Saturday, December 26, 2015

Stingray v. Surfer At Ave-26!... Strafing SMS and Venice!...

Dateline:  Saturday, December 26, 2015... a walk along the soft pack and hard pack from CSHQ to the Venice Pier and back along the boardwalk...  Photo proof to follow...

Big time Off Shore Winds...



How to sweep a ramp... courtesy of OL Eric Waizenegger (at SMS Tower #20)...





And we kept going and found ourselves in Venice...



*** Video Alert ! ***

Old Glory At Navy Street: The Video

     https://youtu.be/h8p4lQ8ncIA

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Below, OL Ricardo Monroy at Navy St...


OLS Jesse Simon at Breakwater, below...



Stingray victim (aka, French Surfer) being attended to by OL George Akopyan (out of Ave-26) and Capt. John Greger...  I asked the Frenchman how long he had been in California and he said about one month.  I then asked him if he had ever stepped on a stingray before and he said no and then I said, "Welcome to California!"...   :-)   He laughed which helped ease the pain.  The stingray got him right in the middle of the bottom of his foot and his pain level was above 7 until his foot was placed in the stingray bag and filled with hot water...



We continued on to our goal of making a flip turn at the Venice Pier and knocked on the deck and said hi to OLS Eric Liberty... who said so far it was a quiet day... and unlike the late afternoon boat distress and boat rescue he and Capt. Sean Lemm responded to by both swimming out to the boat down further on the Venice Peninsula the previous Saturday... and yes they both wore their spring suits and kept the boat out of the surf line until the Baywatch rescue boat arrived.  10-4. Well done Sean and Eric.


.... after a Medium Vanilla Latte at the near by Cows End Cafe we headed back to CSHQ by way of the boardwalk.....









10-4

Until next time.....

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

(All photos and video by & Copyright Will Maguire 2015.)

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Christmas Break-In At Will Rogers Tower #8!...

Dateline:  Saturday morning, December 26, 2015... the rear shutter at Will Rogers Tower #8 is found to be wedged open by the area Captain and back up was requested from LAPD... Serendipitously, the editorial staff of County Recurrent was waiting on a red light at Temescal and noticed the open shutter (see photo below)...



Broken glass on rear window, interior of tower below...







*** Video Alert ! ***

 Will Rogers Tower #8: 360 Degree View

     https://youtu.be/vAtASXeFjEY


10-4

Until next time......

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

(All photos and video by & Copyright Will Maguire 2015.)

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Friday, December 25, 2015

Merry Christmas... Central Section Style

CSHQ, Friday, December 25, 2015 at approx. 1000 hrs...


Below, K-9 Safe Surrender Puppy (turned in by a member of the public who found it running loose...)








*** Video Alert ! ***

Baby Sea Lion: The Video
  
     https://youtu.be/43JlHsDupWI


Below, it's an OL Bill White... Christmas!...


10-4

Merry Christmas!

Until next time.....

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

(All photos and video by & Copyright Will Maguire 2015.)

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Sunday, December 20, 2015

Ron Crawford: Rest In Peace

The Sunset on the evening of Dec. 20, 2015

Sunday, December 20, 2015

From: Capt. Danny Douglas
Re:  Passing of OL (Ret.), Ron Crawford

To all,

Please forward the message below to the active and alumni lifeguards through your channels.  Dick Douglas will be the contact for organization of a service after the first of the year.  We will announce that date as soon as possible in the planning process.

I am saddened to inform you that Retired Ocean Lifeguard Ron Crawford passed away early in the morning on Sunday, December 20 after suffering complications from a fall two weeks ago.  Ron had just celebrated his 76th birthday.  

Ron became a lifeguard in 1962 and during his long tenure served Los Angeles County as a beach lifeguard, Director of the Junior Lifeguard Program, and Director of the International Surf Festival.  Ron was a three time Olympian, representing the United States in Water Polo in 1960, 1964, and 1968.  He also had a distinguished teaching and coaching career for the Beverly Hills Unified School District. 

Ron leaves behind his wife, Lynn, a son, Matt, a daughter, Kelly, and his loving grandchildren. 

A memorial service will be held after the 1st of the year on the beach at 4th St. in Manhattan Beach.  The time and date will be announced at a later date. 

Cards and letters are welcome and can be sent to:
                Mrs. Lynn Crawford
                424 4th St.
                Manhattan Beach, CA 90266 

Please call my cell with questions.

Thank you

Danny Douglas, Captain
County of Los Angeles Fire Department
Marine Operations, Central Section
310-293-8391 cell
310-394-3261 office

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*** Memorial Service Announced ***


Dear Friends,

As we are sadly aware, Ron Crawford passed away on Sunday, December 20.  To celebrate his extraordinary life a memorial service will be held on Sunday, January 31, at 10:00 a.m. on the beach at 4th St. in Manhattan Beach.  The service will be followed by a celebration at the Manhattan Beach Marriott Hotel at 11:30 a.m.  The Marriott is located just off Rosecrans Ave. about a quarter of a mile east of Sepulveda Blvd.  The address is 1400 Parkview Ave., Manhattan Beach, CA 90266.

