‘This is our spiritual home’: Scores of Lifesavers Assemble to Honour Attack Victims.

Looking out at the waves on Bondi shoreline, arm in arm with nearly 1,000 colleagues, Lockie Cook allowed himself to experience the grief of a local harrowing week in recent history.

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

Surf lifesavers assembled by the score on the weekend to hold two moments of quiet reflection and honour those lost in the previous weekend's violence.

Babies, grandparents, neighbours and schoolmates wearing red-and-yellow uniforms stood together, forming a line extending from the iconic bay's northern edge to its southern tip.

“The most important aspect that’s come out of this is just the depth to which this community means to me,” he expressed.

“This beach is our place of worship … It is crucial we unite and truly recover.”

A Moment of Quiet Contemplation

At that morning, the moment of quiet was announced by a voice at the beach’s central lifeguard post, near which were placed bunches of floral memorials.

“120 seconds can be a a lengthy period but I urge you to reflect,” he said.

“Hold hands with the soul next to you, close your eyes and reflect on the families affected so we can emerge more resilient for this beach family.”

Attendees looked down or to the distance as the community and its leaders observed. The only sounds were the ocean's rhythm, a single barking dog and a overhead rescue helicopter, which flew along the shore as the moment concluded.

Reclaiming the Shore

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

This was another example of the lifesavers working to strengthen the community this past week, noted one participant, a Jewish member of the beach's north side and a first responder on Sunday.

“Right now, I sense the compassion and solidarity,” expressed the participant, who requested privacy.

Having lived at Bondi for most of his years, he joined the community swim on in the days after and has sought to take back the beach as his own.

“It was like taking ownership back, it’s cathartic,” he said.

The Guiding Spirit of Service

Gene Ross, a experienced instructor, spent the quiet time beside his just-trained son, considering the togetherness his club had exhibited after Sunday.

“Carrying out the tragedy here … invited Australia to come and support the community.”

Scores of rescuers experienced a mix of emotions together as they made their way in the direction of their patrol bases and through the park where their fellow members performed rescues on Sunday.

A significant number stayed on the beach, prepared to assist people going back into the surf.

“We serve the entire community and that’s the ethos of lifesaving,” Ross said.

“This is our purpose as lifesavers: we run to the emergency.”