How to become a lifesaver 2007/2008 season

Welcome all. After the amazing success of this year's inaugural lifesaver float in the 2007 Sydney Gay and Lesbian Mardi Gras, there has been an influx of people wanting to know how they can join the lifesaving movement.

The season is about to kick off and the time to join is now upon us. In fact, you'd be amazed at how easy it is to join.

The prerequisites for getting your Bronze Medallion so you can become a lifesaver are the following,

• 400 metre pool swim within 9 minutes (this is quite easy - if you can swim 8 laps at a steady pace without stopping, you'll easily make the time)


• The ability to commit to an 8 week course - where you meet twice a week for approx 2 hours per time. The course is split up into theory (mid week, after work in the clubhouse, where you learn basic first aid, CPR, radio and flag communications) and practical (weekends, on the beach, where you learn board and tub rescues, swimming, spinal carries and patrol scenarios).Both sections of the course culminate in 2 exams - a theory and a practical.

The best part about doing your Bronze is the immense camaraderie that you will develop with the people in your squad as you learn to save lives together. Quite often they become friends for life.

Once you become a lifesaver you will join a patrol at the surf club you do your Bronze at and you will be expected to patrol the beach once a month for approx. 4 hours per time.

Every club has a huge social calendar and you'll be invited to partake and contribute along the way. You'll also be able to use the club's facilities such as paddle boards and skis whenever you're down at the beach. A couple of the clubs also have well-equipped gyms which are very cheap to join (less than $200/year membership).

Join our lifesaver blog
Regardless of which club you join - we would love you to also become a member of our blog's database of gay and lesbian lifesavers. We'll keep you informed of all the social activities and news about 2008's Mardi Gras float. To join, send your name, email, club you're proposing to join and phone number to lifesaver2007@gmail.com

Which club to join?

North Bondi, Bondi, Tamarama and Bronte all have excellent reputations for lifesaving in Australia. They all differ in size with North Bondi being one of the largest in Australia with 400 active patrolling member right down to Tamarama which has a dedicated band of active members numbering 90.

We recommend you join the club where you know someone who is already a member or the beach where you enjoy hanging out the most. Also consider how you will get to the beach as public transport is also another factor to consider if you don’t own a car.

North Bondi (www.northbondisurfclub.com)
Our first Bronze induction is on Saturday 22nd September at 2pm upstairs at North Bondi clubhouse. This is when you fill in some forms, learn a bit about the course and then do your 8 laps of the Icebergs Pool. Official training however will not start until the week after the long weekend. Further details education@northbondisurfclub.com

Bondi (www.bondisurfclub.com)

Next Bronze induction at 10am 30th September 2007 at Bondi Clubhouse. Details - contact Jim Kornmehl chiefinstructor@bondisurfclub.com

Tamarama (www.tamaramaslsc.com)

Our next Bronze squad is Oct 13, 10am @ Bondi Icebergs pool. Details Michael Alvise Tamarama Chief Instructor training@tamaramaslsc.com

Bronte (www.brontesurfclub.com.au)

We start Sunday 7 October. For full details contact Callum Metcalfe - Bronte Chief Instructor at bronte.instructor@gmail.com

The 2007 Mardi Gras "Sexiest Entry" Award

Last night we attended the Mardi Gras awards night at Arq nightclub where our float was presented with the award for "Sexiest Entry" in the 2007 Mardi Gras Parade.

Here's some photos taken on the night.

Inaugural SLSA Mardi Gras DVD

Thanks to everyone who came along and joined us at Tamarama on Easter Monday night for the screening of the Mardi Gras DVD. We had a great night catching up with each other and enjoyed re-living some of the great moments we had in the lead up to and during the parade.

To those who couldn’t make it but would still like a copy of the DVD you can still do so. We asked for a voluntary contribution of $5 on the night to cover the costs of producing the DVD. We can mail one to participants for $7.50 (and $5 for subsequent copies). Cost to non-participants is $10 per DVD plus $2.50 postage. If you’d like a DVD mailed to you, just email lifesaver2007@gmail.com.

