There Is No More Money To Pay For Lifeguards WHAT ARE WE GOING TO DO?

It was on January 11, 2008 that Matthew McParland came to Costa Rica, possibly seduced by the waves, surf, beautiful sunsets, and nature ... in short, all that Tamarindo personifies. Sadly, the same reasons that justified Matthew’s visit to Tamarindo, took his life. If there had been a lifeguard on the beach, Matthew’s chances of survival would have increased. However, that did not happen.

The pain of losing her friend motivated Cheryl McKillican to try and do something to prevent more drowning from occurring along Tamarindo’s beach. Along with her sister-in-law, they visited hotels and shops in search of help. Several businesses gave donations, but only for a couple of months. The money they elicited allowed them to employ four lifeguards that would guard the beach, to employ a fifth lifeguard that would cover their days off, and to repair the guard towers and upgrade equipment. However, the economic crisis began to affect more then half of the donors, who found it difficult to continue helping. Nourished by the desire to continue financing the lifeguard service, Cheryl, the lifeguards, and Programa de Salvavidas, held events such as Raft Up. Gradually, some organizations joined their cause, including Surfrider, who also employs a person to clean the beach. That money helped the lifeguard program continue for four more months. Then, the Surf and Turf gave some extra help.

Goodwill is shown everywhere, but receiving donations for the lifeguard program is not an easy task. The urgency of having people trained to save lives on a beach as popular as Tamarindo is paramount. In 2008, hotels provided 56% of the required, but in 2009, the economic crisis saw their participation dwindle to 9%. Although there are hotels like Capitán Suizo and Grupo Las Mareas that have provided $100 per month, participation in 2010 is much lower then in previous years. 

Cheryl continues to knock on doors. On April 21, she spoke with the Mayor of Santa Cruz and urged him to document their request for consideration by the Municipality Council, and to get in contact with Tamarindo’s new Association for Integral Development. Among the documents submitted is a report given by two certified lifeguards, Jorge Zamora and his wife Jessica, also a nurse. Every week, they rescue an average of 5 people from drowning, and 15 people with injuries mostly caused by surfboards.

Nobody knows exactly how many lives are saved by this prevention program, or by informing tourists about where and when bathing is not advised due to dangerous currents, especially in the mouth of the estuary during low tide. Most visitors do not have this information given to them by their hotels or hostels, and it has been the lifeguards that have been providing this service. There are three guard towers – one every 300 meters – but they do not have the necessary equipment to perform their jobs as effectively as they could be. What they do have are very poor conditions. The rescue surfboard was destroyed in December as a result of seven rescues conducted in a single day (strong currents smashed the board against the rocks). Is it possible that 15 hotels contribute $100 every month in order to keep the lifeguards stationed every 300 meters throughout the beach – as Capitán Suizo and Grupo Mareas do? They would be providing life-saving services to their customers.

Cheryl's work could possibly join together those Tamarindo shops and hotels that are willing to invest in beach safety. This would be another small step in regaining the Blue Flag distinction, and for our community to show that we are taking responsible actions in protecting the tourists who come to enjoy our beaches. If you support this idea or want to make a suggestion, please contact Cheryl by phoning her at 8877.4018, or by emailing her at cherylmckillican@hotmail.com.