Sky Watch Friday

 

Perth is having its 19th consecutive day of +30C. Thirteenth night of a minimum in excess of 20C. Heading for records in both categories.

On the beach there are thousands of people trying to cool in the ocean.

Also in the ocean is danger to those people.

There are “rips” and undertows which can drag swimmers out to sea. Then there are other dangers. Dangers with teeth and very large jaws.

Volunteer members of Australian Surf Lifesaving Clubs have, for more than a century watched over Australians on the beaches. Towers have been built so that an eye can be kept on sea conditions. Sometimes a shark was spotted.

These days with swimmers moving further out to sea there is more chance of interaction with sharks.

So helicopters are now used to extend the eyes of the watchers. While the pilots are professional, the ground-based volunteers are still the same, selfless, skilled young people who spend some of their time protecting their fellow beach-goers.

So today’s Sky Watch is not so much the sky, but the watchers in the sky. At Scarborough Beach on the Perth coast.