Article on the lifeguards who work the north shore of Oahu. These guys have to take a strenuous fitness test if they are off duty more than 30 days. Yowsuh. http://www.nytimes.com/2015/01/16/s...n-region®ion=top-news&WT.nav=top-news&_r=0 "So it goes for the North Shore lifeguards of the Ocean Safety and Lifeguard Services Division in Oahu, a group of 42 full-time workers given the task of patrolling one of the most dangerous stretches of beach in the world. Called the Seven Mile Miracle, Oahu’s North Shore attracts both pro surfers and amateur swimmers to tangle with the massive swells that roll in frequently during the winter. In 2013, there were more than 1,000 ocean rescues and major medical cases handled by the guards on the North Shore."
Those 3 videos attached to the story are well worth watching. What blows my mind is the morons that these guys risk their own necks to save don't even say 'thanks' when they get their asses rescued. I mean, wtf is that?
they don't speak english. usually japanese. i watched one go out to sea at lanies....obvious broken arm....damn, the current there.....stronger than pretty much anywhere. as an ex-lifeguard i passed on saving him....kinda dangerous FOR ME... but i did call 911 and they came and got him on a jet-ski.
Was down on at CB N end one time and there was a couple walking on one of the bars that was exposed at low tide that borders the inlet. If you step off to the right its a 3ft deep mellow tidal pool. If you step off to the left its a nasty rip that will suck you right out the inlet. Lifeguard whistles at them and all he does is warn them about it and they cop an attitude. He drives off and I tell them, "he's right you know, that rip will suck out out fast". They keep *****ing...their complaint? "Those other people were walking out there earlier and he didn't say anything to them." So I just replied "maybe he doesn't give a **** if they die" and walked off. F'ing idiots. Can't see past their butt hurt and realize he's only trying to keep them from dying (and him from having to do a difficult and dangerous rescue). The evil part of me wanted to just push the guy off and watch him drift out in total panic. Good thing I keep evil tlok under wraps these days.
Arg. Bastiges changed the photos on me. For a consolation prize, I was thinking more along these lines. Ahoy.
so fvcking true tlok. i guarded in wb four summers. the inlet at shell island was the same way. with se winds and outgoing tide it was easy to get swept out and may people did. i rescued dozens of idiots (mostly by ski) and it would be at least a 30 min ordeal in the water, if not longer. usually having to swim them out of the inlet and almost always over to the figure eight side. the north shore guards are straight up warriors.
I grew up watching the lifeguards on the NS, did their Junior Guard program for 4 years. Those guys are in incredible athletic shape and as the videos and stories indicate, do some insane things to rescue people's lives
