NEWCASTLE, Australia -- In summer, Sunday morning is Nipper time on Australian beaches. That is when thousands of youngsters ages 5 to 13 turn up at local surf clubs to take part in water-safety programs that may save their lives, and possibly those of other people.
The youngsters, wearing high-visibility pink rash jackets -- thin, stretchy tops designed for use in and around water -- are called Nippers, and for more than 60 years older members of surf lifesaving clubs along the Australian coast have been running skills programs that emphasize swimming fitness, recognition of beach hazards such as rips and undertows, rescue techniques and first aid.
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