Life saving reel
Encyclopedia
The surf life saving reel was beach life saving apparatus from Australia
.
The reel was originally invented at Bondi Beach by Lyster Ormsby and then was later that year redesigned by G H Olding. It was a giant reel with rope wrapped around it with a harness at the end. The reel rested in a frame that would rest on the sand. The life saver would attach the harness to his or her self then swim out to the struggling bather/surfer. Once they reached the patient they would attach the patient to the harness and another life saver on the beach
would reel them in. The life saver in the water would tend to another patient or swim alongside the patient to reassure them if they were conscious or make sure that nothing went wrong if they were unconscious.
The actual reel and rope would weigh about 50-60 pounds and was officially made part of the surf lifesaving community on Sunday 24 March 1906. The reel then was used in the British Isles
shortly after being invented. One of the last places to accept the reel was Cairns in 1925. The reel was used up to 1993 where it was replaced by IRBs (Inflatable rescue Boats
). The first person to be rescued using the reel was the famous aviator Charles Kingsford Smith
. Kingsford-Smith was awarded a Military Cross
during World War I
and was the first person to make a trans-pacific flight to Australia and won the England to Australia air race and crashed during the same race some years later and his body was never found. The airport in Sydney
is named after him.
The surf life saving reel was especially useful during the disaster on the 6th of February 1938. This day at Bondi was given the name Black Sunday after the events that took place on that day. On this day a series of freak wave
s hit the beach and washed about 300 bathers into rough surf conditions where most required assistance. 80 surf life savers equipped with 8 reels saved all but 4 swimmers that died before reaching shore. These were the first surf related deaths ever on Bondi beach.
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
.
The reel was originally invented at Bondi Beach by Lyster Ormsby and then was later that year redesigned by G H Olding. It was a giant reel with rope wrapped around it with a harness at the end. The reel rested in a frame that would rest on the sand. The life saver would attach the harness to his or her self then swim out to the struggling bather/surfer. Once they reached the patient they would attach the patient to the harness and another life saver on the beach
Beach
A beach is a geological landform along the shoreline of an ocean, sea, lake or river. It usually consists of loose particles which are often composed of rock, such as sand, gravel, shingle, pebbles or cobblestones...
would reel them in. The life saver in the water would tend to another patient or swim alongside the patient to reassure them if they were conscious or make sure that nothing went wrong if they were unconscious.
The actual reel and rope would weigh about 50-60 pounds and was officially made part of the surf lifesaving community on Sunday 24 March 1906. The reel then was used in the British Isles
British Isles
The British Isles are a group of islands off the northwest coast of continental Europe that include the islands of Great Britain and Ireland and over six thousand smaller isles. There are two sovereign states located on the islands: the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland and...
shortly after being invented. One of the last places to accept the reel was Cairns in 1925. The reel was used up to 1993 where it was replaced by IRBs (Inflatable rescue Boats
Inflatable boat
An inflatable boat is a lightweight boat constructed with its sides and bow made of flexible tubes containing pressurised gas. For smaller boats, the floor and hull beneath it is often flexible. On boats longer than , the floor often consists of three to five rigid plywood or aluminium sheets fixed...
). The first person to be rescued using the reel was the famous aviator Charles Kingsford Smith
Charles Kingsford Smith
Sir Charles Edward Kingsford Smith MC, AFC , often called by his nickname Smithy, was an early Australian aviator. In 1928, he earned global fame when he made the first trans-Pacific flight from the United States to Australia...
. Kingsford-Smith was awarded a Military Cross
Military Cross
The Military Cross is the third-level military decoration awarded to officers and other ranks of the British Armed Forces; and formerly also to officers of other Commonwealth countries....
during World War I
World War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
and was the first person to make a trans-pacific flight to Australia and won the England to Australia air race and crashed during the same race some years later and his body was never found. The airport in Sydney
Sydney
Sydney is the most populous city in Australia and the state capital of New South Wales. Sydney is located on Australia's south-east coast of the Tasman Sea. As of June 2010, the greater metropolitan area had an approximate population of 4.6 million people...
is named after him.
The surf life saving reel was especially useful during the disaster on the 6th of February 1938. This day at Bondi was given the name Black Sunday after the events that took place on that day. On this day a series of freak wave
Freak wave
Rogue waves are relatively large and spontaneous ocean surface waves that occur far out in sea, and are a threat even to large ships and ocean liners...
s hit the beach and washed about 300 bathers into rough surf conditions where most required assistance. 80 surf life savers equipped with 8 reels saved all but 4 swimmers that died before reaching shore. These were the first surf related deaths ever on Bondi beach.