Those who know me are aware of my passion for the Lifesaving movement, embodied in the Surf Lifesaving clubs of Australia; this passion was confirmed and intensified over the past few days, as a lifeguard on Queensland's Moreton Island.
If you have never been there (and I had not before this weekend past) it is one of the largest sand islands in the world, and apart from 3 small settlements and a tourism icon, the island is 95% National park. You can access more information from http://tinyurl.com/y8ugkqf
During the Australian September School holidays, the island is visited by thousands of holiday makers, who swim surf, snorkel and generally partake in the holiday activities of the Queensland Spring. As a result of incidents, Surf Life Saving Queensland has commenced a Lifeguard service on the island, during the holiday seasons.
During the recent holidays, I was asked to go to Tangalooma, and be a lifeguard for 9 days...
Apart from the immense natural beauty of the island, there is another less obvious attraction. Time is slowed to a crawl from the hustle and bustle of the mainland. There really is a phenomenon called "Island Time," where stress is a word rather than a condition, and tomorrow is a distant event that is to be enjoyed rather than feared or dreaded....
After 9 days, I was completely relaxed, even though I had kept busy with lifesaving duties - driving a Jetski (Surf Lifesaving clubs call them Rescue Water Craft) for eight hours a day is exhilarating rather than exhausting, but I admit I slept well at night
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
No comments:
Post a Comment