Wales is home to some of the world’s most stunning beaches; from expansive stretches of sand to tiny, secluded coves – Wales’ coast was even named the ‘best region on Earth’ to visit in 2012 by Lonely Planet.
Ceredigion in particular boasts a wealth of these beautiful, unspoilt and award-winning beaches, ready for discovering this summer. Running the length of Cardigan Bay, Ceredigion’s coast includes bustling holiday resorts and family beaches like Aberystwyth and New Quay, to quieter, more peaceful beaches such as Mwnt and Penbryn for those looking to escape the hustle and bustle this summer.
Importantly, holiday-makers and residents can feel safe in the knowledge that Ceredigion’s bathing beaches are also patrolled by dedicated lifeguards during the summer season.
Two of these are brother and sister duo, Tomi and Megan Turner, who have both been lifeguards in Ceredigion since the age of sixteen. Twenty-two year old Tomi and eighteen year old Megan both joined the Aberystwyth Surf Life Saving Club at the age of ten, which has been educating the local community about water safety since 1963. They both enjoyed the Club so much that, as a natural stage of progression, they trained to become lifeguards as soon as they were old enough.
This is now Tomi’s seventh year guarding the beaches, and Megan’s third. “It’s the perfect summer job!” explains Tomi. “You get to work on beautiful beaches and interact with all sorts of people – knowing you’re there to keep them safe is very rewarding. Plus, every day is different – you never know what’s going to happen.”
Common incidents for the brother and sister include a number of dinghy rescues, after people accidentally float out too far from shore, with no means of returning against the tide – sometimes as far as four hundred metres. “We have rescue boards and equipment that we can use to secure those in trouble, and pull them back to shore,” says Tomi. “Often after work hours, I’ve had to paddle out on my kayak, tie a dinghy around my waist with its pull chord, and row back pulling them with me.”
“There are also many heat-related incidents on the beaches for us to deal with,” continues his sister, Megan. “Last year, on one of the very hottest days of the summer, I was guarding Aberystwyth North Beach; there were two cases of heart-attacks within a few minutes of each other, and within fifty metres of each other on the prom too. That was a tough day.”
After taking a year out to travel, Megan is due to start university this September in Swansea, whilst brother Tomi is just about to graduate in Law from Cardiff. The pair, from Aberystwyth, insist however that they intend to keep lifeguarding in Ceredigion for as long as they can, as the draw of the beautiful, local beaches is too strong!
And Ceredigion’s beautiful beaches are certainly worth guarding – both their visitors, and the beaches themselves, five of which have been awarded the prestigious International Blue Flag, meaning they meet the highest standards of water quality and safety.
One such award-winning beach is Cilborth, just north of popular Llangrannog beach. Here, after helping save a young mother’s life whist out surfing one evening five years ago, 32 year old Phil Blackwood decided to become a lifeguard.
Phil moved to the area eight years ago, being a keen surfer and having enjoyed coastal holidays in the UK for many years. One evening, he was enjoying a surf with friends as usual, just off Llangrannog beach – the events that followed inspired him to become a life guard.
“I noticed a woman who appeared to be struggling in the water – she was splashing and things looked a bit hairy,” explains Phil. “I later found out that despite already having a spinal condition, she had gone into the sea after her two daughters, who were body-boarding. They had become caught in a small rip-current, and could have been taken out to sea.
“When my friends and I realised what was happening, we rushed to help – as did another bystander on the beach. Luckily, we were able to pull her up from the water onto our surfboards, where we kept her afloat and as warm as we could until the coastguard arrived, and she was airlifted to hospital.
“She was in the water for a total of forty minutes, and I later found out that her lungs contained 80% sea water. She was in intensive care, and, frankly, on the brink of life or death.
“Thankfully, she did pull through, and people told me afterwards that the actions of my friends and I saved her life. It was then that I realised I wanted to help people like that all the time – and I joined the RNLI lifeguards. My dad was also a fireman, so maybe the urge to save lives is in the blood…”
Phil was featured on BBC documentary series ‘Accidental Heroes,’ and every year since, he has fitted his life around patrolling Ceredigion’s beaches for the summer season, which this year runs from the end of May to the beginning of September
Because of Phil’s local knowledge, he is stationed normally on Llangrannog beach, but also sometimes guards New Quay, Tresaith and Aberporth beaches. But the lifeguards patrol all of Ceredigion’s beaches, usually between 10am and 6pm, unless they have reason to believe longer hours are required on the day.
Passionate about the RNLI and the work they do, Phil also undertakes many fundraising activities for them. Two years ago, he completed a 32 mile coastal run, and for the last three years, he has run a music festival from his smallholding, with funds going to community projects in the local area – his latest cause being a playground for children in Llangrannog. He intends to keep the festival going every year to continue helping the causes closest to his heart, and his community.
If you’re out and about on Ceredigion’s beaches this summer look out for Tomi, Megan, Phil and their colleagues, and remember to say hello!
To find out more about Ceredigion’s beaches, visit the Discover Ceredigion website at www.discoverceredigion.co.uk.
