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The watermen crew takes on Chicama…

The watermen crew takes on Chicama…


SEPTEMBER 26,2018

WATERMEN CREW: CHICAMA PERU SURF TRIP

Let’s state the obvious here, this is one wave you’ll dream about forever and our crew is stoking to surf it. Chicama is best known for having the longest wave in the world, then you can mosey over to Pico Alto for one of the biggest waves in the world, not a bad place huh? Don’t even get us started on the food there, ceviche for days… Maybe not the “American Dream” but sure as heck the “Watermen Dream”.

We’ll land in Lima take a jumper flight to Trujillo, and by that time the froth sets in. Once we are in Trujillo we hitch a ride to Chicama, the trip usually takes around 45 minutes, give or take how hungry we are. Start the days off with some eggs and bacon, hop on the zodiac and surf until your thighs are too sore to move.

Why do we do this to our bodies? Why do we travel to the ends of the earth all for a wave? Honestly, I couldn’t tell you, but here at Watermen we are hooked on that feeling. That feeling of adventure and being in the ocean, and what better way to travel than with your favorite crew? Maybe we could do without Ryan, since he is notorious for snaking waves.

Next month’s newsletter will have some pictures from our trip. I imagine a few stories of mishap and casualties, more than anything tales of one of the best waves around the world. But for now, we will leave you at the edge of your seat wanting more…

– The Watermen Crew

Lifeguard Uniform and Equipment Requirements

Lifeguard Uniform and Equipment Requirements

lifeguard uniforms, rescue equipment, original watermen, stay salty, earn your salt, lifeguard gear, earn your saltLifeguard Uniform Requirements

Lifeguard uniform requirements are basically the same throughout the world, men’s lifeguard board shorts, women’s lifeguard swimsuits and t-shirts printed with the words Lifeguard or guard. Board short lengths are designated by each lifeguard agency. Long board shorts can hinder leg movement and interfere with rescues. Lifeguard apparel should always be made from rash free material, lifeguard board shorts should have oversized closure pockets with a locking loop and drain holes that allow the water to get out instead of weigh you down. Men’s lifeguard boardshorts should not drag or stick to your legs when wet. Women’s lifeguard swimsuits must stay up on the shoulders and their bottoms should stay on through different size surf. Neither should fade from the sun or pool chemicals.

Easily Identifiable

Clearly distinguishable and visible lifeguard uniforms are a must. Lifeguard uniform conformity, stops confusion and can help save lives. When agencies fail to require matching uniforms and let the lifeguard choose what to wear, then lifeguard visibility and identification becomes almost impossible especially when a high volume of people are present. Large facilities can have hundreds of patrons in the water at the same time. This means teams of lifeguards, working together must be able to spot their partners quickly in and out of the water. Lifeguard uniforms tie the agencies together and instill respect for the guards.

Colors

Lifeguard uniform colors in the past have consisted of mostly red or navy with white labeling. Today agencies stick with traditional colors and others pick out uniform colors that match the theme of their park or their particular branding.

Beaches and water parks that don’t have identical lifeguard uniforms have been sued when patrons were unable to find a guard when needed.

 Lifeguard Equipment Requirements

Rescue Cans should be the best in the industry; beware of imitations! The Marine Rescue Patrol Can was developed by L.A. County Chief Lifeguard Bob Burnside over 30 years ago.  Marine Rescue Patrol Cans are made with the thickest wall construction on the market and have a heavy nylon shoulder rescue strap attached to a nylon line.

The lifeguard rescue can or sometimes called rescue tube is the most used piece of rescue equipment in the world. It is used by lifeguards at most pools, waterparks, oceans, lakes and rivers. Well made rescue tubes are made from Ensolite foam with heavy vinyl covering. Rescue tubes made with tapered ends provide comfort and help to reduce drag. Rescue tubes can support both the victim and rescuers weight during the rescue. They are the preferred choice of the American Red Cross and are used by lifeguard training agencies around the world.

Lifeguard rescue fins help with long distance rescues or battling strong rip currents. Lifeguard rescue fins are designed to propel you through the water with minimal effort.

Lifeguard rescue fins like Da Fins are used for jetty rescues and rock hopping, due to their smaller size. All lifeguard fins must float so that they will wash into shore if lost in the water.

Lifeguard rescue fin the Duck feet fins are also highly acclaimed and are the #1 choice by Navy.

