Who Are We?
As the title suggests, whilst we may compete in Surf Life-Saving events and enjoy a good night out occasionally, our real purpose is, is to SAVE lives, and to achieve this we do two things; Firstly we patrol Aberdeen beach on weekends during the summer months. With increasing resources due to generous local and national sponsorships, we are able to patrol the whole of Aberdeen beach using our Inflatable rescue boat and a host of rescue boards and skis, offering a full Beach Life Saver Patrol. All club members on patrol are qualified to NARS Beach Lifeguard standards, and we take our duties very seriously. This has become even more of an issue, since the City Council withdrew their official Beach Lifeguard Service. We have assessed all of Aberdeen beach for risks which you can read about in our Beach Risk Assessment.
Secondly we train up anybody who wishes to qualify as a Beach Lifeguard or just wishes to know more about the things we do. We run training on a Monday night from 6.30 which is working towards achieving the full Beach Lifeguard award which means you can work as a Beach Lifeguard anywhere in the world. Although why you’d want to swap the delights of Aberdeen beach for Bondi, is beyond us. We also train for driving the Inflatable rescue boat, VHF radio qualifications, advanced resuscitation amongst other qualifications.
If you want to train as a Beach Lifeguard or get more information, please get in touch, as we are not only always on the look-out for new members, but also the more people that are trained in these essential skills, hopefully the lower the number of accidental drownings there will be.
How the Leopard got it’s spots – Some of the story below is true
A long time ago in a galaxy far, far away………well, a few years back anyway – Let me check and I’ll get back to you – Our club was formed. Naturally, we adopted the Leopard as our mascot – A creature known for it’s love of cold sea water. So, Aberdeen Surf Life Saving Club became “The Leopards”. But what was the real reason we chose our name?
If you didn't already know Aberdeen City's Coat of Arms features two leopards
Not too many people know why they’re there: According to legend the beasts were granted by James I to Aberdeen as the burgh underwrote his expenses while in exile in England. Over the years the decendants of the original pair of leopards (Nargis and Jocuum) have been looked after by the city elders. However, in recent times budgetary cutbacks and increased health and safety legislation meant that the remaining Big Cat was no longer able to be cared for and had to be housed in a secure lock-up on the beach front. When Aberdeen Surf Life Saving Club took over the use of the beachfront lock-up a proviso was made that they would look after this poor but much loved creature.
During the out of season months you will probably the hardy members of our club either fundraising to pull together enough money to feed her or out in the sea hunting for seals and other marine mammals (mostly on Sunday’s). During the Patrol Season, July and August, we generally feed her any lost children we have left over at the end of the day.
We like to think we’re one of the only surf life saving clubs in the UK, if not the World, who has a wild untamed Cat as club secretary.
Useless Fact
There is enough water in Loch Ness (7.4 km³) to completely submerge the human race thre times over – We’re gonna need a bigger boat!
hey i was wondering how old you have to be to train for the life saving is it 16?
thanksx
Hi Honor,
Good question. Although some surf life saving clubs have a Nippers section (under 16’s) Aberdeen doesn’t. However, we actively encourage anyone who is 16 or over to get involved. You are correct, 16 is the youngest you can be to do the SLSA GB Beach Lifeguard course. It is an internationally recognized vocational qualification. If you’re interested in getting involved, come down to our club hut on Sunday between 1230hrs & 1500hrs and see what we get up to in a Club Training Session or drop me a line (details on the Committee page). We’re about to start a course now with the view to having the exam in mid-October.
Chris
Hi there,
I’m a beach lifeguard back home in France, and I’d be interesting in training over the winter and taking the beach lifeguard course as well.
I dropped by the beach hut tonight, and I’m planning on coming swimming on Monday night at Linksfield.
Thank you,
Jean
Hi Jean,
It’s good to hear that you are interested in joining us. People will also be around on Sunday from around 1230.
Thank You Andrew,
I’ll come around on Sunday then!
Hi,
I have been interested in doing surf life saving for a while. I am only in Aberdeen for about 6 months – maybe less – would it still be possible to get involved? How long does it take to achieve the training required to work as a lifeguard?
Also, I wouldn’t say I’m very fit at the moment – not awful, just not great…
Any response would be appreciated. Or should I pop down to the beach to ask someone..(where…who…)
Thanks
Sarah
Sarah,
We’d love for you to come down and have a go. We run a club training session on Sunday’s between 12.30 and about 3pm. I’ll be down there this weekend as will our current group of trainee lifeguards. You mentioned that you’d be here for 6 months – well, we’re planning to run another life-saving course with an exam in mid-April. This may tie in nicely with your stay here.
Hope to see you down at the beach on Sunday.
Chris
Hi there!
I am really interested in getting a life guard qualification and would love to do it through you guys!
Would should i do to get involved?
Hey chris
i would like to get involved in your Surf Life Saving Club.
