Dating to 1949 and released by Encyclopedia Britannica films in the USA and Cinesound in Australia, “Thrills of the Surf” examines the popular sport of surfing (:07). It opens with a shot of the coastline with the city wrapping around the sandy shoreline, possibly Melbourne or Sydney (:32) as surfers take to the waves (:39). Surfing is considered to be one of Australia’s most popular sports (:46). Youth of Australia run to the waters edge with large rubber boats tumbling under the rolling waves as the boats flip over (:59). Mothers and young children walk into rock pools (1:52). 7,000 make up the Life Savers (2:15); comprised of male and female (2:22) volunteers. The volunteers march as bag pipes encourage them forward. This event is known as the Grand March (2:38). A high step is used to move through the soft sand with ease (2:44). Australians push surf boards and ski’s through the surf (3:00). A few are able to rise from their boards as waves form and crash (3:07). These were traditionally used for by the Life Savers to patrol the waters (3:23) in order to warn civilians of sharks or to rescue those in need. Close shots of surfers standing on their boards follows (4:07). One surfer steers his surf board away from rocks in the waters (4:41). Another crashes under the waves as boards hit him and the life savers rush out in a rescue attempt (5:10). Some of the Life Savers remain on the beach and maintain a strong life line (5:19) to pull the victim in. Male Life Savers carry the wounded surfer to the shore line (5:22) where he is able to receive first aide. Footage follows of Australia’s Volunteer Coast Guard out on surf boats in rough waves (5:36). The surf boats fight against wave after wave remaining upright due to the specific design (6:06). As some of the waves are too strong for the boats to make it through, Coast Guard members jump from the boat (6:24). A surf boat race (6:46) is used to train the rescue workers. Two of the boats intersect in a dangerous dance (7:05). A pair of boats breaks through and move towards the surf (7:49).
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