Another great thing about our beaches is that they are manned and womanned by a team of experienced beach “first responders”, our awesome life guards.
Meet Adam.
Adam’s been a lifeguard in Atlantic Beach for four seasons now. He agreed to be photographed and interviewed for this site but I must declare that he kept his eyes trained on the water at all times – a consummate professional.
I asked a lot of questions about run outs and rip currents and how to spot them. You’d think I’d be able to recognize them by now but after ten summers on the beach I still feel incompetent about that. Adam pointed out an area close to shore where the color of the water was different, sandier, more churned up, and that suggested the beginnings of a run out. Adam told me that it’s possible that a run out could actually take a small child who might be playing in only thigh-deep water if they happened to be standing in the right spot. I’m generally not a fearful person but in the ocean…things can change so quickly.
He told me that there’d already been a rescue on the beach that day. He hadn’t been the responder and didn’t know details, but news is carried from station to station throughout the day.
Adam says that our beaches are the best and the people on the beach treat him really well. They offer him water, juice, snacks. Our beach access at 20th Street, doesn’t have a big red chair, so I’ve never developed a personal rapport with the lifeguards. But when he commented on the generosity of the people of on the beach…I felt good, and filed it away for the next time I’m near one. Remember your life guard! It’s hot up there, and our lives could be in his/her hands.
The lifeguards are out daily from Memorial Day weekend through Labor Day weekend. They begin lifeguarding duty on weekends at the end of April til Memorial Day, then operate that same skeleton crew after Labor Day through the end of September. Then, we’re on our own.
Adam is trained as a firefighter and hopes to make that his full-time career. He’d prefer to work as close to our beaches community as possible; he’s still looking for the right opening. A friendly guy with an easy smile, Adam is 28…and single. Hey, I had to ask! I was conducting an interview, please. I’m no cougar and besides, I’ve got a great guy already. But I thought I’d put it out there for my single sisters: a future fire fighter, professional life guard who spoke politely with an easy smile, while watching his section of the ocean with careful eyes and whistle in hand. Adam was equal parts bashful and flattered to be interviewed which I found endearing. Best of all, he thinks our beaches here are the ultimate. Who am I to disagree?
That was fun to read, and I like the red life guard chair. Ours are housed in little closed in houses so you only see the guy when he comes out to blow his whistle at someone.
We do have one beach that I enjoy, Pompano Beach where the life guards have a main station and we can watch them practice in the ocean, that's really cool to watch. I'm always astounded with ease at which they swim with the equipment.
The lifeguard stands near me are houses like Rachel describes. I love the red chair!
To answer your question about American Wife…
It was recommended to me by a good friend who shares my taste in books (for the most part…she was super into Twilight which I refuse to read)…I really in truly LOVED this book. I still haven't read Prep…it's actually sitting on my nightstand now.
I will warn you that a few people I have met who LOVED American Wife didn't like Prep, so I don't know if it is that her writing style has changed or what. I would certainly recommend it. Once I started reading it, I had trouble putting it down!
Thats my big brother!!!! great article you couldn’t have chosen a better individual to interview : ) Adam has always been a friendly, hard worker.