00:00The area known as the Rip between Point Nepean and Point Lonsdale is infamous as one of the
00:08most dangerous stretches of water in Australia.
00:11We always go around across our rocks so we're in good water.
00:15Strong tides rushing through Port Phillip heads, unpredictable waves, container ships
00:19and shallow rocks make it treacherous.
00:22There's quite a shelf of reef on each side and a number of vessels going back many, many years ago
00:29have come to grief by being caught by the tide.
00:32The Nepean Historical Society lists 30 shipwrecks in the Rip between 1840 and 1949
00:39and the number of incidents the Coast Guard attends is increasing, jumping from 41 in 2016 to nearly 100 this year.
00:47On average over the past financial year in Victoria one person drowned every week
00:52and nearly half of those deaths happened in summer.
00:55So authorities are warning beach goers to swim between the flags and boaters to wear life jackets
01:01and check weather forecasts before they head out.
01:04Life saving has come a long way since the Queenscliff lifeboat was launched 100 years ago.
01:09The wooden sailboat once crewed by fishermen had a top speed of 8 knots.
01:14They would come down just to see the lifeboat being launched here, they come from all over.
01:18Queenie is now the centrepiece of the local maritime museum.
01:22The Coast Guard's new 12 metre vessel has a hot shower,
01:25infrared rescue cameras and a top speed of 40 knots.
01:28There's lots more safety equipment available nowadays than what there was 50, 60, 70, 100 years ago.
01:35At the nearby Surf Life Saving Club the next crop of volunteers is being taught
01:39how to work with agencies like the Coast Guard to prevent tragedy.
01:43We all are our own organisations but when it matters we all plan fun together.
01:47A team effort to keep the water safe.
01:50The
02:09project
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