Sunday, November 25, 2012

"IN THE BEGINNING, THE TWO LIFEGUARDS", by Cal Porter

 *** Heads up:  Per Cal:  Use Firefox or Safari to view this blog;  do not use Internet Explorer. ***       

IN THE BEGINNING, THE TWO LIFEGUARDS

There were no professional, paid beach lifeguards in all of Santa Monica Bay when I was a small kid, no Los Angeles County, Los Angeles City, or Santa Monica Beach Lifeguards.

There was a scattering of volunteer guards at a few spots during the summer, and there were the private pool lifeguards working the indoor salt water plunges that existed then along the beach from Santa Monica to Redondo, and that was all.  Drownings were not uncommon.

With the beaches becoming more popular all the time, finally in 1926 the first two paid beach lifeguards were hired, George Wolf in Venice, after the town became part of the City of Los Angeles, and Jim Reinhard who went to work for Hermosa Beach.  Two paid beach lifeguards for Los Angeles County’s entire public beach at that time, about thirty miles of coast, San Pedro to the Malibu City line.  Lifeguard Headquarters for George was the Venice Plunge building where the present day skateboard park is, while Jim simply roamed the sands of the South Bay alone, without even a chair or tower to sit in.
                                                                                                          
                                                                                                    
Venice Plunge, 1920's

George Wolf, 1926



Hermosa Beach, 1920's
Jim Reinhard, 1926
                   

Jim and George were excellent watermen, I knew them both well.  I watched George still swimming in lifeguard races at the age of almost forty when they were held at the Olympic Swimming Pool in Los Angeles in the early 1940’s.  And Jim lived near me in Malibu; I would bring him to the retired lifeguard reunion we have in Redondo every year.  These two could tell some amazing stories of those early days of lifeguarding.  Jim passed away a few years ago at the age of ninety-five, George many years earlier.  Today, eighty-six years after these two started the whole thing the lifeguard force has grown a little bit.  Jim and George were the first of a team of lifeguards to follow that today comprise the Los Angeles County Lifeguard Service, the largest, best equipped, and best trained lifeguard force in the world, with several hundred seasonal and permanent lifeguards making thousands of rescues, and a dozen Baywatch Rescue Boats protecting some seventy miles of beaches.

L.A. County Fire Dept. Lifeguard insignia


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(IN THE BEGINNING, THE TWO LIFEGUARDS, by & Copyright Cal Porter 2012. All Rights Reserved. Used here with permission.  Do not reproduce without permission.   All photos/images courtesy of Cal Porter.

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Many Thanks to Cal for another gem of a story about the early days of lifeguarding in our area.

 ***

10-4


Until  next time.....


"County Recurrent" News
http://CountyRecurrent.blogspot.com

  Service • Training • Commitment

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Thursday, November 22, 2012

Lifeguards In Paradise: Waikiki Treasure Chest!

Dateline:  Waikiki, Oahu;  November 2012

If you've visited either the MALIBU SHIRTS retail store on the (fairly) new Waikiki Beach Walk retail mall on Lewers St., then you've seen the amazing display of trophies featuring some of Santa Monica City and L.A. County's finest lifeguards who have traveled to Hawaii and participated in paddleboard and surfing contests.  There is a huge trophy won by Tom Zahn back in the day behind the cash register that we've featured before on this blog and here it is again:

Wow! Can you believe it?! Tom Zahn's Molokai Channel Trophy from 1953!



Today, however, we are going to feature some other interesting displays and trophies from both the shop on the Beach Walk previously mentioned, as well as the newer Malibu Shirts store in the lobby of the nearby hotel, "Outrigger Waikiki On The Beach" where Duke's Restaurant is also located.  Enjoy!

I.  Malibu Shirts, Waikiki Beach Walk
"Malibu Shirts", Waikiki Beach Walk. Photo Source: Malibu Shirts Facebook Page.
Wow!  First up... From 1951:  Tom Zahn's first place trophy from the 1 mile stock surfboard race.



From 1959, Tom Zahn showed his prowess at surfing as well with a Fifth Place finish at the Makaha International Surfing Contest (below)...



A display case featuring Greg Noll surfboards...

A display case featuring VELZY surfboards...



II.  Malibu Shirts, at the Outrigger Waikiki On The Beach

 Immediately below is a photograph featuring Santa Monica City beach lifeguard, Tom Moore, at far left, who was apparently one of the first mainlanders to compete in the Molokai Outrigger Canoe Race according to the text below said photo... from 1959, a photo that includes the Kahanamoku brothers.
"1959 - Tom Moore of the Santa Monica Lifeguard team with the Kahanamoku brothers at the 1959 Molokai Race. Tom Moore was the first west coast mainlander to participate in the event."
From 1967:  Grigg Wins Duke Surf Title

Legendary big wave surfer and Santa Monica City beach lifeguard, Ricky Grigg, is also featured in trophies and displays at this shop:





And another Trophy featuring another victory by Ricky Grigg, plus his passport from 1970:
"1970 - Duke Kahanamoku Invitational Surfing Championships. Ricky Grigg's trophy from the sixth annual Duke contest. Famed big wave surfer, Grigg, won the second annual Duke Invitational in 1966 in 20ft surf at Sunset Beach.

