After a successful weekend in Whiritoa the next batch of eager lifeguards arrived at Taylors Mistake in Christchurch for another action packed weekend.
The first afternoon greeted the guards with the usual getting to know you games and a few personal challenges which included building sand castles, Senior Guard style! This theme continued into the evening with a simple patient extraction minus light, the ability to move where the guards wanted to and all the while wearing whatever they had been dragged out of bed in. Saturday morning was the best PT (personal training) session yet. All manner of games and activities were brought out of the wood work, but not after a strenuous hill run had been completed, tubes and all. The candidates were now starting to look a little weary, but after breakfast and a key presentation they were all geared up to welcome the Westpac Rescue Helicopter from Christchurch kindly run by Simon Duncan and team at Garden City Helicopters. Not only were the guards treated to the experience of exiting a perfectly good air craft most were also able to take part in a winching exercise that the crew were running for some of their members. It was straight back into the water after a brief pause on land where the guards were enthusiastically introduced to rock entries and exits. A few grazes and bruises later the guards continued on with their group rotations and scenario work. Taylors turned on a pretty wicked swell later in the day so dinner was postponed for some more rock work and thankfully due to some pretty sharp planning on the candidate’s behalf bed was welcomed at a respectable hour sometime later that evening. Sunday – Assessment day - And with the sun shining and the beach packed the candidates worked very hard throughout their tests, theory and practical. There were some pretty choice patient performances too. I hear Peter Jackson is looking to recruit… Well done and all the best to everyone who completed the weekend. I am sure you all have something you can take away not only for yourself, but for your club and fellow lifeguards. A huge thanks has to go to the awesome instructing team, all the candidates and to Taylors Mistake Surf Life Saving Club for hosting and helping us. Two down…One to go…Bring it on Muriwai!
Check out the Taylors Mistake Senior Lifeguard School gallery See the Whitiroa Senior Lifeguard School gallery
