has hailed a heroine the former lifeguard who swam out to save him and three others.

"If it wasn't for her, I don't think everyone would be here today,'' Dave Lockhart said.

He and his wife Lyne, both from Hamilton, Ontario, told their story to The Royal Gazette because they wanted, not only to recognise the rescuer, but also to point out just how dangerous swimming in the sea can be if you are not aware of the ocean's dangerous undertows.

Mr. Lockhart described how they had been enjoying Wednesday afternoon on the Island's most popular beach when they heard some one "hollering'' from the water.

"I was just going for my first dip in the water,'' he said, "when we heard this guy screaming. I told my son-in-law and grabbed a buoy from the lifeguard stand to hopefully save him with.'' But during the daring rescue attempt the two got into trouble themselves.

"By the time we got out there, I had no strength left.'' he explained, "Thank God I had that buoy because it was the only thing keeping me from sinking.'' In the meantime, the other man's wife had gone into save him herself and began to struggle with currents as well.

"Seeing all four of them in trouble made me a bit hysterical. I mean they were making so much progress going out but none at all coming in,'' said Mrs.

Lockhart, who had been watching the drama unfold from the beach.

Woman hailed a heroine "Then, like an angel, this lady appeared from nowhere and saw everyone out there and just dropped her stuff to go out and save them,'' she continued.

The unidentified woman was later revealed to be a former lifeguard from Banff, Alberta, Canada.

"She was a very strong swimmer.'' Mr. Lockhart said, "When she got to us she asked my son-in-law what his name was. This calmed him down a bit and they managed to both take the man who had originally been struggling into the beach.'' He continued: "After seeing them safely onto land, the lady came back out to save me and the other lady who was with me. If she hadn't we would have been in some serious trouble.

"When she got us back to the beach too, we thanked her and managed to get her first name and number. Then she just picked up her stuff and went on her way as if it was no big deal.

"But if it wasn't for her, I don't think everyone would be here today.'' He added.

Mrs. Lockhart explained that some one had gone for help while the incident was taking place and an ambulance arrived at the scene shortly afterwards and took the original victim and his wife to hospital.

She complemented the Police and emergency services for doing a "very fine job'' in responding to the situation.

"There were a lot of people there to help and they had to come a long way as well,'' she said.

The couple, who arrived on the Island last week for their daughter's wedding, said that this incident had made them aware of just how deceptively strong ocean currents can be.

Asked how the experience had affected their impression of Bermuda, Mrs.

Lockhart said, "Oh, we've been here seven times and we'll definitely come back. We love it here and this doesn't change that at all.'' She explained that they were going to take their rescuer out for dinner last night "to thank her''.

Also, the couple said they would be contacting the Bermuda Bravery Awards Association to see if she could get some kind of recognition for her act of courage.

The couple also appealed for the American husband and wife, who are believed to be from New York and in their mid-thirties, who got into to difficulty in the first place, to make themselves known so they can get together before they leave on November 28.

Thankful: Canadians Dave and Lyne Lockhart