Lifeguards were busy on Delray Beach in the open water, as a storm approached our area. They were there to compete against each other and perfect their skills for that next time they need to save someone.
“Oh gosh, (the wind is) at least 30 mph," says Phil Wooten, division chief with Delray Beach Ocean Rescue.
It’s the 28th annual lifeguard competition on Delray Beach.
“This is a true test of one’s ability," Wooten says.
There’s 16-time national champion rowers-twins Shelly and Sherry Griffith.
“I know she’ll do he job and I’ll do my job, so we trust each other," Sherry says.
To first time teammates.
“We haven’t even been on the boat together ten times," says Taylor Jantz.
It’s a series of races on the open water-both men and women.
“This is the time when people drown. We do a lot of rescues like this. So this is when we go out," Jantz says.
This race, they’re challenged to paddleboard around the orange buoy and back to shore. They angle themselves to accommodate for the right to left current, managing the white capped swells. But the buoy out of sight.
“I don’t think they see it,"Jantz says, watching through binoculars. "The guys in the lead. You can see that they came up to their knees and they stay on their board looking for it, but they passed it.
Between the waves, they find it again.
“Yeah they’re going back now. That’s a bummer. That makes the race twice as long as it should really be. Ugh, that’s rough," Jantz says.
Even on a day with only a handful of beachgoers, a windblown day keeps them ready.
“We’re here 365 days a year," Wooten says.
