Thursday, March 5, 2009

Top Ten Tower Photos

Here are Ten (10) of our Favorite Photos of Lifeguard Towers, for your consideration and enjoyment:

10) From Central Section. Santa Monica South Tower 22, view from inside toward rip at SMS Tower 24. Photo by and Copyright Will Maguire 2008.

(comment: Obviously, we chose this photo because of the JJ Sticker !)

(9) From Central Section. Will Rogers Tower 18, as viewed from minus tide. Photo by Will Maguire. Copyright Will Maguire 2008. All Rights Reserved.


(8) From Central Section. Santa Monica South Tower #22, occupied by a tower full of Class A uniformed S.O.L's, Captains and Chiefs, during rookie swim tryouts, Sept. 2008. Photo by and Copyright Will Maguire 2008. All Rights Reserved.


(7) From Central Section. Santa Monica South Tower #26, circa 1986. Photo courtesy of O.L. Steve Hotchkiss. Left to right in photo, Steve Hotchkiss, Bob Frappia and Glenn DuPont. Used here with permission.

(comment: This photo is so "Miami Vice" in its look. It is now a Classic of the mid-80's).

(6) From Central Section. Santa Monica North Tower #2, in the background, as viewed from arrival of O.L. Arthur Verge, Ph.d at his May 2008 Wedding Reception at the Beach Club. Photo by and Copyright Will Maguire 2008. All Rights Reserved.

(comment: There's a metaphor here...)

(5) From Central Section. Santa Monica North Tower #9. Photo by Will Maguire. Copyright Will Maguire 2000. All Rights Reserved.

(comment: Yeah, that's really what it looked like one evening shortly after I got off a shift at SMN T-10. Wow !)

(4) From Northern Section. Corral II Tower. Photo by Will Maguire. August 2007. Copyright Will Maguire 2007. All Rights Reserved.

(comment: LACo O.L. Tom Doman, above, on duty, looking good !)

(3) From Southern Section. Playa Del Rey. Photo by Jamie Grant. Copyright Jamie Grant 2009. All Rights Reserved. Used here with permission. Reproduction without consent is prohibited.

(comment: The photographer really captures the winter surf's toll on the sand and frames the lifeguard rescue vehicle perfectly in front of the Lifeguard station in the background)

(2) From Central Section. Santa Monica South Tower #24, circa 2000. Photo by Steven J. Koeppe. Copyright Steve Koeppe. All Rights Reserved. Used here with permission.

(comment: the original and weathered SMS Tower #24, above, before all the LACo towers were replaced several years later by the Dept.).

(1) From Southern Section. 13th St. Tower. Photo by Tom Thorson. Copyright Tom Thorson 2008. All Rights Reserved. Used here with permission. Reproduction without consent is prohibited.

(comment: The photographer, O.L. Tom Thorson, Ret., is a phenomenal photographer and in this photo captures all the elements possible at this moment in time. See for yourself).

------------- That's all Folks ! -------------

2 comments:

spyder said...

30 years ago, the first 10 days of March, saw the following lifeguards assigned to Tower 18 Will Rogers State Beach:
John Thomas
Bill Asturias
Greg Bonann
Rudy Kroon
Paul Henne
Richard Mark

My thought would be that, given this particular chain of lifeguard history, perhaps Tower 18 spawned some amazing lifeguard careers. Yes, and the last US centennial (1976), found Chuck King at the helm with support from Mickey Gallagher and Paul Becskehazy (no other single water polo player could succeed in winning so many games of sharks and minnows).

Paul becskehazy said...

True statement about tower 18 Will Rogers…Legendary might fit some of the lifeguards mentioned, all retired I believe , except for Bones who is certainly a living legend. Rudy Kroon my coach at El Camino and Richard Mark are lifeguarding in Paradise. RIP !
I find the comment regarding my success winning many sharks and winnows games hilarious, true but hilarious !