POLICE and local emergency services have called off the search for the swimmer missing from Smoky Cape beach since last Tuesday.
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The decision was made to suspend the search on Friday evening after three full days searching for the man.
The man's travelling companion told The Argus yesterday that it was not near dark when the man went swimming.
Mid North Coast Police Local Area Command confirmed the search was effectively over.
“All we can do now is wait to see if any sign of the man turns up,” Inspector Paul Fuller said yesterday.
“Many different agencies put a lot of effort into trying to find the man but we couldn’t, so we are currently not actively searching for the man, but hopefully he will still be found.”
The man disappeared on Tuesday after going for a swim on the beach next to Smoky Cape camping ground about 4pm.
His travelling companion Kevin Johnson from Fernmount, near Bellingen, raised the alarm after the man failed to return from his swim, and a search was started immediately.
Mr Johnson said yesterday that it had been incorrectly reported the man went swimming when it was nearly dark.
“It was right on 4pm and it was still very much daylight,” Mr Johnson said.
“We actually looked at having a swim earlier in the day but it was too rough.
"I have swum at the beach many times so I am a little bit familiar with the conditions.
“But about 4pm on the turn of the tide the sea calmed down and there was nothing unusual about the surf.
“The water is still very warm and if I hadn’t been feeling the effects of a cold I would have been in for a swim myself.”
The search quickly expanded to involve police personnel on land, in boats and divers under the water; the SES, Marine Rescue NSW; police and Westpac rescue helicopters and surf lifesavers from South West Rocks, Scotts Head and Port Macquarie.
Mr Johnson has expressed his gratitude to all the people involved in the rescue effort.
His letter to The Argus will be published on Friday.