AUSTRALIA prides itself as the land of sand, sea and surf - but was last year home to the highest number of drownings in five years. Figures released yesterday by the Royal Life Saving Society provided an ominous warning for the summer ahead as thousands of people flock to beaches and waterways. There were 302 drowning deaths in 2008-09 - up 41 from the previous year. It comes as an investigation by The Daily Telegraph found thousands of backyard pools across the state had failed to meet basic safety requirements, with lax councils having failed to carry out safety inspections....