WHEN young Jacque Bonnay finally entered the water at the northern end of the popular Boomerang Beach, the surf appeared so calm that even the boardriders had given up.
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He was probably unaware that the outgoing tide had hid a deadly trait that was to cause a family tragedy.
Jacque was the first to get taken by the rip, and his 53-year-old father was quick to follow him.
It is understood Stephen Dick, a father of six from Newcastle’s Garden Suburb, was able to get to the boy and slowly push him back towards the shore.
With help from dad, Jacque was able to get footing on the sand.
But his father began to struggle, and told his son to continue onto shore.
Within minutes, Mr Dick was floating face down in the surf – he couldn’t be saved.
“I didn’t get to say thank you,” Jacques said. “He’s my hero.”
Wife Marianne Bonnay said “family was everything to him”.
“(He) always told me that ‘I would give my life for my family’,'' she said.
“He ultimately did give his life for his family.”
She also added: “He could not have made it, he could not have made it.
“He tried to come back, he tried to come back, but he couldn't.”
Surf Lifesaving NSW’s lower north coast branch president Brian Wilcox said the conditions would not have seemed treacherous.
“I don’t think the surf was dangerous, there was not much swell, but the rip they got caught in was running pretty hard because of the run out tide,’’ Mr Wilcox said.
“It would not have been a metre of swell, there wasn’t even any surfers out which in itself didn’t help because they are the guys who are usually the ones who are able to save people.’’
It occurred on the popular but unpatrolled beach, only 800 metres from the patrolled Elizabeth Beach which was “as flat as a tack”.
Ms Bonnay and another one of their other sons were on the beach when tragedy struck.
“If he was swimming by himself he probably would have been okay, but whether he has over-exerted himself to save his son we don’t know,’’ Mr Wilcox said.
“You would obviously never forgive yourself if you lost your child.
“It is just so tragic.’’
Boomerang Beach local Jye Fisher, 28, was working on a home renovation near the beach when he heard the screams of the family.
He jumped a fence and ran straight down to the beach.
“He tried to use a board but he couldn't get the man on it - he was too heavy. So he just put his arm around his neck and brought him in that way. Jye just knew, he just knew it wasn't good,’’mother Sharon Fisher said.
She said that despite their loss the family of the man kept thanking Jye who was distraught at not being able to save him.
“But I said to him 'you brought their father home, so many just go missing, never to be seen again. You brought their father home for closure'.’’
Mr Dick was the second person to drown at Boomerang Beach in 16 days, after a 22-year-old man from Orange entered the water and has not been seen since.
Gifted sportsman Terry Brown was last seen jumping into the water at Easter after travelling to the popular tourist spot with footballing mates.
Despite a massive air and sea search, Mr Brown’s body has not been recovered.
Since January, 28 people have drowned along the NSW coast, which Surf Lifesaving NSW said was a significant spike and a “worrying sign” fort lifesavers.
“It’s very sad to see another drowning occur on the NSW coastline, and again at an unpatrolled beach,’’ NSW Lifesaving manager Andy Kent said.
“Many beaches are patrolled throughout the school holidays by professional lifeguards and we implore families and holidaymakers to head to one of these locations.
“In addition, volunteer lifesavers are patrolling on weekends through until Anzac Day.’’
Boomerang Beach is packed during the autumn school holidays, with many families camping and enjoying the last of the sunshine before winter hits.
Mr Dick’s drowning has hit many other visiting families hard.