got here? 165 00:09:15,640 --> 00:09:17,120 Oh! 166 00:09:17,120 --> 00:09:21,480 When the lollies came out, they just went absolutely wild. 167 00:09:21,480 --> 00:09:23,720 There was no room for moving, for Santa. 168 00:09:23,720 --> 00:09:25,200 Oh! 169 00:09:25,200 --> 00:09:27,840 Oh! Ohhh! 170 00:09:29,400 --> 00:09:31,240 The kids piled on top of me. 171 00:09:31,240 --> 00:09:32,920 I was just looking up, going, 172 00:09:32,920 --> 00:09:34,880 "There's way I'm getting out of this." 173 00:09:34,880 --> 00:09:37,000 It felt like I was in a UFC gym. 174 00:09:37,000 --> 00:09:38,840 (KIDS CLAMOUR) 175 00:09:38,840 --> 00:09:39,920 Oh! 176 00:09:58,920 --> 00:10:00,640 Oh-ho! 177 00:10:09,800 --> 00:10:11,600 Bye! 178 00:10:18,760 --> 00:10:22,240 Mid-afternoon and thousands of families have flocked to the beach 179 00:10:22,240 --> 00:10:24,840 to test out their new Christmas toys. 180 00:10:24,840 --> 00:10:26,600 (SQUEALS) 181 00:10:27,800 --> 00:10:31,800 The lifeguards' first priority is to keep swimmers safe 182 00:10:31,800 --> 00:10:35,280 but the sand is also swarming with kids. 183 00:10:38,080 --> 00:10:41,120 11-year-old Alan has lost his mum. 184 00:10:41,120 --> 00:10:43,440 Hey, um...do you know her phone number? 185 00:10:43,440 --> 00:10:45,080 Yeah, I know it? You know her phone number? 186 00:10:45,080 --> 00:10:46,680 Yeah. Good work. 187 00:10:46,680 --> 00:10:48,280 That's set. Here you go, mate. 188 00:10:49,280 --> 00:10:53,320 On days like this, to locate a missing kid's parents, 189 00:10:53,320 --> 00:10:55,560 you're gonna be looking for a needle in a haystack - 190 00:10:55,560 --> 00:10:57,120 there's so many people out there. 191 00:11:01,280 --> 00:11:05,280 Eddie sends Alan back to where he last saw his mum. 192 00:11:07,680 --> 00:11:11,000 10 minutes later, she arrives at the tower. 193 00:11:11,000 --> 00:11:13,320 Alan? Hello. 194 00:11:18,000 --> 00:11:19,600 Thank you. 195 00:11:25,800 --> 00:11:28,640 After a terrifying 40 minutes, 196 00:11:28,640 --> 00:11:31,200 mother and son reunite. 197 00:11:35,440 --> 00:11:38,000 Yeah, I was freaked out and I couldn't find him 198 00:11:38,000 --> 00:11:41,000 and I saw the Westpac helicopter 199 00:11:41,000 --> 00:11:43,080 and the scary thought in my mind, 200 00:11:43,080 --> 00:11:45,080 I'm like, "What am I gonna do?" 201 00:11:52,720 --> 00:11:54,360 Thank you. You too. 202 00:12:01,560 --> 00:12:05,000 This is Tommy's second year as a lifeguard 203 00:12:05,000 --> 00:12:08,560 and the second away from his family. 204 00:12:08,560 --> 00:12:12,160 Christmas Day, every year, I get a photo with my kids. 205 00:12:12,160 --> 00:12:15,200 Down at North Bondi, they set a tree up. 206 00:12:15,200 --> 00:12:18,360 He's got four kids and gives up his whole Christmas Day 207 00:12:18,360 --> 00:12:20,080 to come down here and help out 208 00:12:20,080 --> 00:12:22,520 and it just speaks volumes of the type of guy he is. 209 00:12:23,520 --> 00:12:27,400 As a former champion paddler, Tommy knows his way around a board. 210 00:12:28,480 --> 00:12:32,440 Last year, he saved dozens of swimmers on Christmas Day. 211 00:12:32,440 --> 00:12:34,880 CHASE: Working with Tommy, I just had a great partner. 212 00:12:34,880 --> 00:12:36,920 He's a legend. He's a legend in the community. 213 00:12:36,920 --> 00:12:38,520 Everyone knows him 214 00:12:38,520 --> 00:12:40,480 and he's got a start here as an older guy 215 00:12:40,480 --> 00:12:41,960 and that goes to say something, 216 00:12:41,960 --> 00:12:43,920 'cause not many people can get down here at his age 217 00:12:43,920 --> 00:12:45,400 and do what he's doing. 