Skim Boarder Makes a Miracle Save.

Here's a heart warming story about life saving in Aliso Beach published in Laguna Beach News. As shown in the above picture, the hero, Pat Watch on the left, holding a baby he just rescued.  According to the report by Andrea Adelson:

Quick action by a skim boarder saved the life of an infant pulled into a rip tide by a rogue wave on Saturday at Aliso Beach, according to witnesses.

Pat Watson, 46, who took up skim boarding after moving from Hawaii in 1991, said he threw his board aside and took off in a dead sprint when he saw a child tumbling down the sand berm into swirling whitewater. “I couldn’t see anyone else moving,” said Watson, who was skimming with his son, Danny, 18. They both “bolted” for the child.

“I was on it,” Watson said. He figures he covered 75 yards before diving into the surf, even though he had yet to see the child resurface. Incredibly, Watson caught sight of her underwater and grabbed her diaper. “I knew she’d been under water at least 15 seconds,” said Watson, who held the baby up overhead while still trying to get his footing before another wave overtook them.

When he resurfaced again, holding the child like a football to his chest, Watson said she wasn’t moving. “I flipped her over,” he said, flooded with relief when she began to cough, vomit up seawater and cry. He placed the child in the outstretched arms of the trembling, unidentified mother, who left the beach before speaking to authorities, Watson said.

“It’s a phenomenal rescue,” said Jason Young, chief of OC Lifeguards, responsible for guarding Aliso, one of the county’s most popular beaches. “Once a human submerges, there’s a very low chance of saving them,” Young said.

At the time of the rescue prior to noon, county guards were not yet scheduled for duty in Aliso’s towers, Young said, though one guard in a vehicle was roving between Aliso and Three Arch Bay beaches. Laguna’s five southern beach coves are county beaches.

It is always gratifying to read a story like this one.  The editor gave the article a nice headline: "Skim Boarder Makes a Miracle Save."  And the article concludes with this aftermath:

Later, Watson’s daughter told him she had observed the incident’s origin, seeing a rogue wave sweep the beach and swamp the mother, wearing street clothes and walking near the top of the sand berm, who twice attempted to grab the child before she tumbled into the surf.

Other than skimmers, few people were in the water because of the strong surf, Watson said.

So it all started with a freaque wave sweep the beach. It was a local happening, but great rescue story nevertheless -- and for believers it's a miracle indeed there are God's fingerprints all over it!

Happened at Shoal Bay Beach

This nice beach picture is a picture of Shoal Bay Beach northeast of Australia's Newcastle, New South Wales. The picture accompanies an article published this morning in the Border Mail, written by Alison Branley, entitled "Wave surge kills tourist":   

A strong wave surge has been blamed for killing a 60-year-old woman while she was walking along Shoal Bay Beach in Port Stephens at the weekend.

The woman, understood to be from Londonderry in Sydney's west, was reportedly walking along the west end of the beach when she was knocked unconscious by a shore-dumping wave.

It is believed the tourist was dragged out by the wave and drowned.

Paramedics were sent about 8.30am on Saturday after the woman was pulled unconscious from the surf.

They tried to revive the woman but she died at the scene.

Reports suggest the woman may have lost her shoe and had been trying to retrieve it when she was struck.

Despite sleepy Shoal Bay's reputation for calm waters, the spot at the west end of the beach is known among locals as a notorious spot during wave surges because of a combination of steep sand and shore dumpers.

So here, again, a sad beach tragedy happened! Even in a beach that has a reputation for "calm waters"! Well, as the locals know the dangerous of the spot is notorious, how can a tourist be so informed and be forewarned not to lost her shoe there?  It all seems so unreal, but tragedy always happens when there is least expectation!  May the lady rest in peace and may all tourists have a heightened sense of caution so that not to let their guard down when enjoy walking on those beautiful peaceful beaches!

Life's ebb and flow

U. Southern Cal.'s USC News yesterday yesterday published this article, written by Marc Ballon, entitled "Life's ebb and flow" that tells a rather sad, freakish happening but emerged as an inspirational and uplifting story of their Engineering Ph.D. student, Ryan Williams:

Ryan Williams led a charmed, sun-splashed existence.

The USC Viterbi School of Engineering PhD student found his classes stimulating, professors engaging and research on autonomous underwater robots fascinating. And then there was his California Dreamin’ lifestyle.

Williams, a native of Roanoke, Va., luxuriated in the Southern California sunshine, golfing, swimming and skiing. He even took up surfing, which energized him.

“The California mentality was refreshing and, of course, the weather was amazing,” he said.

And then everything changed. On Jan. 27, 2008, Williams went to Santa Monica with friends to catch some waves. As he paddled toward the breakers, he dove under an oncoming swell.

In a freak accident, he landed headfirst in a hidden sandbar and snapped his neck. He lost all feeling in his legs and arms. If not for the two surfers who pulled him from the water, Williams would have surely drowned.

At just 26, the former high school pitcher and star basketball player had become a quadriplegic, with no use of his legs and limited use of his hands. Many people in a similar position would have understandably retreated into self-pity and bitterness. Not Williams.

“I don’t feel downtrodden at all,” he said. “I try to say, ‘this is life. This is the way it is. Let’s try to do something with it.’ ”

He's certainly determined to "do something with it" with a roaring start! That's really showing a remarkable and courageous young scholar with a brilliant future.  We wish all the best for him. Go for it!