Tributes paid to proud dad who died swimming with his son at NSW beach

Tributes are being paid to a proud 39-year-old dad who died after going for a swim with his son north of Sydney.

Mick Sneddon was today identified as the victim of Australia's 42nd drowning this summer.

But his relatives want to remember him not just as a statistic but a loving father who put his family first.

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Sneddon's final moments with his youngest son Kody will leave a scar.

Yesterday they went for a swim at unpatrolled Ettalong Beach on the NSW Central Coast.

He stepped off a sand bank and into a strong current.

Kody, 10, saw his dad go under and tried to help, as did a group of jetskiers.

Traumatised and not wanting to be identified, one of them described how he did his best to help.

"His face was under water and the kid was on top of him, and then I just jumped in," he said,

"Another guy grabbed the kid. I flipped the guy around, waved down the Maritime.

"Maritime came over, throw him on the boat and started CPR. Another guy started CPR."

It's is the 42nd death in Australian waters this summer.

There are concerns the track record is not improving.

This time last summer there were 38.