Along the coast line, about an hour away from the business centre of Auckland, lies the beach where it is perfect to watch a sunset, the aptly named Sunset Beach.
On Tuesday the Year 12 PE studies class and four of the PE teachers, took a trip to this quiet beach to experience what it was like be a life guard and the safety procedures and duties they encounter each day on the job. With 30 students who were eager and ready to dive into the salty water, the day’s activities were led by four life guards who were part of the Surf Life Saving New Zealand association.
The students “learnt a lot of useful strategies” some of which included the recovery positions an individual must be in when taken unconscious from the water, and even how to safely avoid rip tides in the surf. Because no one would want to get caught in one of those, that’s for sure. One student, thoroughly enjoyed these activities and found the skills and knowledge she was taught to be incredibly beneficial for her, expressing what a “great day” it was and how “it was really fun!”
There were also a couple of activities which included the students swimming in the cold water, whilst a partner had to swim to save their friend who was ‘drowning’; don’t worry all students were watched over very carefully and returned to school in one piece!
As the day slowly came to an end the students hopped on the bus with salty wet hair and sand sticking to backpacks. Many essential survival skills about how to keep safe around a beach and what to do if in an emergency in the water, had been learned throughout the day.
As well as the day being incredible fun for the students, these skills and important teachings from the professionally trained life guards will be of great importance to the students in the future for sure.
Francesca Adams
