Beach patrols open competition season at Rehoboth Beach
Story Location:
Rehoboth Beach, DE
United States
Dozens of lifeguards browned by the sun and shaped by weeks of training descended June 22 upon Baltimore Avenue in Rehoboth Beach for the first lifeguard competition of 2011. In the weeks since Memorial Day weekend, the guards have pitted their bodies and minds against the sand and ocean, completing a wide variety of workouts to train for the responsibilities of their occupation.
“The beach can be an extremely hazardous environment,” said Capt. Ben Chandlee of South Bethany Beach Patrol. “We train so that we are prepared to face the challenges of that environment.” The weekly competitions supplement the daily workouts of the nine beach patrols of Sussex County, as well as Ocean City, Md., and allow the guards to establish relationships among their various agencies.
Competing in events such as soft sand mile, paddle-swim relay, rescue paddle-swim relay, surf dash and sprints, the patrols displayed the athletic skills required to do their job. During the water events, such as the swim and paddle, many of the guards had to compensate for the slight northward ocean current by adjusting their line of travel toward the south.
“Competition allows us to push each other’s limits, challenging each of us become better guards,” said Rehoboth Lt. Wayde Marsh. Rehoboth, Sea Colony, Ocean City, South Bethany, and Middlesex beach patrols were among the top finishers in Wednesday’s event.
Throughout the competition, the various colors of each patrol meshed together as the guards interacted, offering praise and support for not only their own patrol members but also their opponents. Whether finishing first or last, the guards cheered each other on with equal enthusiasm. “The competitions supply a unique venue for beach patrols to establish camaraderie and share information between themselves,” said Matt Farlow of Bethany Beach Patrol. Ocean lifeguards are faced with forever-changing elements. The contests provide the guards with an opportunity to exchange experiences and inform each other about any new medical or beach-related occurrences.
The nine beach patrols of Sussex County include Delaware State Parks, Rehoboth, Dewey, North Bethany, Bethany, Sea Colony, Middlesex, South Bethany, and Fenwick Island. In the coming weeks these patrols of Sussex County as well as Ocean City will face off on a weekly basis. Next week, the patrols will meet upon the sands of North Bethany and once again challenge themselves and those around them to be better guards.
