Become a Lifeguard
The right to wear the coveted red lifeguard costume comes with great responsibility and requires skill, discipline, high fitness levels and compassion.
Before you can join our team of committed lifeguards you are required to first complete the Lifeguard Award (LA) course and then pass the LA Examination.
The course
Our lifeguard course offers comprehensive training to prepare you for the demanding LA Examination requirements.
Training takes place on Sundays from 09h00 to 13h00, and the duration of the course is between 8 and 12 weeks. Please contact us for details on upcoming courses.
At the end of the course you will be required to complete a 200m beach run – 300m sea swim – 200m beach run in under 10 minutes. You will also have a solid understanding of the following:
- Emergency first aid and CPR techniques
- Communication signals
- Rescue craft use
- Spinal board use
- One man drag and rescue techniques
- Boxline and two man carry
- Surf awareness and identification of rips
- Self-defence techniques
- Knots
- Radio procedures
- General awareness
- Responsibilities of a lifeguard
The Awards
Junior Lifeguard Award (14-16 years)
The Junior Lifeguard Award (JLA) enables you to perform full lifeguard duties under supervision, while the Junior Qualifying Certificate (JQC) will enable you to perform first aid and lifeguard duty, but not water rescues. With a JQC you will also not be able to compete.
Entrance requirements:
- Must be at least 14 years old on the day of the examination
- Lifeguards must be able to complete a 400m pool swim in under 7:30 (7 minutes 30 seconds) and Junior Lifeguards in under 8:30 (8 minutes 30 seconds)
- Lifeguards must complete one lap under water and Junior Lifeguards half a lap underwater
Lifeguard Award (16 years and older)
The Lifeguard Award (LA) for senior lifeguards will enable you to work as a professional lifeguard. You will be required to complete an annual retest. The Qualifying Certificate (QC) enables you to perform volunteer lifeguard duties under supervision as well as first aid, but not perform water rescues or compete.
Entrance Requirements:
- Must be at least 16 years old on the day of examination
- Must be able to complete a 400m pool swim in under 7:30 (7 minutes 30 seconds)
How to join
If you are interested in rising to the challenge of becoming a lifeguard and joining our lifeguard course, please complete the application form that can be found on the Indemnity and Club Membership Forms page.
You will be required to pay joining fees for the new course consisting of:
- New Member: 3 Year Membership fee which will include course fees - to be confirmed
- Existing Members: Course fees (Nippers becoming Lifeguards) - to be confirmed
This includes:
- Course fee
- Instruction manual
This excludes:
- LSA Examination Fees
- Laedal Mask
- Access tag
PAYMENT
Once forms have been handed in you will be added to the Karri app for payment to be made.
Please bring the following with you on your first day of course attendance:
- Completed membership application form
- Signed indemnity form
- Payment confirmation slip
- Certified copy of ID (if 16 years or older) - or - Certified copy of birth certificate (if under 16 years old)
For more information or if you have any queries, please do not hesitate to contact us at instructor@bigbaylifesaving.co.za.
FEES
BIG BAY SURF MEMBERSHIP FEES 2025/26
NIPPERS | |||
| BIG BAY LG FAMILY MEMBERSHIP | Where 1 or 2 parents are active lifeguards. OR where a parent is an active coach. Includes 2 - 3 children. Includes all local competitions, whether they compete or not. (Excludes Nationals and WC Champs) Please note fees exclude all Stillwater competitions | R3,075.00 | |
| BIG BAY NIPPER (Age 8-14) MEMBERSHIP (1ST CHILD) | Includes all local competitions, whether they compete or not. (Excludes Nationals and WC Champs) Please note fees exclude all Stillwater competitions. | R1,785.00 | Please note that a Nipper Membership provides for the voting rights of ONE parent at the Club AGM. It does not include membership for a competing adult and / or competition fees. |
| BIG BAY NIPPER (Age 8-14) MEMBERSHIP (2nd CHILD) | Includes all local competitions, whether they compete or not. (Excludes Nationals and WC Champs) Please note fees exclude all Stillwater competitions. | R1,195.00 | Please note that a Nipper Membership provides for the voting rights of ONE parent at the Club AGM. It does not include membership for a competing adult and / or competition fees. |
| BIG BAY MICRO NIPPER (Age 5-8) MEMBERSHIP (1st CHILD) | Excludes ALL competition fees. | R1,345.00 | Please note that a Micro Nipper parent does not have voting rights as per the Club Constitution. |
| BIG BAY MICRO NIPPER (Age 5-8) MEMBERSHIP (2nd CHILD) | Excludes ALL competition fees. | R710.00 | Please note that a Micro Nipper parent does not have voting rights as per the Club Constitution. |
LIFEGUARDS | |||
| ACTIVE LIFEGUARD MEMBERSHIP | Includes all local competitions, whether they compete or not. (Excludes Nationals and WC Champs) Please note fees exclude all Stillwater competitions. | R950.00 | An active LG is a Lifeguard that is retested AND does a minimum of 30 voluntary hours per year. |
| LONG SERVICE MEMBER | Non active LG’s and are not honorary members. They do not "sit duty". (Have been Active LG's for more than 10 years). | R735.00 | |
SOCIAL | |||
| HONORARY MEMBER | Donations are gladly accepted. All competition fees are excluded. | R0.00 | |
| NON ACTIVE (PARTNER / WIFE) | Parent, partner or wife of a LG that wish to be actively involved in the club with voting rights. All competition fees are excluded. | R300.00 | |
| SOCIAL MEMBERS | R2,540.00 | Must be a Social Member in order to store equipment at the Club. | |
EXTRAS | |||
| MEMBER RACK HIRE | R500.00 | ||
| ACCESS DISC | R150.00 |