In Hawaiβi, thereβs a tight-knit community of public servants that have traded neckties and computers for swim fins and a rescue board to achieve a different kind of success. Lifeguarding in the Islands is a highly respected profession born from a hard-earned outdoor lifestyle of ocean knowledge, elite physical fitness, and the innate bravery to put oneself in harmβs way to save lives in dangerous situations. And it all begins with the sharing of knowledge from one generation to the next. Water Safety Officer II KaΚ»iulani Bowers has been guarding for 10 years on Oβahuβs rugged Ka Iwi Coast. βWhen most people are running away from danger, Iβm running straight into it,β KaΚ»iulani says, one of nine female guards on the force. KaΚ»iulani took us on her favorite trail runs and swimming spots on Oβahuβs beautiful windswept southeast coastline.
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Share with us how it feels to be one of only a few women in this line of work.
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There are only nine of us out of 300 guards. I really had to earn everyoneβs respectβdoing double training breaks, going out when itβs huge, taking the rescue board out and getting worked, but just keep trying, keep doing it. Itβs a gnarly job. You are constantly putting yourself into harms way. And not everyoneβs cut out for it. It takes a really amazing human to want to do this job. It doesnβt matter to me if itβs a boy, girl, man, or womanβjust to be able to learn that basic knowledge of awareness, you can apply it anywhere.
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You have a comprehensive daily training program. What are some of the activities you get up to?
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Lifeguarding is a lifestyle. Itβs not just a job for us. I base my workouts on the ocean conditions. If the waterβs nice, Iβm swimming. If there are waves, Iβm surfing. If itβs flat, Iβm trainingβrunning in the sand and running rocks underwater in Hanauma Bay, which is a great training place because there are a bunch of trials you can run from the beach up the ridges. Weβll also take the boards and paddle all the way down to the sea caves. Itβs mental. I also body surf Sandy Beach and Makapuβu. A lot of times weβll just do run-swims at Makapuβu. Weβll run the entire beach, jump in, swim, then double run the beach again and swim back the opposite way because you want to feel what itβs like to go against the current. Sometimes I donβt even feel like Iβm working. Itβs more like an adventure and itβs something that Iβm so lucky to do.
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Whatβs it like to be part of the Hawaiβi lifeguard βohana?
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Itβs honestly the most incredible family Iβve ever had because these are people I trust with my life. When I go out, I know that if I need backup, theyβre going to come. I know theyβre watching me.
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So now youβre passing that spirit and knowledge along to the next generation of junior guards?
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Right. Iβve been teaching the junior lifeguard program for nine years at the Ala Moana site. Itβs an honor to be able to help people and be in this lifestyle. I want to pass that on. I tell the kids that whatever you do, just be passionate and give it everything you have. If you can find something that you love and you dedicate everything that youβve got, then youβll be stoked the rest of your life, youβll prosper, and youβll be able to pass the stoke on to everyone else.
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