What We Do
In addition to the regional patrol [council paid life guards] we run a volunteer patrol on the beach each Saturday and Sunday during the summer. We have a lot of fun but at the same time take very seriously our role of protecting the public swimming at their beach.
The Patrols are made up of club members of all ages, abilities and experience. One lifeguard might have a strength in swimming; another communication; another first aid. The Patrol is a team and a variety of strengths means we offer a wider range of skills and therefore better support for the public.
Most club members and patrolling lifeguards are members of a family who have their children or parents participating in club activities and or patrols. We have BBQs and sleep overs we mentor each other’s children and tease each other’s parents. We get exercise mental and physical and we enjoy giving back to the organisation that protected us when we first swam between the flags. Some of our current members are three generations of one family.
New members get to meet people and learn the ropes on our ‘Club Days’, which unlike other Canterbury clubs are held every Saturday during the summer 9 to noon. This is a time when we do our training by way of having fun activities on the beach and slowly accruing the skills to becoming a lifeguard. This training starts with 7 year olds. We have age/ability divided groups so young ones learn safely. We also have a pre 7 year old class allowing us to cater for most of the family. Some club members assist by watching the younger ones in the water, some cook the sausages that we need to replenish our energy, some do the paper work or other non water activities that are vital in keeping us going.
The sport side of our activity is optional. Competing at Carnivals is equally fun and compedative. You can compete at Club, Regional and National levels and once you are old enough and good enough there is World competition. Like most things you can get out of surf life saving as much as you want and as much as you put in.
If you have but a small interest either ask or come on down, if you have a family member who says "I don’t want to join a surf life saving club because I do not surf, I cannot swim..." Don’t worry, we are not all Pamela Andersons or David Hasselhoffs or medal winning swimmers or surfers. We are just normal people doing good things.
And most of the time we have a lot of fun.