Life savers and SES personnel enforced the closure of Great Lakes beaches from Lighthouse in Seal Rocks to Nine Mile in Tuncurry as part of a lockout of all the state’s shores.

Surf Life Saving Lower North Coast Branch director Julie Wilcox received a text late on Saturday evening notifying her that an 8.8 magnitude earthquake had hit the coast of Chile at 5.34pm, EDT.

The next day around 6.30am she was contacted by the state branch to cancel all nippers meets in the district and close all beaches.

“We must have made around 50 phone calls that day,” she said.

Assisting lifesavers 12 members from the Forster/ Pacific Palms and Nabiac SES patrolled around half a dozen of the region’s beaches from 7am until late afternoon.

“Most people were cooperative, but being a hot day, the last day of summer, the request to leave the beach was not always met well, as people were keen to swim and use the beach,” Forster/ Pacific Palms SES controller Larry Thompson said.

On the water Marine Rescue were instructing boaties to come ashore as those who left the harbour did so at their own risk advised of the impending danger.

Acting unit commander of Forster/ Tuncurry’s Marine Rescue service said it was protocol to notify skippers of such an event in their regular weather broadcast.

“People were warned not to go out but unfortunately some do,” said Terry Jobson. “Not many people took it all that seriously.”

Predicted dangerous waves, strong ocean currents and foreshore flooding failed to eventuate and no major sea level increases were recorded in the Great Lakes.

Despite this the SES is disappointed with a decision by Hunter Surf Life Saving to go ahead with State Titles at Lake Macquarie. Some 5000 competitors participated in the carnival though organisers said SES officials were kept abreast of activities throughout the day.

However SES spokesman Phil Campbell told the ABC that organisers were advised not to proceed with the carnival.

“We were disappointed that the carnival did continue. Our understanding is that they were receiving advice from other parties.

“We understand that these people are professional life savers but nevertheless down and up the coast their brothers and sisters were asking people to stay out of the water.”