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Guardians
of the Sea
Did
you know that a high percentage of ocean rescues are
made by surfers? According to Marine Safety Officer
Capt. Paul Dean of Solana Beach, many times surfers
are the first to be on the scene of a rescue. This makes
sense when you stop and think surfers are already in
the water and they have a readily available flotation
device -- their surfboard.
Surfers
are continually looking from shore to horizon and from
left to right in search of waves. So naturally if something
appears out of the ordinary they are quick to observe
and be right on it just as a lifeguard would.
When things
go wrong there is definitely a high chance a surfer
will be the first to respond simply as a matter of numbers.
Where there might be one to three lifeguards stationed
per tower during the same time it's not uncommon to
have thirty surfers scattered about in the water.
Further lifeguard towers are staffed on a fixed schedule
starting at 9 a.m. and closing at 6 p.m. Surfers are
generally the first to arrive at the beach before or
around sunrise and the last to leave after sunset.
Our lifeguards
are very well trained perform a very necessary job and
should be respected for the work and services they so
deftly perform.
Unfortunately with California's huge deficit lifeguard
services will be scaled back 20% this summer. This is
occurring at a time when beach use is at an all time
high with no end to it's souring popularity in sight.
In fact
California Parks and Beaches had an increase of approximately
30% in usage last year translating to roughly 90 million
people in total. It seems lifeguard services should
be added not reduced. Fortunately for beach goers the
popularity of surfing and surfers are increasing dramatically.
Some people refer to surfers as the guardians of the
sea and rightfully so.
No one pays
surfers to perform rescues and a lot of times they don't
receive credit when they do sometimes putting their
own personal safety and lives on the line.
Lifeguards, fireman, and paramedics all receive compensation
and respect for saving lives. It's time surfers receive
their just due, and though they don't do it for compensation
they definitely warrant well-earned respect.
The Willis Bros. are surfing experts recognized for
surfing the worlds largest waves and teaching thousands
in Hawaii and California to surf.
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