Lifeguard backboards are used by lifeguards to secure and transport physically injured victims. A popular choice by agencies is the Watermen Pediatric Spineboard. The polyethylene shell of this spineboard is heavy duty and x-ray translucent, so moving the injured victim from board to bed for x-rays is not necessary.

 Sun Protection

Though not required lifeguards should use sun protection. Solrx a great sunscreen that stays on all day and will not run into your eyes.

Lifeguard rashguards provide an extra layer of SPF 50 protection from the sun and also provides warmth.

Skin cancer of the ears is becoming a growing dilemma. Broad brimmed hats like the La Palapa Hat a straw hat, works great and was originated in the 1960’s by California beach lifeguards. The wide rim covers and protects the ears.

Tonga hats are also a wide brimmed hat that is the most popular hat used by lifeguard agencies in California.

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So, You Want to Be a Lifeguard? Understanding Lifeguard Duties

So, You Want to Be a Lifeguard? Understanding Lifeguard Duties

beach lifeguards, pool lifeguards, lifeguard equipment, lifeguard gear, watermen boarshorts, watermen suitsMillions of visitors and locals hit the beaches, lakes, rivers and pools each year. But sometimes we need a little help, and there are lifeguards in place to do just that. No matter what kind of lifeguard you are, your one number task is not rescuing people, instead your main duty is to prevent and protect the public from getting into a dangerous situation in the first place. As a lifeguard, you are constantly looking for potential danger, and your job is to warn people before that danger becomes an issue.

Surveillance, Emergency Care, Maintenance Duties

Lifeguards are responsible for keeping swimmers’ safe, and must be able to intervene in dangerous situations. During lifeguard training, lifeguards learn to identify emergency situations quickly.

Lifeguards caution people against using unsafe areas, or using illegal conduct, such as drinking or fighting. That means as a lifeguard you must be able to remain calm in all situations, if you panic or show fear the victim or the trouble maker will know it.

Beach Lifeguards

Beach lifeguards will warn people about rip currents, remind parents that waves will knock their children down, and to keep your loved ones within view. Beach lifeguards must be proficient in using two-way radios for contact, and coordinate activities between the different emergency rescue units. Beach lifeguards also have to maintain daily information on weather and beach conditions.

Beach lifeguards are constantly scanning the water in a similar pattern as a pool lifeguard, but they have a much larger surface to cover, and can rarely see below the water, so it is important to keep the beach lifeguard vigilant. Most facilities frequently rotate beach lifeguards from station to station to help them stay fresh and alert, and to offer breaks from surveillance responsibilities. Beach lifeguards, as well as pool lifeguards must be distraction-free, that means no cell phones and other items that take their eyes off the water.

Pool Lifeguards

Pool lifeguards keep patrons’ safe around and in the pool, from reminding people to walk, so they avoid slip and fall injuries, to stopping rough housing. They also teach swim lessons, and encourage things like the buddy system to keep you safe. Beach lifeguards supervise the use of water slides, and diving boards (if applicable), as well as pool maintenance, such as checking the swimming pools chlorine and pH levels.

Pool lifeguards scan the water, just like beach lifeguards do, looking for swimmers in trouble. They are trained to make a scanning pattern, by sweeping their eyes side to side or up and down looking at sections of the zone they are responsible for. This scanning method will happen every 10 seconds. It is suggested that they change their posture, position, and pattern every five minutes to keep them aware.

Both Beach and Pool Lifeguards

  • Provide emergency care and treatment such as CPR, and or use equipment like using spine boards and rescue tubes, as required until the arrival of EMTs. This year in particular beach lifeguards have had to administer first aid for stingray stings, using portable stingray kits.
  • Both lifeguard types perform various maintenance duties, as directed, to maintain a clean and safe facility.
  • Both lifeguard types should have a professional attitude and appearance at all times. This means proper lifeguard apparel, from lifeguard boardshorts for men, to lifeguard swimsuits for women.
  • Both lifeguard types will prepare daily activity reports.

Now that you understand some of the day to day duties of a lifeguard, our next posts will cover what it takes to get through lifeguard training, followed by lifeguard certification and testing, and ending with what to expect at lifeguard tryouts. Once this series is complete, you will have all the information you need to make an advised decision on whether or not becoming a lifeguard is right for you.