... and last but not least, on the wall in the hotel lobby was a display case that featured some Duke Kahanamoku memorabilia, including a Duke trading card!

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Additional Reference Material:

1.  A Graying Surfer's Love Affair

In the '60s, he was a golden boy riding the waves. Since those days, Rick Grigg has discovered new worlds--and himself--without ever giving up the sea.

August 17, 2000 |  JOHN BALZAR |  TIMES STAFF WRITER

    http://articles.latimes.com/2000/aug/17/news/mn-5862

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2.  Richard W. Grigg, Ph.D. - Science - 1999

"Richard (Rick) W. Grigg, who received a Ph.D. from Scripps Inst. Of Oceanography in 1970, is internationally known for research on coral reefs & precious corals. He has published over 100 papers in scientific journals, including 6 books; one a recent autobiography entitled "Big Surf, deep dives and the islands: my life in the Ocean" that chronicles his contribution to pioneering big wave riding in Hawaii and winning the world surfing championship at Sunset Beach in 1967."

    http://www.auas-nogi.org/bio_grigg_rick.html

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3.  "The History of the Lifeguards of Santa Monica Bay"

    http://countyrecurrent.blogspot.com/2011/09/history-of-lifeguards-of-santa-monica.html

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4.  "Memories of the North Shore", by Bill Powers, LACo S.O.L., Ret.

    http://countyrecurrent.blogspot.com/2009/03/memories-of-north-shore-by-bill-powers.html

***

Aloha and Mahalo!

10-4

Until next time.....


"County Recurrent" News
http://CountyRecurrent.blogspot.com


Service • Training • Commitment

*** Keeping the County Recurrent "in the loop"..... whether he/she likes it or NOT ! ***

DISCLAIMER: County Recurrent is not affiliated with nor sponsored by LACOLA or LACoFD.

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Wednesday, November 21, 2012

Happy Thanksgiving!

"November Lines..."  Photo by Will Maguire.


To our entire Recurrent (and Permanent) Lifeguard Family.....

Happy Thanksgiving!

Eat Turkey And Wear Sunscreen!

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Until next time.....


"County Recurrent" News
http://CountyRecurrent.blogspot.com

DISCLAIMER: County Recurrent is not affiliated with nor sponsored by LACOLA or LACoFD or BUTTERBALL Turkey Co.

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Tuesday, November 20, 2012

Summer 2012 SMN Crew T-Shirt: The Sequel

Dateline: Tuesday, Nov. 20, 2012

Just in from OL Gabe Campos, OLS Jaro Snopek (Central Section; CSHQ) has ordered 24 (twenty-four) of the SMN 2012 t-shirts (without the names of the guards on the back of the shirt), as shown in the two photos below.  12 of them are LARGE; and 12 of them are XL.  Contact Jaro at SMHQ if you want one!

In Gabe's own words:  

Will,    Yaro is ordering 24 shirts from summer 12 area tee.  no names.  sizes are 12-Large; and 12- XL.   they are the navy blue ones and will be FOR SALE.    call Yaro @ SMHQ.   Gabe


Front

Back


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Thanks Gabe and Jaro!

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Until next time.....


"County Recurrent" News
http://CountyRecurrent.blogspot.com

Wednesday, November 7, 2012

"That First Rescue", by Cal Porter



THAT FIRST RESCUE                               

 A lifeguard always remembers his very first ocean rescue.  Whether it was a long, dramatic, scary one or just a routine shallow water quickie, it was why you were there, it was what you were trained for and what you were paid to do.  You were a lifeguard and when you made that rescue it felt good.   Maybe other guards can describe their first experiences on these pages; mine that follows was a real initiation.

It was over seventy years ago, a hot, crowded Sunday at the beach.  I was a teenager and had only been working for the Los Angeles City Lifeguards for a week or two and the calm, quiet water had not produced much action.  I had been assigned the Navy Street Tower alongside and just south of the old Ocean Park Pier that was demolished some forty years ago after its rebirth as POP.  At the time of this story this was the most densely crowded beach in all of Santa Monica Bay due to the drawing power of the popular amusement pier with its three dance halls, two movie theaters, roller coaster, boat chute, games, numerous restaurants, bars and an open air band stand. Today, with the very much wider, sandy beach in this area, and with all the piers gone, it never seems to get anywhere near that crowded anymore.


