I was "rescued" by a beach lifeguard today ... a question about beach guards

[Barb D]

We were at the beach today. DS15 and DD13 (both very tall, strong swimmers) were fairly far out, and I went out to meet them. I at 5'7" was about chest deep. DS is 6'3" and DD is 5'11". I told them I wasn't comfortable having them out that far, so all three of us started riding the waves in. We weren't going very fast, just heading in the direction of the beach on our boogie boards and chatting. At one point I heard whistles blowing and looked around, but I saw people out farther than us so I figured the whistles weren't for us. I guess I was wrong. A few minutes later there were lifeguards in front of us, asking if we were OK. I assured them that we were fine. They told us they had whistled for us, and that we weren't supposed to be out past waist deep. (Side question: Is there a way we were supposed to know that? Is that general knowledge that I somehow missed?) Anyway, they insisted that we grab onto their flotation devices and be pulled in. At one point DS let go; he's a strong swimmer and said he was swimming faster than his lifeguard. They told him to hold on. At one point I let go, because I figured we were about waist deep, and the lifeguard snapped at me to "Just do it." (Tone of voice: "You are being an uncooperative child.")

Please be sure that I am NOT bashing the lifeguards. I know they were doing their jobs, and for all they knew we were out there struggling or intentionally ignoring them. (I was a little perturbed at being reprimanded by a teenager, but that's another story.) What I'm not clear on, though, is A: How we're supposed to know what the rules are, and B: How we're supposed to know WHO they are whistling at and what the guards want the whistlee to do. I saw many times today the lifeguards whistling and gesturing wildly, but I couldn't for the life of me tell who in the massive crowds of swimmers they were whistling at and why. Is there a trick to this? There really has to be a better way on a crowded beach for the lifeguards to communicate what needs to be done.

 

[Feralpeg]

Not sure where you were, but were the lifeguards concerned about rip tides? I heard on the news the other day that the lifeguards had to make 40 saves in one day at a beach on the east side of Florida due to rip tides. They are bad right now.

 

[Tiggeroo]

my son is a beach guard and i'll admit it can be confusing. You can't know all the rules. It's standard to know you need to stay between the flags. They aren't guarding the areas outside the flags. The distance they let people out generally depends on the currents/tides. Sometimes they tolerate a further distance then others. I've also seen them call people in because they were not doing well.
About the whistling, if you hear it look at the guards. Then you need to see which direction they are gesturing in. It can be hard to tell. If you think it could be you follow the instructions or watch and see if anybody else is reacting to them. About the floats, they have alot of training and a specific procedure for every incident. They probably were following this. There is a borderline military aspect to beach patrol and they are quite strict on the guards.
I know it's a pain but here in Ocean City there has never been a drowning on a protected beach while guards were on. There's a reason for a record like that. Generally the guards are at more risk then the swimmers.
What beach were you at?

 

[Barb D]

my son is a beach guard and i'll admit it can be confusing. You can't know all the rules. What beach were you at?

Sure enough, we were at OC NJ. And again, I was not bashing the guards at all. I know they were there to help us, and that they were probably following a protocol. I was just confused about what we were supposed to do and how we were supposed to know to do it.

When we heard the whistles, should we have swum in even though we didn't think they were whistling for us?

 

[Tiggeroo]

what are you gonna do. You did what you thought was right. Some blocks due to the crowds and problems they have, esp with jetties and riptides, they're more strict then others. What street were you on? My son usually works 8th or 9th. This is probably the zone where they are toughest and that has the most rescues.

 

[Barb D]

what are you gonna do. You did what you thought was right. Some blocks due to the crowds and problems they have, esp with jetties and riptides, they're more strict then others. What street were you on? My son usually works 8th or 9th. This is probably the zone where they are toughest and that has the most rescues.

We were near 7th street, close to a jetty. I did get the green flag thing.

That has really got to be a tough job. DS is planning on being a pool lifeguard next year (he turned 15 in the middle of the summer this year, so it was too late.) Pool guarding looks like a piece of cake compared to this.

 

[Tiggeroo]

yep but beach guards get alot of perks. They're treated firm but very well by their employers, restaurants and clothing stores frequently give them very generous discounts, and I've had several talks about the numerous girls who give ds their phone nuimbers. He loves his job so much that he's going to school to teach so he can work beach patrol in the summer. Yep 7th street jetty is a risky spot, also close to surf beach which is another issue.