About Aberdeen Surf Life Saving Club



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Who Are We?

Our club is made up of volunteers from all ages and backgrounds, all united behind a love of the sea and a passion for saving lives. Our club has been around since 1992 and at its peak, had over 50 members, conducting patrols, competing in regional surf lifesaving competitions and regular beach training in Aberdeen. Over the last few years, our membership has been building and 2023 is set to be another fantastic year ! 

What do we do ?

We train regularly to give our club members the confidence and skills to intervene and save a life. Our training sessions cover:

  • First aid and basic life support
  • Surf skills
  • Board, tube and swim rescues
  • SLSGB policies and procedures
  • Inshore Rescue Boat training
  • Lifeguard patrols

As a Surf Lifesaving Great Britain affiliated club, we train up anybody who wishes to qualify as a Beach Lifeguard or just wants to come to a training session once a month ! 

Want to get involved ? No experience necessary !

 While some of our members are seasoned lifeguards, plenty of our members have joined us with no experience of the sea. In fact, a previous club Captain joined when they could not swim ! They put in the effort, worked on their swimming and lifesaving skills and worked all the way up to Surf Lifeguard, the highest lifeguard qualification !

The History of Our Club

Our club was formed in Aberdeen around 1992. The council withdrew the paid lifeguard service and the lifeguards stayed on and formed the club in order to provide volunteer patrols for the summer.

Over the years, our club has provided volunteer patrols, lifeguard cover for local swim events, surfing events and other water sports. From 2022-2023, we qualified over 10 new lifeguards and we are aiming to establish our very own Nippers club this summer !

Previously, our club has attended national SLSGB club competitions and we are working towards this for 2024 !

How the Leopard got it’s spots – Some of the story below is true

A long time ago in a galaxy far, far away………well, a few years back anyway – Let me check and I’ll get back to you – Our club was formed. Naturally, we adopted the Leopard as our mascot – A creature known for it’s love of cold sea water. So, Aberdeen Surf Life Saving Club became “The Leopards”. But what was the real reason we chose our name?

If you didn't already know Aberdeen City's Coat of Arms features two leopards
If you didn’t already know Aberdeen City’s Coat of Arms features two leopards

Not too many people know why they’re there: According to legend the beasts were granted by James I to Aberdeen as the burgh underwrote his expenses while in exile in England. Over the years the descendants of the original pair of leopards (Nargis and Jocuum) have been looked after by the city elders. However, in recent times budgetary cutbacks and increased health and safety legislation meant that the remaining Big Cat was no longer able to be cared for and had to be housed in a secure lock-up on the beach front. When Aberdeen Surf Life Saving Club took over the use of the beachfront lock-up a proviso was made that they would look after this poor but much loved creature.

During the out of season months you will probably the hardy members of our club either fundraising to pull together enough money to feed her or out in the sea hunting for seals and other marine mammals (mostly on Sunday’s). During the Patrol Season, July and August, we generally feed her any lost children we have left over at the end of the day.

We like to think we’re one of the only surf life saving clubs in the UK, if not the World, who has a wild untamed Cat as club secretary.

Useless Fact

There is enough water in Loch Ness (7.4 km³) to completely submerge the human race thre times over – We’re gonna need a bigger boat!

One response to “About Aberdeen Surf Life Saving Club”

  1. Hello,

    I am an ocean lifeguard from California with five years’ experience, and I will be studying abroad at Aberdeen this coming fall. I was wondering whether there would be any way for me to get involved with the club!

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