‘This is our church’: Hundreds of Lifesavers Come together to Honour Tragedy Victims.

Gazing quietly at the surf on Bondi coast, side by side with close to a thousand other volunteers, Lockie Cook opened up to the grief of a community’s most traumatic week in living memory.

“I sense that protective wall is falling,” he said.

Volunteer lifeguards came together in large numbers on the weekend to participate in two moments of quiet reflection and remember those killed in Sunday’s attack.

From the very young to the elderly, alongside friends and neighbours dressed in their iconic colours embraced one another, forming a human chain running from the crescent-shaped beach’s northern edge toward its southern point.

“The key realization to emerge from this tragedy is just the depth to which this community means to me,” he said.

“This is our church … It’s just important we reconnect and begin to mend.”

A Time of Silent Reflection

At 8.15am, the moment of quiet was called for by a man at the beach’s primary observation point, behind which were placed rows of tributes.

“A short time can be a very long time but I urge you to reflect,” he urged.

“Link arms with the person next to you, shut your eyes and reflect on the those who are suffering so we can grow back stronger for this community.”

Attendees looked down or to the ocean as residents, visitors and officials watched on. The only sounds were waves on the shore, a lone dog’s bark and a overhead rescue helicopter, which flew along the coastline as the moment concluded.

Reclaiming the Shore

People gathered slowly came together in an embrace and clap for their colleagues at the opposite end of the beach as applause rose from the observing onlookers.

This was one more demonstration of the rescuers working to bring together the beachgoers this difficult period, noted one participant, a member of the Jewish community of the beach's north side and a emergency helper on Sunday.

“Right now, I sense the love and support,” said the man, who wished to remain anonymous.

Having made his home in Bondi for most of his years, he joined the swim on Monday and has sought to take back the beach as his own.

“It felt like taking ownership back, it’s cathartic,” he shared.

The Guiding Spirit of Service

Gene Ross, a experienced lifesaving teacher, spent the period of reflection next to his just-trained son, reflecting on the unity his club had exhibited in the days following Sunday.

“The decision to enact the tragedy here … prompted Australia to rally behind the people.”

Hundreds of lifesavers laughed and cried together as they made their way in the direction of their clubs and through the green space where their colleagues saved lives on Sunday.

A significant number lingered at the water's edge, prepared to assist people going back into the ocean.

“We’re here for everybody and that’s the guiding spirit of lifesaving,” Ross stated.

“This is our purpose as rescuers: we head into the crisis.”