Must Haves for Beach Safety? A Lifeguard Speaks About the Essentials You Need

Must Haves for Beach Safety? A Lifeguard Speaks About the Essentials You Need

lifeguard gear, Original Watermen, beach safty, Original Watermen Gear, stay salty, earn your salt

Here is a list of beach and safety essentials put together by a professional lifeguard.  To date, most of the “What to take to the beach?” lists say the same thing, that is why our lifeguards have come up with a comprehensive list we guarantee, you never thought of. And for your convenience, everything is easily found within our lifeguard store.

 

Prepare for Everything

1)       Sting Rays

Every family needs to carry a Stingray Kit with them to the beach, which can be purchases at our lifeguard store. Lifeguards report hundreds of stingray stings all along the coast, thus are warning swimmers to beware of the stingrays when entering the water. Though sting rays are not aggressive, beachgoers are stung by accident more often than you can imagine. Stingray stings are one of the most common dive and beach-related injuries.  And if you have ever experienced the sting, you know it needs to be taken care of immediately. The excruciating pain if left unattended will put down even the toughest individual for 6-8 hours.

What should you expect if stung?

The person feels an immediate, sharp, excruciating pain that peaks in 1-2 hours. The wound bleeds. The wounded area may become swollen and may turn blue or red. Lymph nodes may become swollen.

Serious symptoms:jo8

Nausea

Vomiting

Fever

Chills

muscle cramps

tremors

paralysis

fainting

seizures

elevated heart rate

decreased blood pressure

Death may even occur, so fast action is needed. By using a Portable Ray RX Stingray Kit from our lifeguard store, you can stop symptoms before they start.

2)       Drowning

Lifeguards always say, “Don’t drown your kids with standard heavy cotton t-shirts”, these tend to become heavy and bothersome while swimming. Instead we recommend Rashguards (Surf Shirts), they are light weight and breathable. Rashguards are used by lifeguards and the public against rashes caused by abrasions and nasty sunburns from extended exposure to the sun. Rashguards can be worn by themselves, or under a wetsuit.

3)       Rashes

Combining sand, sun, and salt water with surfboards, life vests, or wetsuits create the perfect environment for beastly beach rash. Again, in the lifeguard store our Rashguards or surf shirts provide a barrier between the rash causing elements.

Our lifeguard store also has lower body rashguards. You can wear them under boardshorts, wetsuits or by themselves. At Original Watermen, we created the watermen short (our version of compressions shorts), where we offer a rash-free guarantee, as it is made with antimicrobial odor eliminating fabric.

 

4)       Jelly Fish

Lifeguards deal with jelly fish stings daily. Jelly fish are unseen in the approaching wave; therefore, stings are a common. The tentacles trailing from the jellyfish body inject you with venom from small barbed stingers. Jellyfish stings vary greatly in severity. Getting stung results in immediate pain and red marks on the skin. Some jellyfish stings may cause illness and in rare cases jellyfish stings can cause death. Protection can be improved by putting on a rashguard life the ones we carry at our lifeguard store.

Jelly fish sting

First and foremost, seek emergency medical help if you feel you are having a severe allergic reaction, if the sting is from a box jellyfish or if the sting covers more than half an arm or leg.

What should you do once stung?

Get out of the water

Remove all tentacles by scraping the affected area with a credit card

Immerse the affected arm or leg immediately in hot water for at least twenty minutes

 

This is another instance where the sting ray kit from our lifeguard store can help, as it contains a self-contained heating system.

Rinse the area with vinegar for at least 30 seconds (If vinegar is not available make a paste of baking soda and water, and apply over the affected area)

5)       Sun Danger

Of course, you need sun protection in and out of the water. At the lifeguard store we offer Solrx sunscreen. Solrx was voted best in its class, and lasts 8 hours with one single application, plus it stays on in the water. Solrx sunscreen is recommended by dermatologists and is both hypoallergenic and non-comedogenic.

Don’t forget your hats

We have a wide variety of hats in our lifeguard store. Not only do hats protect your face from the bad (UV) rays of the sun, but a hat also protects your eyes, ears and the top of your head from disease and skin cancer. Extended exposure to the sun’s UV rays has been linked to eye damage, including cataracts and macular degeneration.

How does the sun affect you?

