Meet our paddlers
The Rip Swim paddlers play a vital role in guiding teams across from Point Nepean to Point Lonsdale. They also keep them safe and alert our boats to any problems during the crossings. So, we are very grateful to them for their hard work!
Eugene Docherty
Eugene is our original paddler since 2014. He has now done 31 crossing on the kayak!! He has also swum “The Rip”. Eugene is an amazing man with boundless energy and enthusiasm. When he is not leading swimmers across “The Rip”, he is busy surfing, Bee keeping, fixing cars and riding a skateboard. Not bad for a man in his 70's!
He has also swum the Pier to Pub 30 times!
We love having him as part of our team.
Vale Jane Stacey
Sadly, we lost our beloved paddler Jane last year to cancer. (2024). We will always miss her and treasure the time we had with her.
Jane Stacey was involved in Surf Lifesaving for almost 27 years. She loved the ocean. She started swimming in the open water with her dad and this led to her involvement in lifesaving and even meeting her husband Marcus - who happens to be our paramedic! Her hobbies included surf boat rowing, hiking, gardening and traveling. She was a Leading Teacher (Student Wellbeing and Engagement) in a special education setting.