Thanks,

Dick Douglas
 

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Additional Remarks & Photos:

L2R, Ron Crawford and Dick Douglas.  Medal of Valor Dinner, 2012. Photo by Will Maguire

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From LACoFD Lifeguard Chief, Steve Moseley (excerpt):

"I was saddened to receive the following e-mail from Ocean Lifeguard Dick Douglas over the weekend.  Ron was truly one of the nicest people I have ever worked with, always quick with a smile,  and was tremendously humble despite his athletic prowess (3 Olympics).  His contributions to the Junior Guard Program and the Surf Festival are many, and our organization, while mourning his passing, will continue to honor, and will be honored to continue, his outstanding work in those programs." 

---

Anecdotally, LACo-Zuma OL (Ret.), Larry Loganbill, wrote a few years ago about the 1962 LACo Recurrent Lifeguard Rookie Swim Test that he took and that included Ron Crawford: 

"Not one parent, relative or friend standing on the beach at the 1962 rookie swim...Roy Saari (future world record holder) watched some of the races on the last Sunday of training and competition because he was going to be taking the test the next year. Gary Crum at 15 swam some of the events preparing for when he turned 18.

Of course in those days training started immediately after you dried off from the qualifying swim.

Cappy Sheeley from Punahou was No. 1...

Tom Viren No. 2. (Cappy says Viren should have won the swim but Cappy kept stopping him to ask him where the buoy at the breakwater was located.

I don't remember any other permanents out of that rookie school except for Viren. Three guys from rookie school totally disappeared off the radar screen... didn't take a schedule and were never heard from again. Most everyone of our 20-man rookie school was sent to Zuma... I think I was the only illegal UNDERAGE LACo pool lifeguard who took the beach test... don't tell anyone. Starting pay in 1962: $2.89 per hour.

SIDEBAR: When Cappy arrived on the beach for the qualifying swim with Viren he saw a Red 1960 Olympic Team Bag on the beach and asked Viren who the bag belonged to. Viren told him it belonged to Ron Crawford on the 1960 USA Olympic Water Polo Team... told him
Crawford went to Downey HS... same as Loganbill... don't even worry about him. Cappy said, "then why don't I have one of those bags?" Crawford was third... swam most of the race backstroke."


===


Just in courtesy of Dave Story is this spectacular photo taken outside of the Los Angeles Coliseum (we think). Per Dave:  "Coach Saari with the El Segundo water polo team. Crawford, top row second from left. Chick and Ned McIlroy are on the bottom row."

Per L.A. City OL (Ret.), Richard Fletcher, also about this photo above: "This is the H2O polo team the USA sent to Tokyo in 1964. The tall guy top left is Dan Drown, one of our guys at Dockweiler. I believe Roy Saari both swam & played polo, but he's not in that pic. I have had the indescribable honor of playing polo in the same tank with Ned. Great pic! Not sure where it was taken."

===

Ron Crawford, below, hitting up the buffet line at the 2015 Medal of Valor Dinner.  He was always so genuinely friendly and kind. I shall miss his warm smile, enthusiasm and friendship.


How blessed we all are for having known Ron.  God Bless, Ron Crawford.  May he rest in peace.


---

Respectfully submitted,

Will Maguire,
Editor
"County Recurrent" News
http://CountyRecurrent.blogspot.com

(All photos by Will Maguire)

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Wednesday, December 16, 2015

Omaha 8 15 26 Breakwater...

Why the call sign "OMAHA?!"  Don't ask us, ask Peyton Manning:

     http://www.sbnation.com/nfl/2014/2/2/5371134/peyton-manning-omaha-super-bowl-48

We are only using it here in connection with the title of this blog post which features photos taken from the bluffs above Santa Monica North this afternoon, Wed., Dec. 16, 2015 of the following lifeguard towers:

SMN Tower #8

SMN Tower #15

SMS Tower #26

and

the Breakwater (in Venice)...

(courtesy of our Lumix - Panasonic DMC-ZS40 with its Leica zoom lens).


SMN Tower #8:


SMN Tower #15:


SMS Tower #26:


Venice Breakwater:


10-4

Until next time.....

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

(All photos by & Copyright Will Maguire 2015.)

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Monday, December 14, 2015

Will Rogers Tower #18 - Case Study

Dateline: 0800 hrs, Monday, December 14, 2015..... while waiting on a red light I caught a glimpse of Tower #18 from across PCH this morning and snapped off 3 photos... for your consideration and contemplation...

#1


#2


#3


I like Photo #3 the best because of the intensity, depth and volume of the ocean.

... and then the light turned green...

10-4

Until next time.....

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

(All photos by & Copyright Will Maguire 2015.)

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