Close shave for Doonside swimmer
AN afternoon swim for Doonside resident, Walter Vilares on Monday, 10 February was a close shave when he was pulled out to sea by a strong undercurrent and had to be rescued by a fellow beachgoer.
The incident happened at about 5pm at Doonside beach, when Walter took a dip to cool off after work.
“When I got in, the waves were big, but I was able to feel the sand with my feet. When I realised I had been pulled in, I desperately tried to get back. The more I attempted to swim, the more the current kept taking me in.”
Having realised he was getting tired and in trouble, he waved to people on the beach for assistance. “At first, a man came in, but the current pushed him in the opposite direction. A young woman swam in from the other side. She stretched out her hand, I grabbed it and we made it safely to shore.”
Walter thanked her for her help, but as he was in a state of shock, he was unable to get her name. “If it hadn’t been for her bravery and courage, I could have been pulled out to sea and drowned.”
The incident has not put him off swimming. ” But I now have a greater respect for the sea.”