218 00:12:50,200 --> 00:12:54,040 This Christmas, Tommy is already notching up the rescues. 219 00:12:56,640 --> 00:13:00,160 A group of swimmers are in trouble at Backpackers Rip. 220 00:13:01,160 --> 00:13:03,160 Four people all need saving 221 00:13:03,160 --> 00:13:05,560 and Tommy has no back-up. 222 00:13:06,600 --> 00:13:09,720 Bringing in one swimmer on a board is tough enough. 223 00:13:10,920 --> 00:13:13,600 Tommy hauls in all four. 224 00:13:14,640 --> 00:13:16,400 He's got four people on his board. 225 00:13:18,520 --> 00:13:21,360 To actually bring people in, four has to be the max. 226 00:13:21,360 --> 00:13:24,200 The most I've seen. It's solid. It's impressive. 227 00:13:27,520 --> 00:13:29,000 Alex and Amy from England 228 00:13:29,000 --> 00:13:32,000 are lucky their Christmas didn't end in tragedy. 229 00:13:34,280 --> 00:13:37,000 Must have got... Lost track of where we were. 230 00:13:37,000 --> 00:13:39,000 When we were trying to swim in, 231 00:13:39,000 --> 00:13:41,640 the wave would come over and then it would pull us back out 232 00:13:41,640 --> 00:13:43,280 and we just felt helpless. 233 00:13:43,280 --> 00:13:44,560 We felt stuck 234 00:13:44,560 --> 00:13:46,600 and the sense of it all, running out of breath and energy. 235 00:13:46,600 --> 00:13:48,120 Couldn't get back to the beach. 236 00:13:51,960 --> 00:13:55,560 While the north end of Bondi is family friendly... 237 00:13:56,800 --> 00:13:59,000 ..the south is a danger zone 238 00:13:59,000 --> 00:14:01,160 for even the strongest swimmers. 239 00:14:04,480 --> 00:14:08,760 Tommy has spent most of his Christmas rescuing people from the south end. 240 00:14:11,000 --> 00:14:12,760 Mid-afternoon. 241 00:14:12,760 --> 00:14:15,320 He sees a parent's worst nightmare - 242 00:14:15,320 --> 00:14:18,000 two children way out of their depth. 243 00:14:18,000 --> 00:14:21,600 I could just see a clubbie going to someone. 244 00:14:21,600 --> 00:14:25,000 From the beach, all I could see was floaties. 245 00:14:25,000 --> 00:14:28,640 One of the floaties I was looking at, I could just see the hat, 246 00:14:28,640 --> 00:14:30,560 so I couldn't even see the head. 247 00:14:32,120 --> 00:14:33,800 I went straight out. 248 00:14:36,680 --> 00:14:39,280 There was a clubbie there with the kids. 249 00:14:39,280 --> 00:14:42,040 I don't know how old the kids were, maybe four, maybe six. 250 00:14:43,720 --> 00:14:46,160 But it's just not where kids should be. 251 00:14:46,160 --> 00:14:50,040 It's real deep water and it just runs out so quick. 252 00:14:50,040 --> 00:14:52,720 Those little things - they aren't gonna save anyone. 253 00:14:52,720 --> 00:14:57,160 All they're gonna do is mostly float them out through the rip. 254 00:15:00,360 --> 00:15:03,560 The children are oblivious to the danger they were in. 255 00:15:03,560 --> 00:15:07,000 Their parents are nowhere to be seen. 256 00:15:09,280 --> 00:15:12,360 What are these kids doing there? Who's responsible? 257 00:15:18,520 --> 00:15:22,080 I went around looking, with the kids, for the parents... 258 00:15:23,440 --> 00:15:25,720 ..and just couldn't find anyone. 259 00:15:39,360 --> 00:15:43,040 NARRATOR: Tommy has rescued two small children from South End, 260 00:15:43,040 --> 00:15:45,240 the most dangerous rip at Bondi. 261 00:15:46,560 --> 00:15:49,520 The kids seem unaware of the close call. 262 00:15:50,880 --> 00:15:53,680 Tommy can't track down the parents. 263 00:16:02,000 --> 00:16:03,880 TOMMY: I can't leave my post. 264 00:16:03,880 --> 00:16:06,320 I knew where the parents were - they were up the hill 265 00:16:06,320 --> 00:16:08,560 but they weren't anywhere near the water. 