Students from Brauer College were plucked from rough seas after being swept out in kayaks at Anglesea during wild weather.
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Six students, a teacher and a student teacher were caught up in the incident at around 9.30am on Tuesday morning.
Four off-duty members of Anglesea Surf Life Saving Club, who were working as Go Ride A Wave surf school instructors at the time, got the group of eight back to shore using inflatable rescue boats.
Club captain Matthew Solly said it was lucky no one had drowned.
“I was at work and the surf school rang me and told me to come down,” he said.
“The wind grabbed one of the kayaks and took them to where it was quite windy so three others went out to assist.”
The kayakers were initially 500 metres out to sea but were pulled about a kilometre out by strong winds.
The group had to abandon four kayaks they had hired.
“It’s not a good outcome from an equipment point of view but good in terms of the fact that everyone was safe,” Mr Solly said.
“It’s one of those situations where you learn from your mistake.”
He said the water looked calm close to shore.
“The conditions looked okay but as you ventured out it got worse and worse,” Mr Solly said.
The year 10 students were kayaking as part of their participation in the Advance Schools Program, and all of them have been involved with the Warrnambool Surf Life Saving Club.
The other three rescuers were Nick Lowe, Lachlan Appleby and Jane Whitelaw, and another club member Lloyd Simpson provided support on the beach.
Brauer College principal Jane Boyle said only two students had been at risk after their kayak overturned, and staff had chosen the beach because life savers were present.
“This happened before the weather changed,” she said.
“The staff had been carefully monitoring the weather all morning.”
Ms Boyle said the group was equipped with safety gear including life jackets, and that students’ parents were supportive of the program when she contacted them about the incident.
“The kids are fine and they continued with the camp,” she said.
“I would like to thank the Surf Life Saving Club of Anglesea for doing an incredible job.”
On Monday the Bureau of Meteology warned Tuesday would bring damaging winds with gusts up to 110km/h across much of the state.
The bureau also warned of waves up to seven metres in coastal waters.