I was wondering if i need any special equipment to attend training session ie wetsuit.. ect.
love to hear from you
Hi there,
I would like to get a life guard qualification.
Would should i do to get involved?
cheers
V
My daughter who will be 17 in April, is interested to take up the lifeguard course, she did the junior lifeguard camp last summer in California, and would like to train as a certified lifeguard to be in time for summer. Can you help? Or is there any way for me to contact you?
Hi Chris,
I’m 17 and have got a place to study Medicine at Aberdeen starting in September.
I was wandering if there were any courses over the summer holidays which I could get a beach lifeguarding qualification, so that when I come up to start at uni, I could maybe start a bit of work.
Thanks
Hello,
I was actually looking to get in touch with a representaitive of the ASLSA Committee regarding a Surf Event I am currently planning for September in Aberdeenshire. If someone could drop me an email that would be great and I can expalin more.
Regards,
Jonathan
Hi,
Im interested in joinining up. How do I join/get in touch?
I have a bronze medallion and swam competitively for years, if this helps??
Hi there Chris,
Just wanted to leave a wee comment to let you know that I am extremely considering joining up with yourselves if i can. When i was 16 i had an NPLQ and worked in huntly swimming pool. I am now a qualified nurse and obviously no longer hold that qualification, but the challenge of beach lifeguard excites me! It would be great for over the next few summers in aberdeen, and i would enjoy meeting some new people also. One day I hope to travel, and this would also come in very handy for that. I don’t own a wetsuit, I presume i would need to get one? I am not as fit as i used to be after uni! :{ but things can only get better! could i come to one of your meetings at some point soon to see what it’s all about? really looking forward to hearingf back from you. Cheers, Lindsey.
*** Lifesaving Training Camp ***
The British Universities Life Saving Clubs’ Association (BULSCA) is running a lifesaving training camp in Spain later this year and I’d like to personally invite you and your club to attend.
The trip is now in its 4th year and we hope that 2010 will be the best training camp ever! This year we’ll be returning to the sandy shores of Oliva in Spain from 6-17 Sept 2010. The trip will improve your fitness levels and help you develop the skills required for open-water life saving competitions. We also run team-building sessions, incident training and a mini competition on the final day to let you put everything you’ve learnt into practice!
The trip is open to members of BULSCA, the RLSS, the SLSGB and anyone else with relevant experience and an interest in competitive open water life saving. We cater for all levels of ability (though the trip is only open to those aged 18+), so whether you are completely new to open water training or are a world champion ironman, the trip has something to offer! The trip costs just £250 which includes accommodation, training, food (on training days), transport to/from the airport and trip kit (rash vest and swimming hat).
Please check out our new website: http://www.bulsca-oliva-trip.co.uk for more information. The closing date for application is 1 Jun 2010, but the trip is filling up fast so please give us a call straight away if you’re thinking about coming along or if you have any questions that the website doesn’t answer.
Please could you email me & tell me if you are running any courses like Emergency Surf Rescue Course in the near future
Regards
Jason Birkett
Jason,
Check your email – I’m planning to start a Surf Life Saver/Beach Lifeguard award this weekend with an exam date of the 1st weekend in Sept.
Captain Chris
Hello,
I am a Surf Life Saver with Marcoola SLSC in QLD Australia. I am planning on moving to Aberdeen in January 2011 and would love to become involved in your surf club. Will the awards I have received here in Australia be applicable there?
Kind regards,
Natalie.
Back in the late ’60s/early ’70s I was one of four lifeguards working on Aberdeen beach. I started working on the beach during the summers of 1967 and 1968 hiring out deck chairs before ‘graduating’ to lifeguard in 1969,1970 and 1971.
Together with my colleagues (Vic Robertson, Donald Mair and Roger Houghton) we provided the lifeguard service and on rainy days would be reassigned either to work in the Beach Baths or the Bon Accord Baths. Occasionally we would be be assigned other tasks by the ‘Cooncil’ – in my case as nightwatchman in a Marquee full of coffins at the annual meeting of the Burial and Cremation Authorities of Great Britain.
Our duties on the beach were to post the flags to denote the safe bathing areas, manage the changing tents, stay fit by swimming and running the length of the front between the Dee and the Don and to make sure our rescue boat was in good order. This last task also required an occasional fishing trip to Nigg Bay.
The best days of summer would attract more than a thousand holidaymakers to the beach which quickly became densely populated with deck chairs and colourful windbreaks.
I can recall but two instances when we were called into action. The first time was to rescue a ‘Wino’ who, presumably after a bit too much Buckfast, decided to walk into the sea and keep walking. The second required the launch of the boat to rescue a Russian sailor who was swimming about 100 yards offshore but who would never have made it back.
Needless to say we became best friends with girls who ran the Ice Cream Kiosks
Stuart Cummings
July 20, 2010