BRENDON Ryman knows all too well the problems created by worsening erosion on Stockton beach.
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The 54-year-old was named Hunter branch's Lifesaver of the Year and was among the top three finalists for the NSW award.
He serves as the director of lifesaving at Stockton Surf Life Saving Club, where he has been a member since 2009 when he moved to the Hunter from Sydney.
Not a natural swimmer, Mr Ryman said it's been a challenge - but "super rewarding experience" - to adapt to the surf club lifestyle.
"It was a bit of a running joke at that start that I'm certainly not the greatest of swimmers," he said.
"But I trained for the bronze medallion and haven't looked back."
After growing up in the Blacktown shire, he now spends nearly all of his free time at the beach.
Earlier this year when worsening erosion meant members couldn't access Stockton beach, Mr Ryman was determined to make sure patrols continued.
He developed a system that allowed lifesavers to patrol from the beach car park and a nearby storage shed.
"We couldn't get anything down there. No gear. Nothing. It was impossible," he said. "For weeks and weeks the beach was closed but we knew it was important to still have a presence at the beach, to have people there in the red and yellow, so the community knew we were still here."
At the time, there was a sheer drop off after a storm stripped a massive amount of sand from the beach.
"We still get first-aid callouts and we were still able to be at the beach, just not on the sand," he said.
"Instead we were in the car park, which was certainly different, but it meant operations continued."
Stockton had to pull its IRB crew from racing in the NSW Inflatable Rescue Boat (IRB) Premiership Series this year because the erosion meant members couldn't get the boat on the beach to train.
Mr Ryman, who is in charge of Stockton patrols, said the past year had thrown up numerous challenges, but volunteer patrol numbers had grown.
Members have been called in to assist with Lower Hunter flood rescue efforts and COVID-19 has impacted patrol numbers, especially during lockdowns.
Mr Ryman, Stockton SLSC president Paul Bernard and director of education Willow Forsyth were recently tasked with helping residents in Maitland during the floods.
"At first it started out with COVID restricting people getting to our beach from other postcodes, which had a constant impact on patrol numbers," he said.
"Then with erosion events earlier in the year we couldn't even get access to the beach and you can imagine there has been a big demand for lifesavers to help with the floods."
Mr Ryman described the surf club as his extended family.
"I live by myself and it's like having a family away from your family," he said.
"There is certainly always something to do and it's great working with the younger members and drawing off the older, experienced lifesavers.
"I enjoy it and I get a lot out of it."
Stockton is the second oldest club in the Hunter Branch, forming five days after Newcastle SLSC on 15 January 1908.
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