The number of swimmers attending the municipality's six beaches was 223,181, up from 210,900 last year.

Yet the number of rescues currently stands at 57, with 108 given first aid, down from 105 rescues during last year's swimming season.

Supervising lifeguard Jamie Caldwell said swimmers avoided some of the more dangerous conditions.

"They say rain is a lifeguard's best friend because some days were quite turbulent, but the rain helped keep people off the beach," he said.

"Having said that, on the hot days, there were thousands on the beach."

But it was the same tough conditions that met lifeguards Mr Caldwell, Nathan Perretta, Mitch Fagerstrom, Sean White, Jacob Hough, Aaron Helmer, Dan Vrckoski and David Paillas last Wednesday when they competed in the annual APOLA Bondi Lifeguard Challenge.

Mr Caldwell said the waves were big and the course changed at the last minute.

"The runners ended up having to run the whole length of Bondi Beach, so considering we had our sprint specialists running 800m, they completed it fairly well," he said.

"The coolites are just pieces of foam so getting through the surf was a challenge."

The Kiama Council lifeguards came second behind the Sutherland Shire Council Lifeguard Service, with famous Bondi lifeguards coming third.

Kiama Council general manager Michael Forsyth said the amphibious wheelchair stored at the Kiama Surf Club would be available from the council lifeguards on weekdays and the surf lifesavers on weekends after Gerroa Disabled Surfers Association spokesman Jim Bradley tried and failed to access the chair midweek recently.

Mr Forsyth said the chair would stay at Kiama until the season ends in April - it will then be available from the Kendalls Beach Holiday Park, where there are disabled cabins, until September.

"It will be visible on the beach, which is a good thing," he said.