It’s the afternoon before the full moon (Sunday 11th September), I was driving to Tallows on a big South swell to perhaps capture the white plate in the sky. On approach I said to my girlfriend Elizabeth, “I should take a photo of the rip in the corner of Tallows”. My reasoning was derived from the afternoon before, when three guys got stuck in the South Swell Rip* in the corner of Tallows Beach. One guy got rescued yesterday by an elder Byron fellow, and how did he thank him when he was arrived safely to the beach… He didn’t. It’s one of those hidden dangers that baffles even those of high experience, unless one wants a a view of the lighthouse from the water below and come in at Wategos.
Anyway, we just got to the beach, and there it was, an ambulance up at Cosy Corner. Then the Westpac Helicopter did a few laps. I don’t know the full facts but it was rumoured 4 people got sucked out in today’s afternoon rip amidst a strong 6ft plus swell running from the South (which is over 12ft up the face). Luckily two of these gentlemen got in. We arrived and observed with onlookers and watched a third gentlemen battle the rip, way out past Cape Byron and going nowhere fast. A rumoured fourth gentleman was sucked further around the Cape…
Before long, and in quick time, a zodiac belted around the Cape to pick up the gentleman we could see from the beach battling the rip, and rushed him to shore. In his own tired words; “We tried to get out, and then when we finally did we couldn’t get back in”. Lucky fellow.
We are unaware of what happened to the other gentleman. Hopefully he is ok. For the full report, see Monday’s Northern Star – www.northernstar.com.au
*The South Swell Rip at Tallows should go down in shire folklore. It is so strong, it will take you out to sea, so foreigners beware and perhaps stick to the Northern side of Cape Byron or ask for advice.