“Someone’s Life Is Not Worth A Six-Foot Wave”

Do you ever surf six foot Currumbin Alley and think, “I understand the need to partake in a step-off or two, but there are too many jet skis out here. If there aren’t regulations put into place, someone is going to get run over, maimed, or worse”? If so, you’re not alone. One Gold Coast surfer has been lashing out against motorised assistance in lineups following the recent blast of swell.

“Someone’s life is not worth a six-foot wave,” Tugun surfer Sam Yoon told the Gold Coast Bulletin recently. “They (jet skis) should be there for safety issues, not for the ego of getting all the waves.”

Mr Yoon was particularly rattled after viewing footage of a jet ski getting sucked over the falls at Currumbin Alley, almost hitting a surfer, a few days ago. An incident that was caught on video by 16-year-old Luke Workman and is now a viral hit.

“We can’t afford to have a mistake again,” Yoon continued.

According to police, most jet skis appeared to be following Maritime Safety Queensland’s code of conduct last week, which states tow-in surfers must not operate skis faster than six knots within 200m of non-ski-assisted, paddling surfers. Even though the rules also state that, unless there is no one else in the water, both tow-ins and step-offs are not allowed near Currumbin bar or Tallebudgera Creek. 

Mr Yoon has filed reports to the police concerning jet skis in the past. Most recently in March, when he claimed several “high profile professional surfers” using skis threatened him while he has surfing near the Tweed River mouth. He believes skis should only be used on Gold Coast beaches for either safety reasons or towing in offshore breaks during “historic swells.” But he also suspects nothing will be done by the authorities until someone is seriously injured and it’s too late altogether.

“There’s a reason people don’t park on the yellow line, because they will get fined,” Mr Yoon concluded.