Note:
Author Craig Lockwood and Photographer Mitch Ridder discuss their book, "Lifeguarding Laguna", and reflect on their years of experience as Laguna Beach Lifeguards.

Mitch Ridder (left) & Craig Lockwood (right). Recorded for OC Stories; Laguna Beach Library, Laguna Beach, California

Transcript:
Craig Lockwood: In our book, Lifeguarding Laguna, I talk about how a lifeguard patch only weighs a few grams but when you sew that on to your trunks, it bears the responsibility of thousands of pounds of human life, the experience of being part of a community organization that has as its objective: saving lives. Mitch Ridder: I cannot think of another job in the world that lets you give a sixteen-year-old the level of responsibility and legal liability that you do as a lifeguard. To physically be responsible for a geographical area and all the people within that area, not only their safety but the enforcement of city, state, county and federal laws. CL: We both guarded one of the most treacherous beaches in Laguna Beach , Woods Cove. And it takes a certain idiocy to even apply for that job. But I think we both relished it and felt that, you know, we had become part of the community. They depended on us and looked out for us as their lifeguards. We were included in birthday parties. We were included in family lunches. Sometimes a sandwich and a coke would arrive on your lifeguard tower, you know, at critical moments. And there was a wonderful camaraderie that defined that relationship. MR: Laguna's topography and coast line is so much different than say, San Clemente's or Newport. We do have some open stretches of beaches, but a lot of rocky coves, rocky points, which is a huge obstacle when dealing with large crowds on the beach. But each individual beach is like an individual person. They each have different characteristics. They each have personalities from a physical lifeguarding standpoint as far as dangers , whether it's the rocky points, whether it's the rip currents and where the rip currents regularly form. Woods Cove is a great example. Woods Cove is nice to swim and snorkel, but it's not really thought of as a swimming beach, because of the amount of rocks. But it's that formation of rocks and primarily on the bottom of the main cove, there is one small sand channel that leads out diagonally, from the beach at Woods Cove, and it's that sand channel surrounded by the rocks on the bottom that create a rip current, that's always there. And so much so, that when the surf's up, you know where to look, you know where to anticipate, you know where , if the swimmers are in the water, inexperienced without fins, they're most likely going to turn into - if not an advisement, a warning , but a rescue. CL: So often, it's that single lifeguard, against very very difficult situations and odds that make the difference. Our former lifeguard captain, Rod Reel, put it this way: Once a Laguna lifeguard, always a Laguna lifeguard.


For additional information see California Revealed.

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