‘This is our church’: Hundreds of Volunteer rescuers Assemble to Pay tribute to Attack Victims.

Looking out at the surf on Bondi shoreline, side by side with hundreds of fellow lifesavers, Lockie Cook let himself feel the anguish of a local most traumatic week in recent history.

“I feel like that guard’s just dropping,” he remarked.

Volunteer lifeguards gathered in their hundreds on the weekend to hold two moments of quiet reflection and remember those who died in the previous weekend's violence.

Babies, grandparents, neighbours and schoolmates dressed in red-and-yellow uniforms held each other, forming a human chain stretching from the iconic bay's north side toward its south end.

“The big thing to emerge from this tragedy is just the extent that this community matters to me,” he said.

“Here is our spiritual ground … It’s just important we come together again and begin to mend.”

A Moment of Quiet Contemplation

At that morning, the moment of quiet was initiated by a voice at the beach’s central lifeguard post, behind which were placed clusters of floral memorials.

“120 seconds can be a an eternity but I urge you to reflect,” he urged.

“Join hands with the individual next to you, look inward and remember the families affected so we can grow back stronger for this community.”

Lifesavers gazed at the sand or to the distance as residents, visitors and officials observed. The only sounds were the ocean's rhythm, a distant canine cry and a overhead rescue helicopter, which circled along the shore as the silence lifted.

Reclaiming the Beach

People gathered slowly turned to embrace and cheer their colleagues at the opposite end of the beach as cheers rose from the observing onlookers.

This was another example of the rescuers working to strengthen the beachgoers this week, said one participant, a member of the Jewish community of the north club and a person who assisted on Sunday.

“At this moment, I am filled with the care and unity,” expressed the participant, who requested privacy.

Having called Bondi for decades, he joined the swim on in the days after and has worked to reclaim the beach as his own.

“It was like taking ownership back, it’s cathartic,” he added.

The Core Principle of Lifesaving

Gene Ross, a experienced lifesaving teacher, spent the quiet time standing by his just-trained son, thinking about the solidarity his club had exhibited after Sunday.

“Choosing to do the tragedy here … invited Australia to come and support the individuals affected.”

Scores of lifesavers shared tears and smiles together as they walked back toward their patrol bases and through the green space where their colleagues helped the injured on Sunday.

A significant number stayed on the beach, ready to come to the aid of people returning to the ocean.

“We serve the entire community and that’s the guiding spirit of lifesaving,” Ross said.

“It is our calling as lifesavers: we head into the crisis.”