Francoise Berlandier says the survival skills her son learnt as a child at Kingswim helped save his life after he was caught in a rip while swimming off the New South Wales South Coast.
Her 18-year-old son Aidan was on a summer camping trip with friends and family when conditions turned dangerous at an unpatrolled beach.
It happened so quickly. He suddenly realised he’d been swept past the others. He started to panic, but then remembered what he’d been taught at Kingswim and stayed calm.
Using a side-stroke technique learned during lessons he took as a child, Aiden swam parallel to the shore and was able to return safely.
Two other swimmers were rescued by the Westpac helicopter at the same beach over the following 24 hours.
Francoise wasn’t there at the time, but said the news was chilling. “You immediately go to the ‘what ifs’. But he didn’t freeze, he knew what to do.”
Aidan and his sister attended Kingswim for several years in primary school. Francois said the quality of the teaching had stuck with both children, “It always felt a cut above. Professional, warm and the kind of place you felt confident sending your kids”.
According to Royal Life Saving Australia, rip currents are a common hazard on most Australian beaches and are responsible for numerous drownings each season. Recognising a rip is one of the most important beach safety skills and something Aiden was able to draw on thanks to his early water safety training at Kingswim.
Look out for deeper, darker water with fewer breaking waves, discoloured brown water beyond the breaking waves, and rippled water with debris floating out to sea.
If caught in a rip, it's advised to stay calm, float on your back, signal for help, and, if possible, swim parallel to the shore or towards breaking waves to escape the current.
The National Drowning Report 2024 highlights that 46% of drowning deaths occurred in coastal locations, with 26% at beaches. These statistics underscore the importance of swimming between the red and yellow flags at patrolled beaches and being aware of beach safety protocols.
For more information on beach safety, visit Royal Life Saving Australia.