Fwd: Correction... RE: Hi Dale...

Hello everyone,

Here is a memory written by Al Mendez.  His story is classic of all the stories I have received over the past ten years.  His story contains all four of the themes I see repeated in lifeguard stories.

1. Becoming a lifeguard was an important part of growing up.

2. Someone became a mentor.

3. Lifelong friendships were developed.

4. The ocean remains an important part of life.

Most of you live within 50 miles of the beach or some body of water you  like.

Most of you live along the Pacific coast between Oregon and Mexico.  The biggest group remains near Orange County.  There are two other groups; one in the south Pacific and the other group of guards are in places associated with skiing.  There are very few who live east of California.

Enjoy Al's story.  Hopefully it will encourage you to send me your story.

Dale Ghere

guarded 1960-1974

Lifeguard Try-out Memory

The following story was written by Jim Kelly in March 2014.  The reference to Eric Jensen's health relates to his fight with a major bacterial infection that has been going on for more than two months. 

Hi Dale:

          Now that Eric is getting better, I feel like I can tell the story of our guard try-outs. Eric and I swam together. We had both been working out in the pool and in the ocean to get used to the temperature for a couple of months before the try-outs. The day in March 1961 that we swam it was very cold and foggy and the water temperature was 53 degrees. There was a northward setting counter-current that must have been running at a half knot or so, because I could normally swim a mile in about 25 minutes and that day it took us over an hour. So we were in the water a long time. I remember Eugene DePaulis and other guards pulling a lot of people out along the way, most of them hypothermic. Eric and I swam together and kept each other going. He thought we should swim backstroke to keep our faces out of the water so we wouldn’t get so cold and it worked. We finally finished and could barely walk up the beach we were so cold. We just sat and shook for at least an hour before we continued with the try-outs. As I recall, everyone who finished the mile swim made the force that day, but there were not many of us. I could not have done it alone. Eric and I kept each other going through the whole swim and I have always been really glad he was swimming next to be the whole way.

Cheers. Jim

 

Lifeguard History

from Kai Weisser

Here is a 1958 photo

to

 share and spread the word again

that I am looking for historical photos and stories about Laguna Beach lifeguards.  We are 

still plugging along on the

Arcadia Publishing

history

book and any new/old lost/found images are welcome.  Cheers, Kai

If you have any of these items, please contact Dale Ghere, dmghere@gmail.com

Bunky Scores A 10

By Robert Potter

April 19, 2012

 

          Dale has said its ok to tell another story since it is raining in Wales again and I have the time I will beg your indulgence for a brief tale of Cajones.

 

          I cannot recall the exact circumstances that led us to the Aliso Pier that day but I think it was perhaps a training day. I know it was not during the training to become a guard as Conley Ware was there and he became a guard before me so if anyone else remembers this let me know.

 

          I recall an event that gave me a ton of respect for my elder guards when John Cunningham set the bar pretty high. John or "Bunky" as he was affectionately called by his students, first at Thurston, where he was a PE teacher along with Jim Herdman and our guard long distance runner Art Smart. Not sure if he got that name before teaching or why he received that moniker but I felt it was because it rhymed with Chunky. Bunky was very stout and solid as a rock so I was surprised when during an outdoor assembly at Thurston he was chosen by Chuck Norris to be part of the demonstration.

 

      Chuck Norris who was at the time the worlds champion in full contact Karate was doing assemblies and showing off the talents of his well trained body. He told Bunky who was on the grass at Thurston with half of the student body watching in a large circle to just relax and "DO NOT MOVE"...he said it again, "DO NOT MOVE". Chuck then put his hands on Bunky shoulders and positioned him with his wind breaker jacket standing oh so still. Bunky’s jacket had ties that went around the base of the jacket and the tied string was dangling and literally touching his pants coincidentally on top of his baby maker area.

    Chuck then stepped back and did a slow motion extension of his karate kick which was aimed at Bunky's "package". As he did this the whole assembly, teachers included, gave a spontaneous "OOOOOOWWWWWWW" with a nervous twitter and murmur for good measure. Bunky gulped but he was in it now and was too brave to back down so he just smiled like it was all good. Before anyone realized what had happened, including the Bunkster, Chuck Norris (this is a young studly Chuck under 30 at the time) had made a Cobra lightening strike towards Bunky and all the student body saw was the string on his jacket dance and jump up twice as Chuck had with the exacting precision of a surgeon made 2 ;count’em, 2 kicks before Bunky could even react to the first one.

    Pandemonium erupted and the school was laughing and shocked with a nervous relief that Mr. Cunningham was still intact. I was really impressed at how he had handled that and was glad it was not me up there. Bunky also liked to kick field goals and practice punting with one of the Los Angeles Rams kickers. I think his name was Tom Haas? He and the Bunkster practiced on the field up at Thurston and we used to shag the balls that Bunky and Tom kicked. Bunky was really good at it and those giant thighs were very competitive with the pro and if he was serious into practicing I think Bunky could have made the pros.

 

        I know I digress in these stories but it is cold and I got time on my hands. What can I say! I used to be a diver on the swim team with Conley Ware, Keith Carlson and Mark van Buren. Conley was the king and he was fearless on the 3 meter throwing 2 and a half pikes and 1 and a half back layouts and other such dives with twists etc. The three meter can be an unforgiving teacher for if ye miss ye pay the price with some serious smacks. Our teacher was state guard and waterpolo coach George Carey, who made nationals as a diver. So Conley had a good teacher and was probably the best diver Laguna ever had. 

