A day at the beach is usually a fun day out – time to catch some sun, surf and relax, but for many thousands of people a day at the beach ends in disaster.

More than 800,000 people drown around the world annually. These deaths occur not just in the ocean but in rivers, bathtubs, lakes and swimming pools. Almost half of these deaths are of children and as many occur in Asia, where drowning is the second highest cause of death through injury.

Studies by the International Federation of Lifesavers show that 350,000 people drowned across Asia in 2004 alone.

On the go: Lifeguards train together in a run and swim race to keep fit for life saving work. (JP/JB Djwan)

It is these tragic deaths that lifeguards at Kuta and other Badung regency beaches have been trying to prevent for more than 30 years.

Founded in 1972 the Balawista Surf Lifesaving Club started the Surf Life Saving Association of Indonesia and became the country’s first member of the International Life Saving Federation. In its three decades of operation it has saved thousands of lives.

The club rescued 299 people during 2008 alone, including fishermen at sea and swimmers at some of Badung’s most notorious beaches including Seminyak, Ulawatu and Jimbaran.

In 2005 the club saved 351 people, losing just 14 to the sea.

Lifeguards at Kuta Beach advocate greater education as the best way to reduce the number of people at risk of drowning.

The guards patrol more than four kilometers of a beach that attracts thousands of people to its waters every month; the high numbers add to the risk of drowning.

“Many domestic tourists that come to Kuta – or other beaches here – don’t know about staying between the red and yellow striped flags. They rarely get to the beach and don’t know how dangerous it can be. When it is really crowded and the waves are up, it becomes very dangerous and far more difficult to patrol – because of those crowds,” Wayan Sumerta said.

Sumerta, a life guard at 28 years of age, followed in his father’s footprints in the sand.

“My father has been a lifeguard since 1978. I have been on this beach since I was born. Dad was a lifeguard and mom sold bracelets on the beach, so I learned very early the power of the sea.”

He added that if beach safety was taught in schools across the country far fewer people would be at risk of drowning. There is also great need for more surf lifesaving clubs across the country, he said.

“The Badung government is very good in their support for life guards on the beaches, but educating the people on the dangers of the sea and how to swim safely between the flags is just not there,” Sumerta said.

Badung Regency is miles ahead of the rest of the country in its financial support for life guards. Balawista Surf Lifesaving Club falls under the tourism department.

“We were the first [lifesaving club] in Indonesia. There is only one other surf lifesaving club in the country and that is the one in Pangandaran in Java. They come down here to train with us and learn,” Sumerta said, adding that the Balawista surf lifesaving club is fully funded with 16 posts across Badung Regency beaches. The call for greater beach awareness was backed by fellow life guard, Made Muliarta.

“When we are rescuing people – they all panic. That increases the danger, because people are not thinking clearly when they panic. That goes for both domestic and foreign tourists. But I think foreigners tend to get to the beach more often and have a greater respect for the danger.

They know to look for the yellow and red striped flags marking the part of the beach that is safe for swimming. Local tourists simply don’t know how dangerous the sea can be,” Muliarta said.

Rescuing panicking swimmers is also dangerous for lifeguards. Panicked swimmers pull lifeguards down and can put their lives in jeopardy, Muliarta said of the often perilous profession.

“Surf lifesaving is dangerous. We need to be aware all the time and that is why we train a lot.

We keep fit for this work so we are always ready to help – we have to be strong.

“We, as a club, have been very lucky so far. We have never lost a lifeguard nor had anyone injured. I sometimes think to myself, ‘why are none of us victims of the sea too?’ I think it’s because we have faith and trust in what we do,” Muliarta said.

Keeping fit and training in CPR and life saving skills are part of a lifeguard’s job description Muliarta explained.

“When we enter here as lifeguards, we do intensive training in immediate resuscitation of drowning victims, how to deal with wounds and other paramedic first aid, to stabilize victims before taking them to hospital. We have our own ambulance and every post has a small clinic.”

Training in the use of jet skis, surf rescue boats and boards, as well as how to read the sea and its potentially killer waves is also part of a lifeguard’s training.

Badung’s surf lifeguards practice and repractice those skills weekly, with all 16 posts training together and discussing new techniques.

“We also compete physically with each other. It keeps us motivated and on our toes,” Muliarta

said of the 1,000 meter run and the 400 meter swim held after every weekly meeting.

The rigorous training has seen some of Badung’s best life guards competing on the world stage of the biennial World Interclub Surf Lifesaving Championships.

“We’ve won some medals. My dad took out Bronze in Hawaii and another supervisor, Nyoman, got Bronze in Japan. But we could not afford to compete in Germany in 2007,” Sumerta said, adding that it was difficult to call for donations to send athletes to a competition when your role is saving lives.

Badung’s surf lifeguards were the focus of an Australian television series last year.

Surf lifeguards from one of the world’s other famous beaches, Bondi, in Sydney, spent two months working with the Badung club exchanging skills and surf lifesaving techniques. The exchange program was filmed and shown on Australian television.

“Having the Bondi guys here was great – we learned form them and they learned from us. They taught us about spinal carriage and donated a spinal injuries carrying board that reduces movement in patients. We taught them about our culture and the traffic here.

They discovered that the traffic is crazy,” Sumerta said adding that it is hoped the Bondi relationship will further grow with return inter-club visits.

While it is an all male club at present, Sumerta says there was in the past one female lifeguard, “who was great, but has now gone to work in a hotel. Women are always welcome to come along and volunteer”.

On the old chestnut that surf lifeguards are chick magnets, all the Kuta surf lifeguards agree, “we have way too much competition on Kuta Beach from other guys. We’re too busy working anyway.”

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