On Tuesday, August 11 the group were wrapping up their training when Mr Mitchell noticed a surfboard had washed ashore without its owner nearby.

"You instantly ask where is the person on it and are they ok?," Mr Mitchell said.

An experienced surfer had got into trouble off the north point at Flynns Beach, after his board's leg rope snapped and he was swept dangerously close to rocks.

Mr Mitchell has been a member of the Port Macquarie Surf Life Saving Club for about 14 years.

Mr Mitchell and other club members immediately initiated their surf rescue training and assumed roles for an emergency response.

Emergency services were alerted while Mr Mitchell and others accessed appropriate equipment to carry out a rescue.

One of the men obtained a rescue board and took it into the water to assist the surfer.

"The waves and the conditions at the time were very challenging," Mr Mitchell said.

Mr Mitchell and the others made the judgement to prepare the Inflatable Rescue Boat, due to the hazardous conditions.

However, the boat was not needed because the surfer had navigated his way south along the beach and back onto the sand.

Mr Mitchell said surf education is important and encouraged people to join their local club to gain knowledge.

He said some of the basic rules are for people to ensure they swim or surf with a buddy and examine the conditions before entering the water.

It's also crucial for people to be aware of their individual abilities when it comes to navigating the surf and swell.

Mr Mitchell moved to Port Macquarie from Sydney and is an avid ocean swimmer.

"I joined the club because I regularly come to the beach to swim on the weekends and I felt I needed to give back," he said.

He credited the other volunteers as working effectively together as a team to carry out the emergency response.

"None of us panicked and that only comes from experience and training," he said.

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