UV rays radiate from the sun and come from many directions and are reflected from the ground, water, snow, sand and other bright surfaces. Sun damage to eyes occurs even on cloudy days as the sun’s rays pass through haze and thin clouds. Protect your eyes from UV rays by wearing a hat and sunglasses. In our lifeguard store, we have a quiver of hats, which offer you an array of options, for any day and any condition.

Now you have a complete list of essential equipment needed for a safe day at the beach, and all can be quickly found on our Original Watermen website and lifeguard store.

lifeguard gear, Original Watermen, beach safty, Original Watermen Gear, stay salty, earn your salt

Rip Currents: The Oceans Silent Killer

Rip Currents: The Oceans Silent Killer

rip currents, Original Watermen, Lifeguard gear, earn your salt, stay salty, Watermen, ocean safteyLifeguards around the world, save more people from rip currents than any other ocean danger. Rip currents are the number one killer of beachgoers.  Lifeguards perform over 70,000 ocean rescues per year and more than 80% of all lifeguard rescue attempts involve saving someone caught in a rip current. Rip currents claim over 100 victims a year in the USA alone. Lifeguards say more men than women drown in rip currents. During the last 3-day weekend lifeguards had nearly 3000 ocean rescues as massive crowds hit the beaches. With crowds that large parents must be their child’s number one lifeguard. Don’t just roll over and sleep expecting the lifeguard to babysit your child. The guards are watching hundreds of people in the water at the same time. As well lifeguards are dealing with non-water emergencies, like people stung by ray stings and in need assistance from lifeguard equipment such as a sting ray kit. Lifeguards are also dealing with complaints, answering questions and crowd control on top of rescues at the beach.

What exactly is a rip current?

Rip currents or Rips are sometimes called Rip tides, but this is a misnomer because tides play no role in causing these strong off-shore flowing currents. A rip is a strong, localized, and narrow current of water compared to a river running out to sea. The river current runs from shore to sea and can take you with it as it goes. Rips do not pull you under but they do pull you out into the water. Strong rip currents move at speeds of 3 to 8 feet per second. Rip currents can occur anywhere there are breaking waves, including large lakes. There are over 500 lifeguard rescues in the Great Lakes each year. Remember swimming where lifeguards are present can save your life

How to spot a rip current?

Recognizing rip currents can be difficult. Be on the lookout for a channel of churning, foaming, or choppy water where waves are struggling to form. Rip currents are a different color than the surrounding water, because they tend to pick up and stir up sand.

Most rip current deaths are avoidable. Most victims die because they panic, exhaust themselves or lack swimming skills. Lifeguards quickly react to a spotted victims by grabbing their lifeguard equipment essentials; swim fins and rescue tube while racing into the water. Victims that remain calm will more than likely survive. Remember, most rip current deaths happen when people choose to swim without a lifeguard present.

Be sure to heed warnings that are posted and issued by lifeguards. Lifeguards place flags on the beach alerting families of the dangers in the waters. Beware of Red flags. The flag system is just like a traffic light;

Green = Good to Go

Yellow = Caution

Red = Stop

Steps to take when caught in a rip current

Original Watermen, a lifeguard company created by lifeguards for lifeguards lists several steps to help you avoid disaster in an open water rip current. Think twice about entering the water, if you feel a strong pull on your legs in the shallow water. If you find yourself in a rip current, don’t panic. If you feel frightened and are on a beach with a lifeguard, wave your hands thus making yourself more visible. If you feel you are getting swept out to sea stay calm. If you don’t have the swimming skills or energy to swim parallel out of the rip, float on your back and go with the current until the lifeguard is able to come to your rescue. Don’t exhaust yourself by struggling to swim towards shore. The rip current usually disappears after the last set of waves. The lifeguard will bring proper lifeguard equipment with them to bring you safely back to the beach.

If no lifeguard is present we encourage you to ride the rip current until it dissipates and then swim at an angle away from it towards the shore or swim at an angle parallel to the beach in either direction until you feel the rip lighten up before heading back to shore. Rips can be so strong that not even professional swimmers can swim against them. Rip currents are typically only 20-100 feet wide.

Original Watermen Lifeguards have saved hundreds of victims with equipment from our lifeguard store, from rip currents because they are top notch guards using the best open water safety lifeguard equipment on the market.

Remember don’t panic! Go with the flow.

Protect Coral Reefs by Wearing Rash Guards

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