Later today (16/4/07) we'll upload a sample of the DVD to YouTube.

There was some discussion that many people were away over Easter and were unable to attend the viewing at Tamarama. If there is sufficient interest from people we would love to get together and show the DVD again at North Bondi in a couple of week’s time. If you would be interested, send us an email at lifesaver2007@gmail.com

Every picture ever taken! There's 605 in total!

Some people have found it difficult viewing the images when they've gone to the other site. Other people have requested to see all the images taken in one post. This is why we're re-posting them at http://www.flickr.com/

Follow the links to go to each set. You're more than welcome to save to your computer the ones you appear in. To save the large version of the pic you want - click on the image and at the top you will see a button that says 'all sizes'. Click that and follow the prompts.

Rehearsal #1

Rehearsal #2

Media Rehearsal

Mardi Gras Fair Day

Mardi Gras Pre Parade Preparations

Mardi Gras Parade

Sneak preview - the DVD

Chadd has been hard at work editing an amazing DVD which will be premiered on Monday April 9 (Easter long weekend, start time approx 5pm) at a venue to be decided (probably Tamarama). Put this date in your diaries - this will also be our official wrap party. It will be BIG.

Thanks to Chadd for all his brazilliant work with pics and videos over the course of this project - check out his webspace.

Cover models!

Sydney Star Observer; photo of Shane Herbert by Erica Harrison.

Parade award nomination: Sexiest entry

Congratulations everyone!!

Our Surf Lifesaving float has been nominated for a parade entry award by New Mardi Gras.

The following email was received today from New Mardi Gras:

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Congratulations to you and all the entrants in putting on a spectacular Parade.
The feed back from the community not to mention the press, locally, nationally and internationally has been extremely positive. We are very much looking forward to starting our preparations for next year's 30th anniversary.

You may be aware that New Mardi Gras will host the 2007 Parade Awards on Sunday 15 April at ARQ.

It is my pleasure to inform you that your entry "Surf Life Saving Australia, Swim Between The Flags" has been nominated in the category of:

Sexiest Entry

Further details regarding the evening will be forwarded to you over the next few weeks, and general information will be posted to the Yahoo Entrants group.

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Mark it in your diaries....Lets all turn up en mass in ARQ on 15th April (with all our fingers crossed!) and make a fabulous night out of our nomination!

SMH - letters to the editor. Your thoughts please

Not between rainbow flags

Sydney surf lifesavers, you are Aussie icons and young people look up to you. However, by participating in the homosexual Mardi Gras, your role model has been shattered, devalued and demeaned. How sad.

Judith Bond Glen Alpine

(taken from letters to the editor, Sydney Morning Herald 7 March 2007)

Please leave your thoughts to Judith by clicking on the comments link below.

A very Brenton Mardi Gras

If we had to single out one person who's been getting way too much exposure on this blog - that person would have to be Brenton Parry. Not only is he a devoted Bronte Lifesaver of nine seasons, Brenton is also an international blog star with 5000 people visiting his site (Aussielicious) every day. We've posted so much of Brenton because his blog site has diverted so much traffic to our blog and major international attention to our cause. Thanks Brenton! Click on the YouTube below to see Brenton in action on Saturday night.

We are currently producing a major DVD extravaganza and will have a celebration screening with drinks etc in approx two weekends - venue to be decided.

85 x Parade photos - before the march

For more photos - click here.

If we told you Saturday was a busy day, that would be an understatement! Seven of us started early with a 10am press conference where 140 media from around the world were in attendance. We were special guests (more like room decorations) for the press conference. We handed out press kits and Chuppa Chupps on arrival and stood guard around the stage during the formalities.

For many of us the rest of the day was taken up with last minute float fixing, sound generator management, beach ball fixing, spray tans, hair cuts - you name it! Once everyone met at 5pm - the nerves quickly set in.

Please remember to send all your photos to drewlambert@ozemail.com.au and these will be added to the collection for you to view and copy as you please.