There are as many reasons for going to the beach as their are beachgoers. At Bondi some chase big waves, while other just want to relax, find romance, or get a tan. The reality is not
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There are as many reasons for going to the beach as their are beachgoers. At Bondi some chase big waves, while other just want to relax, find romance, or get a tan. The reality is not every Bondi wish comes true. Many beachgoers bite off more than they can chew, ending up sunburned, dumped by waves, and/or caught in rips.
One 16 year old is about to discover whether or not she has bitten off more than she can chew when she arrives at Bondi for a two week lifeguard exchange program. Temika Wright is an eager young trainee from Coffs Harbour hoping to learn how it's done on the world's busiest beach. Her first day is typical of a Saturday at Bondi when the tower is overrun by blue bottle victims. All are Chinese, most under 14, and only one of them can speak English.
Temika's baptism of continues when a girl is found in a highly distressed state, having hit her head diving under a wave. The girl, visiting the beach with friends from the Blue Mountains, is only one year older than Temika. In a lot of pain, fearing she may have damaged her spine, the girl receives comforting assistance from the Coffs Harbour rookie.
Another accident in the surf involves a man with a major cut to his head from a surfboard. When lifeguard Brad moves his hand to inspect the cut, blood rapidly spurts out. Temika is taking on everything from first aids to dealing with ambulances, so the lifeguards up the ante by putting her through resuscitation drills and rescue techniques. Slight of frame but big of heart, she does her best to hold her own with the much larger boys, including Bondi trainee Maxy. Much more confident and experienced, Maxy offers to show Temika the ropes. But Maxy is soon to find the shoe on the other foot. Next week he'll be dispatched to Temika's home town to see how lifeguarding is done on the North Coast.
