Australian bodysurfer swept away by waves saved by Apple Watch Ultra

Rick Shearman, an Australian bodysurfer, has credited his Apple Watch Ultra for saving his life after he was swept away while surfing at Tallow Beach in New South Wales. Shearman, a resident of Byron Bay, was taking part in what was otherwise a routine surfing session on Saturday.

Tallow Beach

Swept away while surfing

Things changed for the 49-year-old, highly experienced surfer when he got caught in the impact zone — the area where the waves break — while he was trying to make his way to shore.

Also read:?Apple Unveils Three Fresh Watches Including The Brand New 'Apple Watch Ultra'

Shearman, who had previously encountered such situations, decided not to fight the ocean and let the current take him back beyond the breakers to look for a channel into shore.

Could not seek help

But on that day, things didn't go as planned, and Shearman soon realized that he was heading for trouble.

Unsplash

"It became clear after about 20 minutes that I wasn't going to make it back in, and I needed some assistance," Shearman told ABC.

This was easier said than done as he had no means to alert his partner who was on the beach.?That is when Shearman remembered that he still had his Apple Watch Ultra on his wrist.

Apple

Dials emergency from Apple Watch

He managed to locate the emergency function on his smartwatch and called 000, Australia's emergency service number.

But what happened next left Shearman a bit confused as they asked if he wanted police, fire, or ambulance.

"I really didn't know how to respond. At this point, I was a long way out to sea, I was being buffeted by wind and big swells, it was actually quite difficult to utilize [the watch]. I had to hold it up to my ear to hear what was going on and speak to the respondent," he said.

Also read:?Vet uses Apple Watch on lion's tongue to measure heart rate

Saved by Apple Watch

For the next hour, Shearman stayed on the line directing emergency services to his location. He was finally brought to safety by a rescue helicopter.

"If it wasn't for being able to access that service on my watch, I'd probably be bobbing out somewhere in international waters by now," Shearman said.

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