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

Standing silently upon the ocean on Bondi beach, arm in arm with close to a thousand colleagues, Lockie Cook let himself feel the grief of a local harrowing week in recent history.

“It feels like my defences are coming down,” he said.

Surf lifesavers assembled by the score on the weekend to hold two minutes’ silence and commemorate those killed in the tragic shooting.

Infants, elders, locals and classmates dressed in their iconic colours stood together, forming a line running from the crescent-shaped beach’s north side all the way to its southern point.

“The most important aspect we've learned from this is just how much this community matters to me,” he said.

“This beach is our place of worship … It is vital we unite and begin to mend.”

A Moment of Silent Reflection

At 8.15am, the moment of quiet was announced by a figure at the beach’s main patrol tower, behind which were placed bunches of tributes.

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

“Hold hands with the soul next to you, close your eyes and remember the families affected so we can grow back stronger for this beach family.”

Volunteers stared at their feet or to the horizon as the community and its leaders stood by. The only sounds were waves on the shore, a distant canine cry and a droning rescue helicopter, which passed along the coastline as the moment concluded.

Healing on the Sand

Friends and families slowly turned to embrace and applaud their colleagues at the opposite end of the beach as acclamation rose from the watching crowd.

This was another example of the rescuers working to strengthen the beachgoers this difficult period, stated one man, a member of the Jewish community of the north club and a first responder on the day of the attack.

“At this moment, I am filled with the compassion and solidarity,” said the man, who wished to remain anonymous.

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

“The experience was asserting a presence, it’s cathartic,” he added.

The Core Principle of Rescue

Gene Ross, a experienced instructor, spent the moments’ silence standing by his just-trained son, reflecting on the solidarity his club had shown every day since Sunday.

“Carrying out the attack here … prompted Australia to stand with the people.”

A great number of rescuers shared tears and smiles together as they walked back to their surf clubs and through the green space where their fellow members saved lives on Sunday.

A significant number lingered at the beach, on duty to help people returning to the ocean.

“We’re here for everybody and that’s the ethos of surf livesaving,” Ross said.

“This is our purpose as lifesavers: we head into the emergency.”