266 00:16:08,560 --> 00:16:13,360 The parents - more than 200 metres from where their kids were swimming. 267 00:16:13,360 --> 00:16:16,320 They just left the kids - let the kids go. 268 00:16:16,320 --> 00:16:18,080 They nearly drowned. 269 00:16:18,080 --> 00:16:20,160 I can't go up, mate, but, um... 270 00:16:21,320 --> 00:16:25,120 I, um, get fired up because I've got four kids 271 00:16:25,120 --> 00:16:28,480 and when they're near the water, 272 00:16:28,480 --> 00:16:30,160 um... 273 00:16:30,160 --> 00:16:35,160 it's really important to know every second that...where they are. 274 00:16:35,160 --> 00:16:38,000 And these guys, they're not even anywhere near the beach! 275 00:16:38,000 --> 00:16:41,000 They're not even on the beach. They're up near the trees. 276 00:16:42,000 --> 00:16:44,040 We're not baby-sitters down here, 277 00:16:44,040 --> 00:16:47,320 so if I had have got there any later - good chance they'd drown. 278 00:16:53,760 --> 00:16:56,480 South End is putting Tommy to the test. 279 00:16:56,480 --> 00:16:57,800 Coming! 280 00:16:57,800 --> 00:16:59,440 Within minutes, he's back in. 281 00:17:02,720 --> 00:17:05,360 Two girls have been swept off a sandbank. 282 00:17:07,280 --> 00:17:09,920 A volunteer lifesaver is helping the women 283 00:17:09,920 --> 00:17:12,760 but he's also battling the rough conditions. 284 00:17:16,040 --> 00:17:18,080 Tommy arrives just in time. 285 00:17:19,960 --> 00:17:22,000 When I approached the girls, 286 00:17:22,000 --> 00:17:23,520 they were pretty gassed. 287 00:17:23,520 --> 00:17:26,000 I got to the first girl... 288 00:17:27,120 --> 00:17:29,360 ..got her just holding on to the rope 289 00:17:29,360 --> 00:17:31,760 but she slowed me down from getting to the other one. 290 00:17:31,760 --> 00:17:33,520 The other one panicked. 291 00:17:39,000 --> 00:17:40,600 Panic just doesn't help. 292 00:17:40,600 --> 00:17:42,800 Your body goes into this sort of shock. 293 00:17:42,800 --> 00:17:44,600 You get all these negative thoughts, 294 00:17:44,600 --> 00:17:46,480 you get gassed really quick. 295 00:18:11,640 --> 00:18:13,520 With the swimmers still panicking, 296 00:18:13,520 --> 00:18:16,160 Jack swoops in on the ski to lend a hand. 297 00:18:20,520 --> 00:18:24,520 The jet ski was there, so one of the girls went on the jet ski 298 00:18:24,520 --> 00:18:27,120 and I put the other girl on the front of the board 299 00:18:27,120 --> 00:18:29,000 and we caught a little wave in. 300 00:18:29,000 --> 00:18:30,520 Here! Jump on. 301 00:18:38,840 --> 00:18:40,400 She settled down. 302 00:18:40,400 --> 00:18:43,360 Like, once you're there with them and they're breathing again, 303 00:18:43,360 --> 00:18:46,360 you can see a change in their face 304 00:18:46,360 --> 00:18:48,520 and even their heart-rate drops and their breathing drops 305 00:18:48,520 --> 00:18:50,640 and...and they relax. 306 00:18:57,360 --> 00:18:59,560 At the end of the day, it's Christmas Day, 307 00:18:59,560 --> 00:19:01,400 you've got the adrenaline going. 308 00:19:01,400 --> 00:19:03,560 I really enjoy doing rescues. 309 00:19:03,560 --> 00:19:05,560 It's all happening, mate! It is, isn't it? 310 00:19:05,560 --> 00:19:07,320 This is what we live for. It's good! 311 00:19:10,000 --> 00:19:12,280 I'm a bit smarter, I think, this year, 312 00:19:12,280 --> 00:19:14,640 um, with my time and energy. 313 00:19:14,640 --> 00:19:16,760 He's on fire. 314 00:19:16,760 --> 00:19:20,040 Tommy was just amongst it, doing double rescues, triple rescues. 