*Bondi Beach (Photo: Mark Kriedemann)
As the long weekend hotted up, Sydney-siders made their way to Bondi Beach in droves. But as the crowd grew, so did a very real danger. Mark Kriedemann captured it all on camera.
Throngs of people made their way to Bondi Beach on the last day of the long weekend, bustling past the signs still cautioning visitors of the need for social distancing,
Waverly Council warned that Bondi, Coogee and other eastern suburbs beaches were “nearing capacity” on the sweltering Labour Day holiday.
“If people continue to come to Bondi Beach and crowds grow further, restricted access to the sand is likely to be implemented within the next hour 2-3pm”, Waverley Council wrote in an alert at 1.30pm.
The temperature climbed into the early 30's and had many Sydneysiders making plans to visit the beach.
Bondi hosted what looked to be a typical summery day out in any year free of pandemic concerns.
The apparent return to normality had some literally leaping for joy in the midst of the crowd.
Some managed to find quieter spots far out on the rocks of the Northern extremity.
However, the majority of beachgoers found themselves in a sea of people.
Lifeguards were kept busy surveying a swelling crowd.
With crowds spread far beyond the boarders of the safe swim zone, lifeguards kept patrolling the deeper sections.
Social distancing was put aside in many cases where friends celebrated an extra 24 hours of leisure.
Young families gave their children a long awaited reintroduction to their coastal surrounds.
The October 3 long weekend may be telling in the lead-up to summer. For now the wait for new test results begins.
— All pictures Mark Kriedemann, @KriedemannMark
