Pier Piling Hugger Rescue, by Kip Jerger

("County Recurrent" Archive Photo shows Hermosa Pier and area of rescue site. Photo by & Copyright Will Maguire 2009. All Rights Reserved. Used here with permission.)

In a "County Recurrent" Exclusive, we are stoked to bring you a recent Southern Section pier rescue witnessed by LACo Veteran Recurrent O.L. Kip Jerger.

From: kip.jerger@yahoo.com

Sent: Sunday, January 10, 2010 8:21 PM

Subject: Pier Piling Hugger Rescue

Tonight at approx 5:15 pm, I got a call from Captain Mike Patterson to assist in a rescue of a pier jumper. I was on duty at 10th St. in Hermosa and I drove over to the scene with in the area unit's Rescue Vehicle with the Red Lights flashing.

On the north side of the pier I grabbed my binos and witnessed Ocean Lifeguard and Big Wave Rider Roddy Williams from Hermosa and O.L. Tyler Morgan swimming toward the end of the Hermosa Pier in an effort to reach a "Teenage Pier Piling Hugger Teen With Martini Breath" (hereinafter, TPPHTW/MB). Together Roddy and Tyler peeled this "Human Abalone On A Rock" Victim off the piling. All is looking good but now they have to bring Mr. Inebriated teen through the biggesst surf of the year. It looked like closed out Pipeline with easy 10' to 12' faces top to bottom pounders.

Here's where the Human Abalone gets pounded while the guards work hard to keep the victim secured. Routine for the these two pros. Score: Wave 3; Pounded Abalone 0. The kid, bloodied from the barnacles all throughout his torso and nose, had lost the "pole cloning" competition. And then it was on to jail for a long cold night for this TPPHTW/MB. Cost approx. $ 2,000.00 after all said and done, plus healing time for the barnacles. Living to tell the tale (in his own way), Priceless.


(Photos above and below show LACo lifeguards, Roddy Williams and Tyler Morgan, returning to the beach with the victim, having completed a treacherous rescue.)




(Photo above shows on scene paramedics attending to the victim, now seated, and considering his good fortune thanks to the quick response of these outstanding LACo lifeguards and Capt. Patterson.)


(Photo above shows LACo Lifeguard Capt. Greg Lee on scene.)


(Photo above shows LACo Recurrent, Kip Jerger, on a recent Surf Trip to W. Australia. Photo courtesy of Kip Jerger. Used here with permision.)

This is "The Lifeguard Chronicles" by Kip Jerger. Copyright Kip Jerger 2010. All Rights Reserved. Used here with permission.

All Rescue sequence photos by Kip Jerger. Copyright Kip Jerger 2010. All Rights Reserved. Used here with permission.

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Many Thanks to Kip for sharing this gem of a rescue with us. We hope that you have enjoyed this El Nino Rescue Appetizer. Tighten your seat belts, strap on your fins and break out the wetsuit..... some gnarly surf is headin' our way.

Until next time.....


Will Maguire, Editor
Sunday, January 17, 2010, 1630 hrs.

"County Recurrent" News
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