Councillors and staff were all left brimming with pride after two Newcastle City Council lifeguards braved huge seas to rescue three board riders off Stockton during the east coast low early last week.
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Nobbys lifeguards Paul Bernard and Scott Hammerton launched a jet-ski from Horseshoe Beach to steam out through the heads of the Harbour into heaving seas generated by the east coast low on Sunday afternoon.
They reached the three huddling together 600m off Stockton Surf Club after they had been swept from near Stockton Breakwall by powerful currents.
En route to stricken surfers, the duo checked on another surfer inside the harbour who had earlier been swept out past the break wall.
Sea conditions were extremely dangerous and everyone at council is extremely proud of the courage and professionalism Paul and Scott showed performing such a difficult rescue.
The waves generated by the storm were so powerful they broke off large pieces of concrete at Newcastle Ocean Baths and washed them into the big pool.
The baths had to be emptied early Friday morning so that several large fragments could first be broken down before their removal.
The waves also bent the stainless steel hand railings on the stairway into the water.
Such was the energy Paul and Scott expertly negotiated to save three lives.
