THREE junior South Port Surf Life Saving Club members were celebrating a 14^th birthday last month, when their skills were unexpectedly called into use.

It was Leo Oliver’s birthday, and a visit to the local Port Noarlunga jetty was in order. Leo, who has a Surf Rescue Certificate (SRC) was accompanied by fellow 14-year-old, Damon James, who also has an SRC qualification.

Their mate Mali Gilligan, 13, who had only that weekend received his certificate, was with them.

The trio left the bakery and headed to Port Noarlunga jetty about 3pm, as the weather was fine.

But the water conditions were choppy with 30-kilometre per hour winds in a south-westerly direction.

A club spokesman said the boys had walked to the end of the jetty when they heard a male snorkeler -- aged between 30 and 40 years -- screaming for help.

The snorkeler was caught in a rip and unable to swim.

The boys’ Surf Life Saving training kicked in, and, assessing the situation, they realised they needed to act fast as the man, who was about 50 metres north of the jetty, 20 metres from the reef and 30 metres offshore, had begun to panic. 

The spokesman said Mali called out to the man, reassuring him that he had been seen and to stay calm as assistance was on its way.

“Leo had noticed the rescue buoys attached to the jetty so ran to the closest one to grab it,” the spokesman said.

“There was a struggle to remove the buoy from its housing and once removed, the boys were unsure if there was enough rope attached to reach the man as he was still drifting away from the jetty.

“They decided the best option was to undo the rope while on the jetty to enable them, if required, to proceed further with two members of the public assisting to untie the buoy”.

Leo entered the water with the buoy and swam toward the man, who was struggling in the water.

“After reaching the patient and remembering all their training, Leo reassured the patient and passed the buoy to the patient making sure not to get too close for his own safety,” the spokesman said.

“Both Mali and Damon were able to reassure the patient from the jetty, and, using the jetty as a platform, were able to maintain a line sight to the patient helping guide Leo back to the jetty.

“Once the man was able to grab the buoy and was secured, Leo began to swim the man back to the jetty stairs. Exhausted from the swim, Leo passed the rope to Mali and Damon who assisted in pulling the patient in.”

The spokesman said once on the jetty, the boys continued to monitor the patient with Damon asking the patient questions to make sure he was OK.

“The boys escorted him back along the jetty, then down onto the beach where he had left his gear, and continued to ask him questions to determine he was OK. The man then declined any further help, and remained at the beach.”

Mali, Damon and Leo have been nominated for Surf Life Saving SA’s Rescue of the Month.

If the nomination is successful, it will be forwarded for a national award, presented by recipients at Parliament House in Canberra.