Lifeguard Stations: A right of passage

I was shocked when MA and Terri told me they had never sat on a lifeguard station. And then I remembered: they are East Coast girls. Transplants. It's kind of a right of passage if you want to be a true California Girl, I explained. We all grew up on the beach and lifeguard stations were a symbol of that salty-haired lifestyle, and often became late night hangouts for, well, inappropriate behavior. The three of us Cali girls reminisced about late-night escapades to the stations where we had a first kiss, our first joint, or just deep friend conversations. Before proceeding, I should note that I'm not sure it's entirely legal to hang out on the stations, so please know this blog is for entertainment purposes only. In fact, the berms or ladders are often removed in the winter so you cannot get up to the towers. This makes it even more fun and challenging to get up there, especially as a (COVID+15 lb) middle aged woman. But with a little lubrication (beer) and persistence, it can be done. Perhaps part of the rush is just getting up there in the first place and not getting caught. As a teenager, my little posse of friends dubbed ourselves the Beach Club (probably with a K for Klub cuz we thought that would be kool) and we would meet on the beach for illegal beer-drinking away from the folks. I'm sure all you Cali natives have been to numerous beach bonfire gatherings in Bolsa Chica, and lifeguard stations were an important part of those too, because it was the only way to find the party: "Meet between stations 17 and 18," or "3 stations down from Jack-in-the-Box." Now of course, we can just text until you find the party, but this was pre-cell phone era. ANYWAY... we got the East Coast girls up on the station and caught the sunset with a new appreciation for life on the beach as a California girl.

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