Waimea Bay is a famous beach for swimming, surfing and cliff diving with its beautiful waves, rocky cliffs, and white sandy beach. When my friend took his family up to this North Shore beach, a storm off the coast had begun to produce some really big waves. The waves were larger than normal and were enticing and fun to swim in. His son went out swimming in the ocean joining the others who were already in the water. After some time, the lifeguard on the shore could see that a very strong riptide was beginning to form which started to pull and carry out his son as well as the other swimmers farther out into the ocean.
The swimmers were now in danger. Instead of jumping into the riptide himself, the lifeguard grabbed his megaphone, walked to the edge of the water and proceeded to speak in a loud voice and give the swimmers directions on how to get out of this dangerous and life-threatening situation. The instructions were simple. They needed to swim parallel to the shore until they were no longer in the riptide. All of the swimmers knowing that they were in trouble and now farther and farther out in the ocean, listened to the lifeguard and began to swim until they were no longer in the riptide … except for an older man. The lifeguard could see that the old man was not listening to his instructions and probably not completely aware of the danger he faced. Frustrated, the lifeguard jumped in the ocean, risking his own life to save this old man. Fortunately the lifeguard was able to reach the older man, swam with him under his arm with his floating device and saved him. Once they reached the shore, the lifeguard told the man that he was done swimming for the day, and that it might be best that he went home for the safety of all involved.
