Book Description
This is the intriguing story of how the Australian surf came
to be conquered by the seemingly puny 12ft inflatable rescue boat (the
rubber ducky as it came to be known). It is now the single most important
means of rescuing people from the surf, not just in Australia but in many
countries across the world.
The story originates in the early 1960s when a young Australian, Warren
Mitchell, working as a lifeguard on a north Cornish beach, witnessed early
trials of inflatable rescue boats (which led to the RNLI adopting them into
their fleet). He took the concept back to New South Wales and, in the face
of enormous scepticism, proved to his countrymen that the IRB was a
quicker, safer alternative to all the traditional methods used to get to
people drowning 'beyond the break'.
There are accounts of recent daring rescues in mountainous surf as well as
a look back over the centuries at how sea bathing and surfing first became
popular and at the 900BC origins of the inflatable boat.
Break Through has been produced as a joint venture between the Royal
National Lifeboat Institution and Surf Life Saving Australia. Its
publication in 2007 helps to mark the centenary of SLSA, `the Year of the
Lifesaver'. The two volunteer organisations nowadays work closely together
exchanging personnel, ideas and techniques and they see the IRB story as
inspiration for such international co-operation. All proceeds from the
sale of this book will benefit the two organisations' lifesaving work.
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