Marine rescuers have responded to 13,500 "preventable actions" over the past three days as king tides continue to batter the east coast of Australia.
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George Shales from NSW Surf Life Saving said volunteers had conducted 329 rescues in the new year.
"Nationally, since the first of December 19 tragedies have occurred across the country," Mr Shales said.
"This is the busiest period our volunteer life savers have experienced in the last five years."
Conditions are continuing to be perilous with 80 per cent of NSW's beaches closed at the moment as the remainder of ex-Tropical Cyclone Seth moves through.
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Agata Imielska from the Bureau of Meteorology said on Tuesday the weather system was bringing high swells and damaging winds.
"Places like Byron Bay have seen average waves of about five metres, but the highest we saw in Byron Bay was 10 metres," Ms Imielska said.
"That just shows how dangerous the conditions are for people on the beach, holiday goers."
Queensland's Bribie Island has been separated by the strength of the king tide, with a channel of water currently dividing the land.
On the Gold Coast, a shipping container of beers was lifted by the swell, spilling its contents onto the beach.
Wednesday is expected to bring with it more dangerous and hazardous surf conditions, and potentially severe storms are expected to push through NSW toward the end of the week.
"The current weather conditions are such with the extreme tides and the large swell that it presents extra risk," said Superintendent Murray Reynolds, NSW Marine Area Command.
Superintendent Reynolds spoke of a recent surge in "entirely preventable" deaths and near-deaths around the nation's waterways.
In the past week, police divers have retrieved a 15-year-old boy's body from the Shoalhaven River, and the bodies of two elderly people from Port Stephens.
Meanwhile, fishers returned to fishing Windang Island near Wollongong less than 24 hours after a 21-year-old man died when he was washed off the rocks at the very same spot.
"Our divers have been extremely busy in the last week," Superintendent Reynolds said.
"The majority of these deaths, we investigate and we find they were entirely preventable."
Emma Horn
Supervising producer of the national video team. Former features and weekender writer for The Daily Advertiser. Now based in the NSW Hunter region. Small, quiet, and a student of the Paddington Bear School Of Staring. Usually dressed in something colourful, always snacking on something homemade, often watching birds. Friend to most mothers and all dogs. Got stories? Get in touch. emma.horn@austcommunitymedia.com.au
