“The long wave and the thundering shores of Bude” (as Tennyson wrote in his poem ‘The Birth of King Arthur’) have long made Bude a surfer’s paradise.

Bude town overlooks a wide bay of hard golden sand flanked by spectacular cliffs and protected by a breakwater. The beaches of both Summerleaze and Crooklets, continuously pounded by the Atlantic, have been described by Australian surfers as the ‘Bondi of Britain’ and it was here in 1953 that some of them formed the first Surf Life Saving Club in the country. The club motto is ‘Vigilance and Service’ and during its time club members have saved many thousands of people from drowning.

It was also here on Crooklets beach that Alan Kennedy, an ambassador from Australia, declared “What surf and what a place for surfing!” The first Australian life guard bronze medal was awarded to Alan Brock (Chuckles) of Bude, and the rest, as they say, is history!

The Club still thrives and weekly demonstrations give an insight into its valuable role; the long and fascinating history of Bude’s local lifesaving club is well documented.

The SLSA of GB is a founder member of International Life Saving (ILS) whose members throughout the world teach lifesaving to the same high standards. There are now 82 Surf Life Saving Clubs affiliated to the SLSA, with thousands of members, from Nippers (7 - 12) to Seniors and Masters. Children learn Sea Safety in Nippers and further develop their lifeguard skills in Juniors. By Senior level most take the NARS beach lifeguard award and compete at national standard for the club in various events.

During the last 54 years well over 20,000 rescues have been made on Bude’s beaches by lifeguards, most of whom have come from the volunteer ranks of the Surf Life Saving Clubs where they learn their patrolling and rescue skills. And this figure does not include the many rescues performed by club members ‘out of hours’, such as when the club captain singlehandedly one evening rescued nearly 30 children who had been swept out in a rip current. Many a time when the lifeboat has been scrambled it has arrived on the scene to find that the casualties have already been rescued and treated with first aid by Bude Surf Life Saving Club members!

Of the lifeguards you see on our beaches 80% are home grown, having been trained as lifeguards through the surf club. Lifeguarding the beaches is a way of life, not just a job. The multiple skills and fitness required is quite outstanding. The Surf Life Saving Association expects high standards in swimming, board paddling and running as standard. The rest, such as surf boat rowing, surf ski riding and competition is optional!