At about 6.50, the light comes in my bedroom window (the blinds don't really work), and I'm up and mostly ready for a day on the beach. It's a bit too early to be going just yet, so I usually read a chapter of whatever book I'm reading. (At the moment, it's the third Harry Potter. I'm doing a summer re-read of the series). I put on a pair of lifeguard trunks, into the kitchen for oatmeal, make my lunch, fill up my water jug, and it's out the door. I head downstairs to where the bike racks are and unlock my bike.
I usually have to contort myself into a tight space to get at the lock, because many of the other residents here are not considerate bike-rack users, and frequently take up way too much room.
From there, it's a two-mile ride to the Disney Beach House (I can make it in about 13 minutes) where I lock up my bike again and head out onto the beach. It's usually nice and quiet around that time, about 7.45-8 o'clock- usually only dog walkers and joggers.
I set down my bag and set about setting up the rental equipment for the day. I head up to my North box, which contains my lifeguard equipment, boogie boards, and half my umbrellas. First to come out are the Rescue Can and First Aid Kit, in case any emergencies come up while I'm setting up.
Next, I get my hole-digger out. The hole-digger is a highly sophisticated piece of equipment (read: pointy metal stick) which you jam into the ground and row back and forth until you have a 1 1/2 foot deep hole, in which to stick an umbrella. I've put a hockey stick grip on mine. Jam, row, repeat, 20-30 times on an average day.
Once I've got my holes dug for the north line, I'll grab six umbrellas at a time and lay them all out, one beside each hole. I'll then go and pick each one up, pop/expand it, and stick it in the hole, packing sand down with my feet.
After that, it's time for chairs! Up to the chair stacks I go, unlocking the chain that runs through each chair and freeing enough for the day. Carrying three under each arm (a process called triple-stacking,) I put two under each umbrella. Sometimes, reservations will be for more than two, and that throws off the rhythm. Sometimes, if I really feel strong, I'll try a quad stack, but that takes a toll on your lower back. The chairs are cleverly designed so that they can lock together, letting you hold the outermost chair and pressing the whole assembly against your hip. (everyone's got these terrific bruises from it).
Once the north line's complete, it's the same process for the south line.
At the extreme end of the scale, here's the setup that two other guards and I triple-teamed for July 4th weekend. This was in Coligny beach, the islands most popular and populous beach access.
It takes about 2 minutes per set, so I can get 25 sets done in under 45 minutes, depending on how hard I hustle. During the setup, there's always one person who, ignoring the fact that 'this lifeguard is sweating and carrying six chairs at a run, and looks to be in the middle of something,' decides to stop me and ask me questions.
Once I'm all set up, I'll prepare my message board, and try to think of an interesting bit of trivia to put on it. One recent lousy-weather day, my Highchair guard and I came up with a big list of things to put in case I ever get stuck.
Then, its 9.00, and I'm in service. From then on, my priority is water safety, and Lifeguard stuff. I work with my highchair guard to keep the beaches and water safe, by reminding visitors of ordinances, and performing preventative actions.
If we, as lifeguards, do our job properly, there should be very few emergencies, because we've worked to prevent them from happening in the first place. That's a big half of the job, and the other half is PR. Doing the rentals, being friendly, and answering the same question four hundred times in a day. ("No, those jellyfish washed up on the beach won't hurt you" and "yes, the tide is going out.")
The shuttles don't start taking Disney guests to the beach till 10, so i have some time to chat with my highchair guard and sit down and have a bite. Often, I'll have a banana, or rarely, as a post-setup treat, a Strawberry Pop-Tart.
At around noon, the local Coast Guard Helicopter does a fly-over down the coast.
Since we can't leave the highchairs unattended, I sit for my chair's lunch (30 mins) and then I'll take my lunch (45 mins). I snack throughout the day and usually finish my sandwich while I'm sitting chair, so mine is more of a break; a chance to get off the beach and rest for a bit. Here, I'll check emails or read news from back home on the CBC website.
Back at work after lunch, it's more of the same: run rentals and guard the water and beach. At 5:00 exactly, all the guards douse their umbrellas and turn their attention to their lines of rental equipment. First to go away are the chairs, and then all the umbrellas are doused and put away. Finally, all the lifesaving equipment goes in the box. What took an hour to set up is usually away by 5:15, with the help of the highchair guard.
I then pack up my backpack, go up to the showers to wash my feet off, and then it's off to the office on my bike. This is a 4 mile ride, and if I'm running on time that day, I'll be at the office at 5:35. All the guards check in at the office each evening- returning radios, restocking first aid supplies, and completing paperwork.
Every guard turns in a report of the day's sales and the statistics on what events occurred that day (5 stingray wounds, 3 alcohol ordinance advisements). Highchair guards just do statistics. Paperwork becomes much more complex depending on whether you rent different types of equipment, like body boards and bikes and chairs.
The office in the evening is a hive of activity from 5:30 till 6:30, filled with sweaty and smelly guards hunched over adding machines, whirring and clacking their way through the day's receipts. The reward for our long day's toil is a 5-gallon jug of pink lemonade, with a stack of dixie cups next to it. After a tough day, there is no finer drink anywhere. Usually, there will be snacks, like Goldfish crackers, or peanut butter-filled pretzel blobs. On birthdays, we have a cake in the office for that person. Our new office manager is making some great impressions with her new Sunday tradition. Sundays, notorious for being the most taxing and busy day, are now home to many ice-cream treats on the counter. Talk about hitting the spot!
We have a chance to briefly chat with other guards while waiting in line for check-in, where the office staff check our reports and sign off.
After that, I hop on my bike and ride the 5 miles back to the housing, where I stagger through the door and head straight into the shower. it's usually about 7:00 by the time I'm out of the shower and preparing dinner for myself.
Lately, my roommate Zach and I have taken to watching an episode of Baywatch (thank you YouTube) after supper. We're now halfway through the first season!
It's surprisingly exhausting, and by 9 I'm in bed. I often don't have energy to write these entries, which is why this one took a while. A chapter of my book, and then I'm fast asleep, ready for the next day. And the next. And the next. Until (mercifully) my day off, where I have time to shop, cheat and eat something unhealthy, do laundry, and rest.
Next time on Danger Zone, I'm going to talk about the weekly trainings that we do!
Funny moment from today- A guy was napping on the sand as the tide was coming in. He was fast asleep until the water rushed towards him. It barely reached him, and at the slightest touch of the cold water, he yelped, lept up and did a very un-manly squirmy-dance. Almost immediately, he regained his composure and quickly glanced around, to see if anyone saw. I pretended I didn't. Big sunglasses are handy sometimes...
Wow - what a workout. That must be exhausting.
ReplyDeleteMan monster! What a workout. Use your core when lifting those chairs, it will take some strain off the lower back. Q: what do you do when you have to pee?
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