Lifeguards like to increase their numbers of so-called rescues when sometimes all they do is wade out in the water and say "are you OK" or in other cases they rescue a person who doesn't even need to be rescued. in fact one time a lifeguard at San onofre tried to initiate a rescue for me when I didn't need a rescue . I was doing very well but their macho self-congratulatory attitude sometimes makes them think we're all weak swimmers accept them.... I was actually a better swimmer than the Lifeguard who thought he needed to rescue me I actually told him to leave me alone
http://m.ocregister.com/articles/beach-723496-surf-ocean.html
-vk-