Dave Lapenna

What made you join the beach patrol?
When I was growing up, my family spent many summer vacations in the Crest. We stayed at the Admiral motel located across the street from the life guard station on Rambler Rd. I think it has since beenchanged to the Ocean View. I used to watch the lifeguard workouts in the morning and dream of
someday being a guard. I made a deal with my parents that if I could pass the test to become a lifeguard,they would let me spend the summer working on the beach in Wildwood Crest.
At 16 years old my Dad drove me down from Syracuse NY to take the test and I passed! I believe I was
the youngest guard WCBP ever had at the time. Having swum competitively since I was 8, I knew I could pass the pool swim test, but the ocean test was a different story. I remember trying to launch the boatthrough the surf with my feet barely able to touch the seat in front of me. I was able to run through the surf and jump the waves with those ridiculously heavy buoys or “CANS” as we used to call them. To this day I believe my parents never thought I would pass but a deal is a deal and they relented.

Tell us about your best memories from your years with the WCBP
In my first year I was partnered with one of the older guards named Jack McGregor. Not sure of his last
name but we were assigned one of the last stands to the north after the pier. I think it was the second to last one. I remember going on several runs to pull swimmers back from going out too far and constantly trying to keep swimmers away from the pier. I swam in a few Lifeguard races for the Crest and actually came in second in one. I also learned that when a girl came up to the stand asking for the “keys to the oarlocks” or a “few feet of shoreline” for the stand next to us, we were supposed to send them on to the next stand and see how long it would take for them to figure out the joke. I think the record was 7 stands.
My second year I was partnered with a guard named Ernie who came from West Orange. His accent was so thick I had to continually ask him to repeat himself because I couldn’t understand him. Thank god he had a lot of patience with me. I remember a few Lifeguard parties at the house on Crocus Ave and a Lifeguard Ball held in Cape May.

Tell us about your life after the beach
After guarding those two summers at the beach, I spent my High School Senior summer guarding at the local public pool in our town. Boy, what a difference! Talk about boring. I attended a few different
colleges, spent some time in California, got married and eventually graduated with a degree in
Mechanical Engineering from Syracuse University. Started a family with my wife Marcy and had two
exceptional children, Lauren and Anthony. I made it a point to bring them to Wildwood Crest for
vacation many time over the years and still remember their faces when I took them to the beach tent to show the group pictures on the wall from those years as a guard.
I’ve worked at several companies over the years and even ran an engineering consulting business for 12 years. I am currently living the good life in retirement, enjoying somewhat good health and always try to get back to the Crest for vacation when possible. I was able to meet up with Buddy Johnson the last time I was down there to share updates and relive some of the old times. Boy how things have changed!

How has the beach patrol impacted your life?
I still respond with pride when asked about my days on the shore and will always hold those memories
dear to my heart. If that experience taught me anything, it was that nothing is impossible if you really
want it and are willing to work hard for it, a life lesson that has probably shaped me my whole life. My
best wishes to all my fellow guards. Especially those responsible for creating and maintaining this
website.
What advice would you give a young guard today?
If an old man comes up to you some day and want to talk your ear off about his “Good Old Days” on the stand, Have some patience with him and remember, that will be you some day.
SEE YOU ON THE BEACH!