This summer, the Tourist Office has added a major visit to its summer discovery panel of the City of Anglet: sharing with tourists, on Tuesday mornings (1) for an hour, the operation of one of the 11 surveillance posts 4.5 km of coastline between Petite Chambre d’Amour and La Barre.
Tuesday 10 a.m., Ocean beach time…
This summer, the Tourist Office has added a major visit to its summer discovery panel of the City of Anglet: sharing with tourists, on Tuesday mornings (1) for an hour, the operation of one of the 11 surveillance posts 4.5 km of coastline between Petite Chambre d’Amour and La Barre.
Tuesday 10 a.m., Ocean Beach, rather threatening weather, a small group of summer visitors attends the first ritual: the setting up of flags and the watchtower announcing the opening of the bathing area, from 10:30 a.m. until at 7 p.m., under the direction of deputy station manager Paco Fontaine, in the absence of station manager Thomas Serrano and Thibaut Hiriart, third manager.
Nine elements in total take turns there, including three confirmed lifeguards, who have more than two years on the beach: Damien Espil, Marvin Piot or Théo Sainrame. The substitutes, three “beginners” including Oihan Ramos, beginner 1st year, Louis Cazalet, or Elea Bourricaud, who went through the training of Bathing Guides.
In Anglet, you become a lifeguard from father to son or daughter. To this end, the Bourricaud family is the perfect example: Michel is the president of the Guides de bain, where Elea, daughter of his brother Pascal, director of the beaches, was trained. Or Hugo, son of the eldest Jean-Louis, sports assistant.
Color of flags
All lifeguards, as they explain, hold a National Water Safety and Rescue Certificate (BNSSA) and retake tests from one year to the next. Under the gaze of the small group from the North, Paco Fontaine explains the definition of the flags, according to their color: “between the yellow and red, it is the bathing area, the black and white checkered flags, for bodyboarders without flippers and red flags outside a prohibited swimming area like purple, but this time due to pollution. On the other hand, green indicates a calm ocean and yellow under surveillance, a more agitated ocean”. The rescuers receive all the day’s data on the state of the ocean via an app (Windguru) and transcribe them.
At the foot of the watchtower, the explanation of the means of recovering swimmers in difficulty, from the buoys to the rope.
Felix Dufour
The visit continues with the presentation of rescue equipment for swimmers in difficulty, from the new buoy designed by Uaina (the wave in Basque), a company from the Basque Country, to the classic rope.
“An essential visit”
Before returning to the Lookout, the one-storey surveillance post which also allows two MNS to monitor the south-north coast over a wide area. A radio test is also carried out with the jet ski passing offshore. Radio transmissions and receptions are essential to carry out the most effective interventions, up to that of the helicopter.
Presentation of the buoy and lifejacket to pick up swimmers in difficulty.
Felix Dufour
Finally, inside, it is the presentation and operation of the emergency response equipment, including the defibrillator, that also impresses visitors. “It’s an essential visit, comments Servaine, a native of the North who should encourage people to better respect the limits of bathing”.
A recent drowning on the Club’s beach indicated as unsupervised proved him right.
(1) Registration on 05 59 03 77 01.
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