Four people saved from a popular, family-friendly pool runs counter to its image.

Local resident Eileen Marks wants to warn people in the lead up to Easter of the danger in swimming there on an outgoing tide.

“My concern is the number of locals, families, the elderly and visitors who frequent the rockpool every day and are unaware of the strong currents,” she said.

Ms Marks went for a swim at about 4pm on Sunday, March 11. She didn’t swim out far, just to her waist. She swam over to the rocks on the south side and was literally dragged out into the channel with the tide.

The buoys at the end of the pool were not visible. A man standing on the shoreline and saw her raise her right arm and call for help.

Four men and a woman came to her rescue with boogie boards. All were swept into the channel and it took quite an effort to get to safety.

An hour beforehand three other people were rescued there. A boy, about 10, tried to rescue another boy of a similar age. They got into difficulty and the mother of one of boys went to help. All three got dragged out past the netting, into the channel, and were rescued by a fishing boat.

Ms Marks took photos of the conditions at 5pm the next day. She contacted the Advocate to thank her rescuers and alert others to the possible danger.

“You are all heroes in my eyes,” she said of her rescuers. “I didn’t get your names to say how grateful I was but I thank you all very much.”

Upon inspection she saw the icon sign next to the car park warning of strong currents in the area but thought it too small to be noticed. “It gets lost with all the other signs on the board.”

She visited Great Lakes Council and sent a subsequent letter containing details of the incidents and supporting photographic evidence.

Council’s manager Parks and Recreation Services, David Bortfield said the rockpool is basically an engineering trap to catch sand. It is a natural environment and it’s subject to dynamic change. At times it’s a wading pool but sometimes it’s difficult for the net to be held in place because of the strength of the current.

Council’s website states, “In the 1970s a net was installed to ensure the safety of swimmers. The enclosure is open to a channel and the net was designed to define the swimming zone and prevent bathers being swept out into the channel. Strong currents exist in the channel and extreme caution in the vicinity of the net is advised at all times.”

Ms Marks would like the council to erect a sign on the actual rocks, north and south and another sign next to the wheelchair ramp. Mr Bortfield said council is reviewing the signage for the area and more than likely will put up more.