  Navy Street, Ocean Park
    
A south swell had finally kicked up some pretty sizeable waves on this particular Sunday, with
riptides and an unusually strong lateral current pulling towards the pier.  In those days, 1930’s, 
early 40’s, all the towers were of the little open variety and had street names not numbers; 
only a few of the new towers still have street names. There were lifelines scattered at intervals 
along the beach, usually at the main towers where the crowds gathered.  These lines were ropes 
with metal buoys attached for flotation that ran from a post on the beach out to an anchorage 
some fifty yards or so into the ocean.  They were there mainly for fun, and the beachgoers
loved to hang on them and make their way hand over hand out into deep water where many 
of them would never think to venture otherwise.  This was usually ok on calm days but when 
the ocean roughed up a bit it could be a different story with a lot of non-swimmers out there 
tempting fate.  It was impossible to enforce a “no hanging on the lifeline” rule on those rough 
days with such huge crowds in the water and swimmers drifting with the current from down 
the beach someplace and ending up grabbing onto the lifeline. 

     The Lifeline at my Navy Street Tower, Venice Pier in distance. 

What we did do on rough, crowded days was to not allow swimmers in the water between
the lifeline in the photo above and the pier from which this photo was taken, since the lateral 
current could easily sweep unsuspecting bathers into the pilings.  On this day we had kept 
this no swim area clear, but dozens of swimmers were hanging on the lifeline all the way to 
the far end.  Then the largest set of waves of the day suddenly appeared from nowhere in the 
early afternoon, They were much bigger than anything we had seen, and while most of the 
bathers with a good grip on the line were okay, ten to fifteen were swept off the rope into water 
well over their heads on the pier side of the line.  Five or six of them were going to be able 
to swim to shore; the others were going to be carried inexorably by the strong lateral current 
into the waiting, barnacle covered pilings.  I grabbed my red rubber rescue tube, knocked 
the phone off the hook to notify headquarters that help was going to be needed, and headed 
for the water.  The Dudley Street lifeguard, a couple of blocks south, saw the problem and 
was on a dead run to help.  Most of our victims quickly were swept under the pier and were 
clinging to the pilings for dear life. The other struggling swimmers my partner and I were 
able to bring to shore before they reached the pier. We were then headed back out for the 
piling clingers when the emergency call car arrived.  Three veteran lifeguards headed our 
way to help: Bink Hedberg, who had been a guard since the late 1920’s, and Harry Canaan 
and Mac McMasters who had both been on since the early 1930’s.  These guys knew their stuff. 

 Call Car Crew, Bink on the Tailgate
                     
Some of our remaining victims, in panic mode, clung onto the pilings and were very reluctant 
to leave their precarious grip as the waves pounded them, but we convinced them they were 
in safe hands.  It took a good bit of time and back and forth effort but all were finally brought 
to shore safely.  Lots of first aid work ensued with plenty of bloody scratches involved; two 
were sent off to ER for stitches.  And the victims weren’t the only ones scraped up and bloody. 

And so ends my first ocean rescue as a beach lifeguard, and what a way to begin.  I’m not 
sure I ever had another quite like that first one even though I worked as a guard for 
thirty-seven years.

POST SCRIPT
Turning out to be more of a hazard than a help, a few years later all the lifelines were removed 
and became something out of the past.  The lifelines on the Venice and Ocean Park Beaches 
in this story that were located near the street-named towers at Navy Street, Brooks Avenue, 
Westminster Avenue, and the one between the Venice and Sunset Piers disappeared, never 
to be seen again. 

     Westminster Ave. Lifeline
                                                   
 *** "That First Rescue", Story by & Copyright Cal Porter 2012.  All Rights Reserved. 
Used here with permission.   Photo source info provided by Cal, as follows:
"Photos:
1.  In Fred Baston’s book, “Santa Monica Bay”.  I saw it in another book and credit 
given to Fred for the photo.  Lives above Castle Rock; been there.
2.  LA Public Library.
3.  In Verge’s LA CO LG book, gives no credit.
4.  LA Public Library."

Thanks Cal!  We really appreciate your contributions.  What a great First Rescue, indeed! 

10-4

Until next time.....



"County Recurrent" News
http://CountyRecurrent.blogspot.com

Service • Training • Commitment

*** Keeping the County Recurrent "in the loop"..... whether he/she likes it or NOT ! ***

DISCLAIMER: County Recurrent is not affiliated with nor sponsored by LACOLA or LACoFD.

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Friday, November 2, 2012

Fall Is Finally Here!... we think...



 
Above, "SMN Tower #15: In The Fisheye", Nov. 1, 2012. According to OLS Jaro Snopek yesterday afternoon at SMHQ, when we inquired, he indicated he had heard that the water temp has finally dropped and is about 59 or 60 degrees. Break out your wetsuits!










(All photos by & Copyright Will Maguire (Nov. 1) 2012. All Rights Reserved.)


10-4

Until next time.....



"County Recurrent" News

http://CountyRecurrent.blogspot.com

Service • Training • Commitment

*** Keeping the County Recurrent "in the loop"..... whether he/she likes it or NOT ! ***

DISCLAIMER: County Recurrent is not affiliated with nor sponsored by LACOLA or LACoFD.

*** PLEASE forward to other Recurrents, past and present, so that we can add them to our mailing list. ***

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