‘This is our sanctuary’: Hundreds of Surf lifesavers Gather to Honour Shooting The fallen.

Standing silently upon the waves on Bondi coast, hand in hand with hundreds of fellow lifesavers, Lockie Cook let himself feel the grief of a community’s most traumatic week in recent history.

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

Surf lifesavers came together in large numbers on Saturday morning to observe two minutes of silence and commemorate those who died in Sunday’s attack.

Infants, elders, locals and classmates clad in red-and-yellow uniforms held each other, creating a human chain running from the crescent-shaped beach’s north end all the way to its south end.

“The key realization we've learned from this is just the depth to which this community matters to me,” he expressed.

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

An Interval of Silent Reflection

At that morning, the moment of quiet was announced by a man at the beach’s main patrol tower, near which had been laid bunches of tributes.

“Two minutes can be a a lengthy period but please look within,” he advised.

“Link arms with the soul next to you, look inward and think about the families affected so we can rebuild with strength for this community.”

Attendees stared at their feet or to the distance as the community and its leaders stood by. The sole audible things were waves on the shore, a single barking dog and a whirring rescue helicopter, which flew along the shore as the silence lifted.

Healing on the Shore

Loved ones and colleagues slowly came together in an embrace and cheer their companions at the far end of the beach as acclamation erupted from the observing onlookers.

This was another example of the volunteers working to unite the beachgoers this past week, noted one man, a member of the Jewish community of the north club and a first responder on that fateful day.

“Right now, I sense the care and unity,” said the individual, who requested privacy.

Having made his home in Bondi for decades, he took part in the swim on the following day and has worked to reclaim the beach as his own.

“The experience was taking ownership back, it’s therapeutic,” he said.

The Guiding Spirit of Service

Gene Ross, a veteran instructor, spent the moments’ silence standing by his recently qualified son, reflecting on the solidarity his club had shown after Sunday.

“Choosing to do the violence here … prompted Australia to stand with the community.”

Hundreds of volunteers laughed and cried together as they made their way in the direction of their surf clubs and through the area where their fellow members helped the injured on Sunday.

Many others remained on the water's edge, ready to come to the aid of people going back into the water.

“Our duty is to all and that’s the guiding spirit of beach rescue,” Ross stated.

“That’s what we do as volunteers: we head into the crisis.”