   

                                   BUNKY THROWS DOWN THE GUANTLET

    So there we were all the young guards and some senior trainers not sure who but Bunky was one of the old west present.  We were there to learn how to officially do a pier jump for rescue purposes. Many of us had done this drunk, naked, many times but some of the inlanders like Robert Judge from Downey needed official training.

 

      I think Stauffer or someone else was talking and Bunky kind of hopped onto rail as we were looking down in the center of the pier where we knew we were all to jump. The atmosphere was jovial as we were on the clock and lighthearted banter was going on as the official instructions were being given. I was the closest to Bunky’s feet on his left and noticed him hands on his knees and focusing. I sensed he was going to kick it off with a dive when Stauffer finished but I was astounded when he got his "mark" and just dove without warning or notice. Keep in mind the pier height railing was about 7 meters or so!

     

       It was a magic slow motion moment as Bunky threw a perfect 1 and a half forward pike and absolutely nailed it! A perfect 10 was my score and I am sure some people might have missed some of the dive as he did it unexpectedly. I am not sure if he was ever officially trained or practiced as a diver but a great athlete for sure.

 

       Conley was aroused and as he was truly a great diver and his competitive side came up and of course he did another 1 and a half pike. He did land it quite well though I have to say it was more like a 8 and a half to Bunky’s 10 on this particular dive.

 

          I also knew that those around me were going to cry for my blood to step up so I quickly anticipated the cajoling that would ensue. So before one or 2 people started looking at me and began the peer pressure to keep up with the Joneses. I am sure it would have turned into a chant wanting a double or something. So I leaped of the pier and did a perfect..........(wait for it ) swan dive. Sorry Charlie but there was no way I would have risked a splat from that height I had to preserve good looks. So my hat is off to Bunky and Conley both for a dive show to equal the wide world of sports coverage of Puerto Rican Cliff Diving ...........ok, well sort of, kind of anyway.

Fondly recalled by Pottsman, aka Potsy

Early Morning in March, 1959

by Robin Williams

Early morning in March.   Water temperature 58 degrees.  Year, 1959?  (Help me here)

Sky grey and cloud cover over the entire sky.

Art Fizette was head of the Lifeguard department?  (Help me here)

We all hit the water and started swimming from Main Beach to Coast Inn Beach.

Boys begin dropping out and swimming to shore at St. Ann's.   Then more at Oak Street.

I remember seeing a great surfer having fun all by himself at Oak Street.  (Later he opened the Chart House.  Can't think of his name at this moment.)  Waves were big and tide was fairly high giving the swells ample size.  

I am not doing too bad so far.  But, I noticed that I am a slow swimmer because my legs don't have enough flesh to paddle me.   My legs are very skinny.   My arms are hauling me through the water.  My arms are skinny too but both together allow me to swim the test.

Oh oh, real rough water ahead at Cress Street.   I grew up on that beach with Jerry Johnson and Jim Boka. (Both are Laguna Beach Firemen -- retired)   I know the suction of the rocks.   When I pushed through the Brooks Street waves, I analyzed the Cress Street rocks before entering the roiling white water.   I think about swimming around the Cress Street rock, but when I feel the power leaving my shoulders, I think again.   All I can do is swim right through the rocks to the other side.   Now, the cold water is taking its toll.  My shoulders and arms have not enough power to help me get through the worst part of the suction.  It will only be just a few feet but I can tell that I won't make it if there is the slightest bit of current or suction.   I know without a doubt there will be a tremendous amount of water moving toward the sea.  It will pull me with it and it is likely to pull me under water too.   It was very big surf conditions and the Cress Street beach was all white water.  One more analyzing moment and I knew I was foolish to try to keep going.  I can't make it around the big rock and I sure won't be able to recover if I am pulled by the current further out to sea.  I might stand the possibility of disappearing under water.   I must take action while I still have strength enough to stay on the surface until help arrives.   So, my arm goes up and John is launched on a surfboard and is arriving to haul me aboard within 15 seconds.  That's it.  That's the end of my life guarding career.   I am finished. 

My home is at the top of the cliff on the highway and I simply went home and laid down on my wooden porch (It is a very old historic Laguna house.)   Used to be a restaurant in the 1930s called the TRAP DOOR.   I laid down in the sun and shook for two hours.  When I was rested up and strong enough to walk, I went straight to work on building my own business called COAST DELIVERY--PHONE-A-MEAL.  Then the CITY of LAGUNA BEACH appointed me to be the Winter Emergency Life Guard since I was mobile all over the city and available to rescue people at a moment's notice.  That was when I rescued those two fellows off of Boat Canyon who were fishing from a canoe.  Even though it was a glassy day they should realize that canoes tip over in the ocean with the slightest disturbance in the water.  They tipped themselves over and screamed for help.  I was called and told they were far out to sea.   I drove to Jim Boka's house and grabbed his surfboard out of his garage, drove on to Fisherman's Cove and hit the water and paddled out to the canoe which was sticking straight up out of the water.   When I arrived one of the fellows sank.   I was able to reach down and grab his hair and bring him to the surface to enjoy a long life.  At that moment the Newport Beach Harbor Patrol arrived and got the boys out of the water and they offered to take me to the beach which I thought was darn nice of them.

I would have had to go through a lot of gymnastics to get that canoe out of the water and back in business.  But, I welcomed the challenge.   I could have draped the two boys over my surfboard while I tried to get it up and over and back down into the water right-side-up.  I could have used my surf board to slide it up and tip it over to drain out the water and then back down.   But, how would I have loaded the boys back into the canoe without it tipping over again and again?   Boy, I guess I need to practice this maneuver.   It is all a mystery.  It might even be impossible.  Thank goodness for the Harbor Patrol!!!