A SEA OF TEARS FOR DYLAN
TEARS fell as shocked family and friends gathered at Fingal Beach yesterday to remember popular surfer Dylan Carpenter, who drowned there on Sunday. High school friend Jordan Noakes summed up the thoughts of many when he said Mr Carpenter was “a bloody good bloke”.
LIFEBUOYS and signage will be installed permanently on Fingal Headland after the third drowning at the notoriously treacherous beach in two years.
Kingscliff man Dylan Carpenter had surfed Fingal beach hundreds of times, but on Sunday he lost his bodyboard and was knocked unconscious while trying to clamber up the rocky headland to safety.
A major land, air and ocean search was launched about 11.30am.
The 20-year-old was found almost two hours later and despite the work of paramedics and lifesavers, he could not be revived.
The beach, which is classified as “dangerous”, is only patrolled on weekends, and only in certain areas.
Fingal Rovers Surf Lifesaving Club has 30 members who patrol and often use neighbouring Gold Coast clubs to bolster numbers.
On Sunday, volunteers from Mermaid Beach Surf Lifesaving Club were patrolling at Fingal, an arrangement the clubs have had in place for some time.
Tweed MP Geoff Provest said there had been calls for the beach to be closed, but ruled out taking such drastic steps.
“You don’t want to proliferate the area with too many signs, or fences,” he said, adding that closing the beach would not necessarily deter people from using the area.
“We’re working on Angel Rings (lifebuoys) for the headland and warning signage ... which we hope to have as a permanent fixture by December.”
Surf Life Saving Far North Coast duty officer Jimmy Keough said the currents working around the headland were “very unpredictable”.
He said Fingal beach was patrolled, but the open beach beyond the headland, known as “Dreamtime” beach, was not.
“It is a very well-known surf location,” he said.
“We conducted a risk assessment two to three years ago and did flag the beach as dangerous.
“It’s an open, exposed beach and the headland does cop a lot of open swell ... with lots of white water and movement.”
He said there were no plans to increase patrols in the area, apart from during summer and Easter school holidays when paid council lifeguards were hired.
When Dylan went missing there was a high, incoming tide and swells were up to 2m.
Fingal Rovers Surf Lifesaving Club did not respond to requests for comment, but indicated it would release a statement in the coming days.
The small club has struggled to grow its membership over the years, but recently completed renovations and hosted an open day to recruit members.
Last March, Ryan Martin, 30, tragically died trying to rescue 10-year-old Rihanna Milabo from rough conditions near the headland.
Six months earlier, 26year-old Aggie Auelua drowned trying to save a nineyear-old boy.
Fingal local Robert Budd said part of the allure of the headland and the Dreamtime beach was its remoteness.
He agreed that the beach should not be closed.
Tweed Shire Councillors did not respond yesterday.