Fishing and the lifeguard

 Tides Beach represents many different things to me.  It was here prior to me becoming a surfer, where I learned the fundamentals of what it means to be a water-man.  Both fishing and and snorkeling were affected by the moon and tides, so I quickly found out when times were best for these two hobbies for which, unbeknownst to me was the beginning of a lifelong love affair with the water.  Each morning during the better months of the year, I would set my alarm to go off well before sunrise, grab a pack of pop-tarts, toss my gear onto the 10 speed and make my way to the waterfront. I always had high hopes of catching the big one or catching whatever would bite leaving me jazzed up to throw my line out and do it all over again.  This feeling I still carry with me to this day, I have high hopes that my children although not now, will feel this same way as I did somewhere down the road.  

As adolescence set in, and fishing began to become less and less of a priority in my life and I refocused my energies on girls and dating.  I often times found myself walking the shoreline skipping stones or collecting shells with a girl, with nothing more than nervous chatter, as dating was seriously new ground for all of us.  It was easy, just being somewhere comfortable definitely took the edge off being slightly uncomfortable.  

Becoming older came with more responsibility, and the need for more money than my little paper route could provide.  It was during my sophomore year in the spring of 89' that I became certified as a lifeguard.  I was hired by the Tides beach property owners association and and began to sit chair on the beach.  I was among a small group of high school and freshman college students who were entrusted with the lives of others as they swam in the green waters of the Long Island Sound.  This is more responsibility than I've ever had before besides watching my brother when my parents decided that could trust me a little.  The job was great, The bigger "kids" would train daily and push each other on runs and swimming daily trying to maintain the proper image of a lifeguard.  The darker side of guard days was when it rained. "Charlie" one of the university kids was the only guy with facial hair, he was the chosen for Handy Pantry runs for ice cold Mickys and pretzels.  We'd hang out behind the guard shack and suck down a few beers while one of us would watch the front gate for one of the board members had they happen to stop by.  Overall the job was easy, paid well relative to what other kids my age were making at the time.  I never did have to use the training I received to save any lives aside from jelly fish stings or barnacle scrapes the hot days were humdrum.  

Now 35 years later, living out of state, I haven't had much of a chance to revisit one of my favorite places as child.  This beach that has so much to do with my formative years and has always provided me with a place solace, will forever be apart of who am am today, a fully fledged beer drinking wateman