315 00:19:20,040 --> 00:19:22,920 FADDY: Tommy's a new lifeguard but a really experienced waterman, 316 00:19:22,920 --> 00:19:25,960 so when he's patrolling a section of the beach, you just know it's safe. 317 00:19:25,960 --> 00:19:30,680 Last year, Tommy saved Christmas Day and this year, he's done it again. 318 00:19:40,120 --> 00:19:42,040 NARRATOR: Being on duty in the lifeguard tower 319 00:19:42,040 --> 00:19:44,160 doesn't mean you miss out on the action. 320 00:19:45,600 --> 00:19:48,360 Sometimes, the action comes to you. 321 00:19:49,520 --> 00:19:51,080 From Hollywood hunks... 322 00:19:51,080 --> 00:19:52,880 Bondi Central to all lifeguards. 323 00:19:52,880 --> 00:19:55,080 It's David Hasselhoff. 324 00:19:55,080 --> 00:19:57,480 ..to uninvited guests. 325 00:19:57,480 --> 00:19:59,680 Gonna be our new pet. 326 00:19:59,680 --> 00:20:01,520 Call him Chips. Chips the leech. 327 00:20:01,520 --> 00:20:03,680 When that bell goes... 328 00:20:03,680 --> 00:20:05,800 (BELL CHIMES) MAN: I'm on it. 329 00:20:05,800 --> 00:20:08,680 ..they never know who or what might be waiting. 330 00:20:09,800 --> 00:20:11,760 Hey! How are you? 331 00:20:11,760 --> 00:20:15,320 There was a mother and her son and the son was holding a bucket. 332 00:20:16,320 --> 00:20:19,440 Young Raphael has made a rare find... 333 00:20:21,520 --> 00:20:24,880 ..something Harrison has never seen at Bondi. 334 00:20:24,880 --> 00:20:26,560 I don't know - I thought that, you know, 335 00:20:26,560 --> 00:20:29,120 maybe he might have caught a little fish or something in the rock pool 336 00:20:29,120 --> 00:20:31,400 and he just wanted to show me and it was pretty cute. 337 00:20:32,400 --> 00:20:35,440 All I could see was a couple of shells, a bit of seaweed 338 00:20:35,440 --> 00:20:37,160 and all of a sudden, 339 00:20:37,160 --> 00:20:40,440 I saw the most venomous thing you could ever find down here at Bondi. 340 00:20:41,600 --> 00:20:45,760 A beautiful - and deadly - blue-ringed octopus, 341 00:20:45,760 --> 00:20:49,640 fresh from the kids' pool at North Bondi. 342 00:20:49,640 --> 00:20:51,160 I caught it! 343 00:20:51,160 --> 00:20:52,840 WOMAN: He did and he... 344 00:20:55,240 --> 00:21:01,000 Blue-ringed octopus venom is 1,000 times more toxic than cyanide. 345 00:21:01,000 --> 00:21:06,000 One bite contains enough venom to kill 26 people. 346 00:21:09,560 --> 00:21:12,560 Raphael seemed pretty cool, calm and collected 347 00:21:12,560 --> 00:21:14,280 with such a deadly creature. 348 00:21:14,280 --> 00:21:15,880 However, his mum, on the other hand, 349 00:21:15,880 --> 00:21:18,240 knew this had to be handed in to the lifeguards. 350 00:21:21,320 --> 00:21:23,680 I don't know. 351 00:21:23,680 --> 00:21:25,600 Let's go put it back in the ocean, eh, Will? 352 00:21:25,600 --> 00:21:27,560 Harrison takes charge 353 00:21:27,560 --> 00:21:30,320 with Operation Re-house Henry... 354 00:21:30,320 --> 00:21:32,120 Sit down here, mate. 355 00:21:34,200 --> 00:21:37,200 ..this time, well away from the kids' pool. 356 00:21:38,840 --> 00:21:41,760 If anyone finds a blue-ringed octopus at Bondi, 357 00:21:41,760 --> 00:21:44,000 it's where they live and it's their home. 358 00:21:44,000 --> 00:21:46,000 However, if it is in the kids' pool, 359 00:21:46,000 --> 00:21:47,880 probably best to let the lifeguards know 360 00:21:47,880 --> 00:21:50,000 and, uh, we'll put it back in the ocean. 361 00:21:51,440 --> 00:21:55,000 Being a lifeguard here for 11 years, I think I've seen it all. 362 00:21:55,000 --> 00:21:58,800 Nah. The blue-ringed octopus - that takes the cake.