Bondi Rescue

- Season 10

(2014)

At the beginning of a new rescue summer season, the boys seriously consider the shocking experience, a first for Jake, earlier in winter, when a cocksure Japanese swimmer went out too far for help to reach him in time. The Bondi boys are sharper then ever to avoid a repeat the next weeks, and only avoid it last minute. Efforts are doubled to instill on thick-skulled and/or allophone swimmers, especially unskilled tourists, the crucial message to stay safely within the red and yellow flags, yet many wonder off, sometimes idiotically and repeatedly, and must be rescued,...

Like each new rescue summer season, the boys must all pass grueling tests to be admitted to duty. Matt Dee misses the swimming pool maximum time by 9", due to a holiday infection, but makes up brilliantly. The first time in five years, a female passes, an experienced surfer, but new to the job. Gonzo, stuck in the tower due to a serious surfboard-chest-injury, is annoying some mates by 'playing Hoppo' and subjected to a black-eyed prank. On an exceptionally hot and crowded day with high, hence dangerous waves, Hoppo agrees Gonzo must clear the central beach by shark ...

It's Christmas, but this year the Santa role falls to Reidy, who is generally felt, despite valiant efforts on the jet-ski, to be embarrassingly less credible or amusing then Yatesy. This season the boys have a recruit all the way from New Zealand, Harrison Reid, who greatly enjoys being Maxi's equally playful house-mate, exchanging goofy Christmas presents like a dictionary of Australian idiom, and soon proves himself as rescuer too.

It's December 31, normally a calm day before the New Year's Eve merriment, but this year Bondi beach is flooded with beach-goers, hence badly understaffed. When another daredevil incurs bad barnacle cuts falling on Flat Rock, Chapman isn't inclined to free manpower, but luckily paramedic Quinn in on duty and sees that the victim, who loses lots of blood and nearly consciousness, is quickly treated and hospitalized.

The year 2014 starts terribly busy, with many rescues and even a thefts wave without sufficient proof to arrest the suspect teenage gang. Yet the Bondi boys concentrate on positive sides, such as funny-looking rescues with victims positioned wrongly on the board in Taco's face, and eager rookie Harrison enjoys the endless learning opportunities, but for some injured swimmers it's a crucible.

A man is dragged unconscious from the water and without a pulse. Reidy and Beardy attach the defibrillator and oxygen mask and begin resuscitation. Can the boys bring him back?

At the south end of the beach, a man screams in pain when he dislocates his hip. The lifeguards are taken by surprise when the man's friend then has a seizure just metres away, but not everything is as it seems.

A dramatic fight breaks out when a man confronts a photographer taking pictures of his topless girlfriend. Meanwhile, Deano performs a mass rescue for a group not taking their situation seriously.

The boys and girl in blue are convinced they have seen it all. But when a man waddles to the tower with a horrendous dog bite on his manhood, the Bondi lifeguards cannot believe their eyes.

A cyclonic swell hits Bondi Beach with 12 foot waves sucking beachgoers out to sea. It is Harries' most challenging rescue of the season as he and his patient are slammed repeatedly into the rocks.

An inexperienced surfer is sucked into a vortex. Yatesy paddles into 10 foot swell for a rescue that doesn't go to plan, finding himself washed up on the rocks with his patient nowhere to be seen.

This episode is jam-packed with adrenaline, laughs and tears as the season ends on a personal note for the lifeguards.

Today's episode is jam-packed with adrenaline, laughs and tears as the season ends on a personal note for the lifeguards.

Looking back on the past seasons and their own careers, the Bondi boys elaborately explain the serious side of the job, especially when people they rescued from drowning need further medical assistance, first from them until paramedics arrive, or a beach-going medical professional volunteers. Luckily there are also more lighthearted care opportunities, such as tending to petty injuries on attractive bathers. Maxi is a great example how a youngster grows into the job, matures and maintains his cheerful nature and enthusiasm, even way beyond the call of duty.

More memorable rescues and other aspect of Bondi. The most prominent story, a beach-collapsed man's alleged shark bite, turned out a hoax landing the fraudster in jail for robbery. Bishop demonstrates the art of rescuing without getting your hair wet. Panicking victims and/or their helpful friends can complicate matters seriously. Lost children are an emotional challenge, in a Korean boy's case Harries's most testing one. H admits his megaphone lecturing is sometimes over the top.