‘This is our sanctuary’: Scores of Surf lifesavers Assemble to Honour Shooting The fallen.
Gazing quietly at the ocean on Bondi coast, hand in hand with close to a thousand other volunteers, Lockie Cook allowed himself to experience the anguish of a community’s harrowing week in modern times.
“It feels like my defences are coming down,” he remarked.
Volunteer lifeguards assembled by the score on that morning to hold two minutes of silence and honour those who died in the tragic shooting.
From the very young to the elderly, alongside friends and neighbours clad in their iconic colours stood together, making a line running from the crescent-shaped beach’s north side all the way to its south end.
“The key realization to emerge from this tragedy is just how much this community means to me,” he said.
“Here is our spiritual ground … It is vital we come together again and truly recover.”
A Moment of Silent Reflection
At 8.15am, the two minutes’ silence was called for by a man at the beach’s primary observation point, near which had been laid clusters of tributes.
“A short time can be a an eternity but please look within,” he said.
“Join hands with the person next to you, look inward and reflect on the those who are suffering so we can grow back stronger for this beach family.”
Volunteers gazed at the sand or to the distance as the community and its leaders stood by. All that could be heard were waves on the shore, a lone dog’s bark and a droning rescue helicopter, which flew along the beachfront as the silence lifted.
Reclaiming the Shore
Loved ones and colleagues slowly turned to embrace and cheer their fellow lifesavers at the far end of the beach as cheers erupted from the observing onlookers.
This was another example of the volunteers working to bring together the beachgoers this week, noted one individual, a local of the northern surf club and a first responder on Sunday.
“Today I just feel the compassion and solidarity,” said the participant, who asked not to be named.
Having made his home in Bondi for decades, he joined the community swim on Monday and has worked to reclaim the beach as his own.
“The experience was reclaiming a space, it’s healing,” he added.
The Core Principle of Service
Gene Ross, a longtime instructor, spent the quiet time next to his newly certified son, considering the solidarity his club had exhibited after Sunday.
“Carrying out the tragedy here … invited Australia to come and support the community.”
A great number of lifesavers shared tears and smiles together as they returned to their surf clubs and through the area where their colleagues helped the injured on Sunday.
Dozens more lingered at the water's edge, ready to come to the aid of people entering the surf.
“We serve the entire community and that’s the guiding spirit of surf livesaving,” Ross stated.
“This is our purpose as rescuers: we move toward the danger.”
