As Noosa's Cleo Robinson floored her jet ski back to shore last Sunday, she spotted a flipped kayak, a hat, and a lunch box, and knew something was not right.
"I thought, 'That's a bit weird, I'll turn around and give it a quick scan and see if anyone's out there'," the 19-year-old said.
Rod Cameron, a 72-year-old experienced surfer from Sunrise Beach, was bobbing in the ocean on the open side of the notoriously rough Noosa Bar, clinging to a paddle after being tossed out of his kayak.
Swept out to the impact zone in horrendous conditions, he battled waves more than two-metres high breaking hard on the low tide.
"I was thinking, 'This is it, your number's up. You're a stupid idiot. You're gone … just don't panic. Whatever you do, don't panic'," Mr Cameron said.
Adrenaline-fuelled rescue
Exhausted and blue, climbing onto the jet ski in the dangerous surf conditions was not easy for Mr Cameron.
"At first attempt I thought, 'I haven't got the energy to do this' … but eventually I was able to clamour up on the back. Nearly tipped the jet ski over on its side, but we got there in the end," he said.
Once he was on board, an adrenaline-fuelled Ms Robinson — who has a lot of experience in the ocean, but not in surf rescue — headed to shore while watching waves "coming in behind me".
"Something just came over me," she said.
"Knowing to contain [the adrenaline] and clear communication [about] what he needed to do to get on the ski, I think was absolutely key in that situation."
Back on shore, Mr Cameron was able to catch his breath and surprisingly did not require medical attention.
There were numerous searches for his lost items — kayak, tackle box, fishing rods, and phone — but none have been found.
Reunited with 'guardian angel'
Three days after the rescue, the pair was reunited back where it happened after Mr Cameron put a call out on social media to find his "guardian angel".
He said the ordeal had prompted him to reflect on his own life.
Standing back at the river mouth, he recalled that when he launched his kayak that day about a kilometre up the Noosa River he mistakenly thought it was safe.
But after days of torrential rain, paddling closer to the river mouth "where there'd be more salt water and hopefully fish" was a move that nearly cost him his life.
"I got caught in that current and I couldn't paddle against it. That pulled me out into the white water and I ended up like in a washing machine and capsized my kayak," he said.
Rescue reaffirms career goal
Ms Robinson, a first-year university biomedical student, said the incident had resonated with her too.
"I think it kind of hit me at the end of the day and realised what had happened. [It] hit me a few times throughout the day," she said.
It has also cemented her dream of becoming a paramedic.
"I got off the beach that day and was like, 'Done! That's what I'm doing'," she said.
Coastguard tower not manned that day
The incident happened in front of the Noosa Coastguard tower, but that day the tower was closed due to the poor weather conditions.
Commander Ian Hutchings said the weather the previous week was "atrocious" and on Sunday only four boats crossed the bar.
He said when the tower is closed, staff monitor the bar via the tower cameras at the nearby Munna Point headquarters.
When weather conditions are suitable the tower is ordinarily staffed on weekends and public holidays from 7am to 3pm.
