You skipped over the part about the “unfathomable language.” I suspect it was more than simply ignoring the whistle.
Although, as I’ve said, we occasionally see surfers and swimmers ticketed by the police at our beach if they don’t respond to the whistle and come in when told to. We do have a restricted area (military) nearby, which must be avoided.
Everyone I told this story to this afternoon laughed their heads off, I dont know how my typing is making this sound so ominous! :)
So, here is the details
I swam out past the small sandbar, into the 68 deg water, cool for this time of year, to about 30 yards out, dove under the deep breakers and went past the breakers to a point where I could just float and bob and relax since I had just walked the beach in both directions for about 5 miles total carrying 4lb weights to exercise
I felt fine. Had some guy out there with me, we spoke for a while, he turned to go in
I was just floating and heard another whistle go off. Since I was in no trouble and kids were all around playing ball on the beach when they arent allowed to anymore, I ignored it
Some time later I heard a whistle again, ignored it but looked to my left and right to see if anyone was in trouble, saw everyone okay, 1 foot waves, so I stayed out
Heard a whistle again, ignored it cause it had to be the beach, I was doing fine, wasn’t on the state beach where the rules are so strict you arent allowed to use a mask and snorkle, play ball, frisbee,run, jog, use surfboards, posess alchohol in any container, use glass containers...I was on the private side and there were never any lifeguards there anyways! ( I hadnt been there for 2 years due to my back surgeries)
So, the guy was was out with me before swims to about 20 yards away and tells me that the lifeguard is calling me with the whistles
I turned, looked at him, asked what he wanted
He shouted something, I swam in to hear him but with the waves breaking I didnt hear him
I swam closer and STOOD ON THE SANDBAR with the water up to just under my belly button, and still couldn’t hear him
He told me to get out of the water because there was a riptide
I said WHAT Riptide?? I am standing directly in front of my towel, I am not getting pushed to any side, I was right where I wanted to be when I was floating, what are you talking about??
He asked me if I knew what a riptide was, I responded that it was wave and current action that made you move sideways and out, he then called me stupid and said it was water action that was making go into deeper water
I said there was no such thing happening, who told him that was happening here?? I was swimming and floating fine, what are you talking about?
Dont tell me!! I have done this job for 20 years and that brown water is a riptide!
I said That brown water is a sandbar, you just saw me standing on it! There is NO current dragging me out to sea, the high tide is due in complete in one hour! I used to live in Hawaii, these arent even waves!!!
He ignored me and walked off once I said that.
I was furious, I was pulled out of the water because this idiot couldn’t tell the difference between a sandbar at the waters edge from a rip tide with runoff/inlet water going out to sea like a small channel or something
People started asking me what happened who were listening and I showed them what I was talking about, they all saw for themselves.
I met one other Maarine there, asked him if he was ever stationed at Kaneohe, he said no, but I told him of the waves we rode every day and the ones as high as telephone poles in winter. (Literally)
For those who dont live near the shore, you most likely wont understand because you didn’t live this lifestyle or swim in waters like this, but for those who live near beaches understand: When city folk, like NYC people, go to Long Island beaches, the lifeguards flip because people just dont know how to swim.
It offends me when I am just doing fine, like it always was for years everywhere, but the nanny state mentality makes lifeguards over react
and, I do have to admit, I did start thinking...maybe acting...DONT YOU KNOW I KNOW HOW TO SWIM BETTER THAN YOU??
Good grief, I swim laps at the town pool, was an expert bodysurfer for years, LOVED the beaches at Atlantic Beach North Carlina and Kaneohe Bay, Waiamea, Sunset beach...
man, and this place is like a pond, it is right at the end of Long Island Sound, the waves there are over blown, break too fast, have a rocky bottom, have too quick a drop off from the waterline there is NO good bodysurfing, it is only good for bobbing up and down in once your used to Hawaii...(sigh)...and with the size of my belly, I would float for weeks in salt water with no effort