At Doheny State Beach in Dana Point, California, the lifeguard infrastructure is anchored by a main Lifeguard Headquarters, but the day-to-day eyes on the water belong to individual towers spaced along the coastline.
Lifeguard Tower 6 is positioned on the day-use side of the park, which sits north of the San Juan Creek river mouth. This specific area is renowned as a world-class, beginner-friendly longboard surfing destination. Because the waves here break gently over a shallow, rocky reef further out, Tower 6 oversees a highly active zone popular with novice surfers, stand-up paddleboarders, and swimmers.
Lifeguards stationed at Tower 6 primarily focus on monitoring the unique hazards of this stretch of beach. The mixing of swimmers and watercraft is a constant safety priority, alongside managing the stingray shuffle zone and monitoring local rip currents that can form near the creek jetty. Like the other seasonal towers along this stretch, Tower 6 operates heavily during the peak summer months and weekends when the beach sees its largest crowds.
SURFER JOE
(Written by Ron Wilson)
[Verse 1]
Down in Doheny where the surfers all go
There’s a big beach blondie named Surfer Joe
He’s got a green surfboard and a Woody to match
And when he’s ridin’ the freeways, man, is he hard to catch!
[Chorus]
Surfer Joe, now look at him go-o-o-o-o-o
Surfer, Surfer, Surfer Joe-o-o
Go man, go-o-o
Oh-oh, oh, oh, oh, Surfer Joe
[Verse 2]*
I saw him one day flyin’ down the road
With twenty-six surfboards and a hundred-pound load
I knew where he was headin’, tryin’ to reach
The playground of the surfers: Doheny Beach
[Chorus]
Surfer Joe, now look at him go-o-o-o-o-o
Surfer, Surfer, Surfer Joe-o-o
Go man, go-o-o
Oh-oh, oh, oh, oh, Surfer Joe
[Verse 3]
He went down to Huntington Beach one week
For the annual surfers’ convention meet
Hangin’ five and walkin’ the nose
And when the meet was over, the trophy was Joe’s!
[Chorus]
Surfer Joe, now look at him go-o-o-o-o-o
Surfer, Surfer, Surfer Joe-o-o
Go man, go-o-o
Oh-oh, oh, oh, oh, Surfer Joe
[Verse 4]
Surfer Joe joined Uncle Sam’s Marines today
They stationed him at Pendleton, not far away
They cut off his big blonde locks, I’m told
And when he went on manuevers, Joe caught cold
[Chorus]
Surfer Joe, now look at him go-o-o-o-o-o
Surfer, Surfer, Surfer Joe-o-o
Go man, go-o-o
Oh-oh, oh, oh, oh, Surfer Joe
[Verse 5]*
Now that didn’t stop him or keep him away
When the surf was up, he still had his day
They caught him at the Trestle, down by the sea
And now poor Joe is doin’ KP!
Note on the verses: When the song was cut down for the standard radio single release, Verse 2 (about the 26 surfboards) and Verse 5 (about getting caught at Trestles and doing KP duty) were omitted to make the track shorter. The lyrics above include those missing verses from the full, unedited recording.
