Rips - Website

This post is about mateship and help and neighbourhood watch in Australia and more.

Born in Holstein between the Horizons in 1949, I have left my Home and Home Country many times working abroad.

With the help of some friends (Joe Cocker) plus a bit of LUCK, I was privileged to work in South West Africa (Namibia since 1989) in one of the oldest German High Schools abroad, initiated by the then German Kaiser.

The DHPS and its allies, mostly farmers and small business owners, taught me so much, I could write three or more books.

However, I am a rather lazy person, so I will only keep on running like a DIESEL or Volkswagen, and publish my first short stories.

As a High School teacher of German and English, we analyzed many of the best ones ever published.

One of the my favourites are:

Hemingway, Stories of Initiation – the Nick Adams stories.

Doris Lessing – No Witchcraft For Sale.

Heinrich Boell

T C Boyle.

Just to name a few.

Ich will sagen: Die Latte liegt eher hoch.

The Australian Mateship is a rather unknown terrain for German born people.

When I became an Aussie citizen, I had to undergo a citizen test before the authorities went ahead.

An Online Test, of course.

I studied the AUSSIE Mateship policy, and – honestly – I was blown away.

Are You OK?

Ask R U OK?
Listen, do not judge.
Encourage action
Check in.

Needing a bit of extra help?

🌀 Key dangers of rip currents:

Strong pull out to sea: Can reach speeds faster than Olympic swimmers.
Hard to spot: Often appear as calm, deeper water between breaking waves.
Unpredictable: Change shape and location quickly, making them deceptive.
High fatality rate: Responsible for at least 21–45 drowning deaths annually.
Common: Found on most Australian beaches, especially near sandbanks and estuaries.

🛟 Safety tips:

Swim between the red and yellow flags at patrolled beaches.
If caught in a rip: stay calm, float, and swim parallel to shore to escape.

If you’re caught in a rip current at the Gold Coast, signal for help by raising one arm straight up and calling out loudly. Stay calm and float while waiting for rescue.

Here’s a clear breakdown of what to do if you’re caught in a rip:

🆘 How to Signal for Help

Raise one arm straight up to attract attention from lifeguards or beachgoers.
Call out loudly if someone is nearby.
Stay calm and float to conserve energy and keep breathing easily.

🏊 What NOT to Do

❌ Don’t swim against the rip — it will exhaust you quickly.
❌ Don’t panic — staying calm helps you think clearly and survive longer.

🧭 How to Escape a Rip (if you’re able)

Swim parallel to the shore until you’re out of the current, then head back in.
If too tired, float or tread water — many rips circulate and may return you to a sandbar or breaking waves.

🏖️ Prevention Tips

Always swim between the red and yellow flags at patrolled beaches.
Check for rip signs: darker water, fewer breaking waves, debris moving seaward, or a gap in the wave pattern.
If unsure, ask a lifeguard before entering the water.

Australian Oceans and Rips | Credit phb

Author Peter Hanns Bloecker

This text is not for sale.

The Rip

The sun was still sharp on the water when I spotted him.
A lone figure, arms flailing just beyond the flags, his strokes frantic but going nowhere. I knew that pull—the rip current dragging him out, invisible to anyone who hadn’t grown up reading the sea like a second language.

This was not a game. This was not LOTE at all.

Language Other Than English.

I blew my whistle, raised my arm, and sprinted across the sand. The board was already under me before I had time to think. The water slapped my thighs, then my chest, then I was paddling hard, eyes locked on him.

He was young, maybe mid‑twenties, his face pale with panic. I called out, “I’m coming—hold on!” My voice had to cut through the roar of the surf and his own fear.

When I reached him, he tried to grab the board, wild and desperate. I steadied us both. “It’s okay. You’re safe now. Just hold the handles.” His accent was thick, Japanese, but fear is a universal language. He clung to the board, chest heaving, eyes wide with the shock of salt and terror.

I let the rip do its work, carrying us further out instead of fighting it. Then, when the current eased, I angled us sideways, paddling across until the water softened and the waves began to push us back toward shore.

By the time we reached the shallows, his grip had loosened. He was exhausted, but alive. On the sand, he sat doubled over, coughing seawater, then looked up at me with a shaky smile. “Arigatō,” he whispered.

I smiled back, brushing wet hair from my face. “You’re welcome. You’re okay now.”

Behind us, the surf kept rolling in, endless and indifferent. But for that moment, under the Gold Coast sun, the ocean had given him back. And I—just a volunteer in a red and yellow cap—had been the bridge between fear and safety.

I was so happy, I had done the Nipper courses since I was 5 years old. Thanks Dad, thanks Mom.

Published by Author and Blogger Peter Hanns Bloecker (Retired Educator).

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Updated on Sun 5 Oct 2025 at 1:18pm.

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Published by Author & Blogger

Peter Hanns Bloecker (Retired Director)

Updated Sun 5 Oct 2025.