Man caught in rip drowns at Port Stephens, as lake swimmer gets rescued

A 47-year-old man, from western Sydney, died after being caught in a rip at Birubi Beach at Anna Bay at about 6.30pm on Saturday.

The beach was not patrolled at that time.

Officials are set to meet on Monday to consider extending patrolled hours or surveillance patrols, amid heightened concern at the number of drownings in the area.

Port Stephens volunteer lifesavers and paid lifeguards usually work from 9am to 5pm, with patrols extended to 6pm over the Christmas/January period.

Hunter Surf Lifesaving duty officer Glen Dunkley said "the concern for us is people who come to the beach occasionally, or maybe once a year, and aren't aware of the dangers".

"Typically where there's a rip, it's a flat area of the beach that looks nicest if you like. That's where they jump in and get caught out," Mr Dunkley said.

He said people need to be aware of how to spot a rip, such as the "green is mean, white is right" message.

This refers to green water being where rips are, while white water is where the waves are breaking.

"When you're in a rip, float with it and put your hand up and you won't drown," he said.

He encouraged people to "swim between the flags at patrolled beaches in patrolled times".

In patrolled hours, the flags would have been north of the spot where the man drowned.

A surfer found the victim face down in the water, while another person helped bring him ashore.

Off duty lifesavers gave several rounds of CPR and applied a defibrillator before paramedics and police arrived, but the man was declared dead a short time later.

Hunter Surf Life Saving president Henry Scruton said people should "swim with a friend", as well as between the flags.

"If you're not capable or confident, don't test yourself," Mr Scruton said.

He was concerned about people swimming at beaches who "don't have surf knowledge".

"Quite often, people go for a swim where it looks reasonably calm because the waves are on either side. But that's the rip going out," he said.

"Once they get caught in a rip, their natural instinct is to swim as hard and fast as they can.

"They overexert themselves and run out of energy."

A swimmer drowned off Stockton three weeks ago, near the Lavis Lane entry to the dunes. His body hasn't been recovered.

A 71-year-old man also died after being swept off rocks at Boat Harbour in October. He had suffered a medical issue.

"All the drownings in Port Stephens we've seen in the last eight weeks have been outside patrolled areas," Mr Dunkley said.

A grandfather from Sydney, also 71, died in April at Fingal Bay's notorious spit in Port Stephens.

In February, a man in his 50s drowned at the secluded Wreck Beach near Shoal Bay, and a 44-year-old man drowned at Swan Bay.

Also on Saturday, a distressed swimmer was rescued from Budgewoi Lake.

Marine Rescue Tuggerah Lakes unit commander Bob Sutton said the swimmer had "been in the water for an extended period of time".

The man, suffering from suspected hypothermia and fatigue, was taken to Wyong Hospital for treatment.

An off duty paramedic, paddling on the lake, helped the victim before marine rescue arrived and took him to waiting paramedics at Toukley.

EARLIER:

A MAN has drowned in Port Stephens, lifesavers have confirmed, while a dramatic rescue at Budgewoi has offered a reminder of the risks in a day on the water.

Surf Life Saving NSW on Sunday confirmed a man drowned at Birubi beach on Saturday, which the organisation said was the third coastal drowning in the region during the last nine weeks.

Lifesavers said they received notification of the Birubi incident about 6.30pm on Saturday when a man "described as middle aged" was pulled from the water unconscious and not breathing.

"The beach was not patrolled at this time, however a number of volunteers were still on site at the club," Surf Life Saving NSW said in a statement.

"Off duty lifesavers delivered several rounds of CPR and applied a defibrillator before NSW Ambulance and NSW Police arrived on scene, however the man was declared deceased a short time later."

It follows incidents at Boat Harbour in October and at Stockton in November.

A 71-year-old man died at Port Stephens after he was swept into the water off the point at Boat Harbour on October 21.

A month later a multi-agency search effort swept the waters off Stockton after a man police described as Middle Eastern appearance and aged between 18 and 20 disappeared under the surface about 200 metres offshore on November 26.

Speaking after the weekend's death, Surf Life Saving NSW Hunter duty officer Glen Dunkley said it was vital that swimmers stuck to patrolled areas and times for a dip.

"We just worry it's going to get worse as it gets busy up here," he said.

"It's important that people heading to the beach take their safety into consideration and make sure they visit a patrolled location during the times that the flags are up."

Separately, volunteers from Marine Rescue Tuggerah Lakes pulled a distressed swimmer from Budgewoi Lake on Saturday morning.

Volunteers began searching after reports a swimmer had got into trouble roughly 400 metres off the Beachcomber Hotel.

"The person in distress was reached by an off duty paramedic who was paddling on the Lake minutes before Tuggerah Lakes 20 arrived on scene," Marine Rescue said in a statement.

"A man suffering from suspected hypothermia and fatigue was taken on board Tuggerah Lakes 20 and transported to waiting paramedics at the Marine Rescue Toukley base.

"The man was then transported by NSW Ambulance to Wyong Hospital for treatment."

Marine Rescue Tuggerah Lakes unit commander Bob Sutton commended the paddler for their efforts.

The paddler did an incredible job before the distressed swimmer was taken on board the Marine Rescue NSW vessel," Mr Sutton said.

We believe the swimmer had been in the water for an extended period of time."