A junior lifeguard jumps off the San Clemente Pier. Photo: Eric Heinz
A San Clemente city lifeguard demonstrates how to execute a proper jump off the San Clemente Pier to junior lifeguards. Photo: Eric Heinz
Dozens of junior lifeguards took part in a traditional Pier jump on July 28. Photo: Eric Heinz
Curious onlookers watch as San Clemente junior lifeguards take part in a traditional jump off the San Clemente Pier. Photo: Eric Heinz
San Clemente Times
Jumping off the San Clemente Pier at the end of a session is a time-honored tradition for junior lifeguards in training.
The famous Pier jump not only serves as an instructional lesson for the youngsters, but it also makes for a fun story many will remember for the rest of their lives.
The goal of the jump, according to San Clemente city lifeguard Hunter Knights, is to make the junior lifeguards aware of the skills required of them at any given moment.
“Sometimes we have to jump off the Pier to rescue paddleboarders, boats or long-distance swimmers,” Knights said. “We want them to understand what we need to be capable of.”
Knights went on to describe how fun it is for the kids to make the jump. Knights was a junior lifeguard himself, and made the jump when he was 11 years old.
On Friday, July 28, 12 junior lifeguards took part in the 2:30 p.m. Pier jump. City lifeguards instructed them on how to execute a proper pencil dive near the end of the Pier. Once they made the jump, a lifeguard below would pass along flotation devices for the junior lifeguards to paddle back to shore.