LONG BEACH Hot temperatures drove many people to the seashore this weekend and five of them came close to drowning off Bolstad beach approach just after 12:30 p.m. Saturday.

In a classic scenario for beach tragedies, two youngsters got into danger in the surf. Their father and two bystanders tried to help, and got into trouble themselves. In the end, the Peninsulas dedicated surf rescuers were close enough to save everyone, though it was still a dicey situation.

The incident was called in by a beach patrol truck, after the patrol was informed of the situation by bystander.

I spotted two girls with just their heads above water and saw one signal (for help), said surf rescue swimmer Vinessa Mulinix, who happened to be on the beach picnicking with her two children. Having brought her rescue gear with her to the beach, she quickly changed and ran to help.

Nick Haldeman and Will Greene were soon on scene and Mulinix, who is also an Ilwaco city councilwoman, helped Haldeman launch a jet ski, hopping onto the sled on the back. Green stayed on shore to serve as ground crew and spotter.

It was soon realized that it was more than just the two girls that were in need of help, as the girls father, and two others who went into the water to help, had been pulled out by the current. While the girls were about 100 yards out in the water, the other three had been pulled out a good quarter-mile by Haldemans estimation.

Mulinix was dropped off near the girls on the way out.

I wrapped my flotation device around both girls and talked to them, told them everything was going to be good and hed (Haldeman) be back. The older girl was concerned about her dad, so I told her Nicks got him.

Not helping matters any, a trick competition featuring 12 jet skis was taking place not far from the rescue scene but didnt seem to notice what was going on.

After rescuing the three who had been pulled out to sea, Haldeman drove the jet ski back out to pick up Mulinix and the two girls.

Once back on shore, an exhausted father was reunited with his two daughters as they were checked out by paramedics. The entire ordeal was over in less than 10 minutes.

If youre gonna go in, take a floatation device, said Mulinix of the three who went in to try and help but instead got sucked out. Youve gotta have something, because once you get there, youre gonna be wasted. They just didnt know how unforgiving our waters are.

Surf rescue team members Doug Knutzen and Jeff Chabot also responded to the call, as did Long Beach Volunteer Fire Department and Medix.

The rescue came just one day prior to the one year anniversary of the rescue of Dale Ostrander, who drowned off the Cranberry Road beach approach last summer. The rescue and his subsequent miraculous recovery made international news last year after the story and photographs of the incident were published in the Chinook Observer.