Local lad Chris Sharam, 22, was team leader and didn’t take his eye off the coast for a moment, even when conducting an interview with The Standard. 

“It's a hot day so it's going be quite busy and a little nerve-wracking,” Mr Sharam said.

“But that's all part of it and once it gets going everything will go smoothly.”

Mr Sharam, who has been involved with surf lifesaving since he was nine years old, said while Warrnambool was a safe area to swim, beach-goers were urged to take care and stay within the flags.

“Around the beach we've got a few different rips that pop up throughout the day,” he said.

“Occasionally we do have jet-skis that come within the exclusion zone, so it's quite important jet-ski users know the rules of the area and stay outside of the yellow buoys, which are about 200 metres offshore.”

Paid life guards will now patrol Warrnambool beach from 10am until 6pm Monday to Friday, and from 10am to 1pm on Saturday, with volunteers patrolling from midday to 5.30 pm on Saturday and from 10am to 5.30pm on Sunday. 

Port Fairy Surf Lifesaving Club nipper program coordinator Nicole Dwyer said it was “perfect conditions” on Thursday for the fourth of 11 nipper sessions and estimated there was in total between 1000 and 2000 people at East Beach.

“We're quite lucky because we've got a sheltered bay, but Mother Nature can throw up different waves and hazards,” she said. 

“The bulk of the tourists are here for the next two to three weeks...right through until the Australia Day public holiday. But there's been no problems – I think people are very well educated now and if they're not, then they're not afraid to come ask patrol what the rules are within the flags.”

Port Campbell Surf Lifesaving Club president Scott McKenzie said he was glad to see the paid life guards on their first shift at his local beach.

“It just makes if safer for people in the water at Port Campbell,” he said.

“There are hundreds of people coming in from out of town and some of them might not be used to local conditions. Everyone puts out the message about swimming in between the flags, but it’s good to have someone there during the week.”

Portland Surf Lifesaving Club captain Sarah Edwards said there up to 200 people at Bridgewater beach at any one time. 

“Bridgewater is a pretty safe beach, we don't have too much trouble there, but other beaches like Narrawong can keep the life guards pretty busy,” she said.

“Sometimes boats get into trouble or otherwise people getting big floating toys for Christmas, going out on a northerly and getting blown out to sea. But the jet skis are generally pretty good – they mostly hang out in Shelly Beach which is a couple of kilometres away from the main swim beach.”