- His swimming background was a natural introduction to lifeguarding for Blake, who in 1924 patrolled in Santa Monica. His interest in surfing piqued while on the waterfront, where he'd later guard with Duke at the Santa Monica Swimming Club. He'd go on to work on coastlines around the country, with large amounts of time spent lifesaving in Hawaii. After the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor, Blake decided to enlist in the Coast Guard because it was "the thing to do," despite the fact that he was 40 years old at the time. Over the course of 3 years, Blake rapidly rose through the ranks, eventually becoming a platoon leader and commanding a company of 54 men and 20 canines for search and rescue. His lifeguarding and waterman expertise served him well, and at 43, after drafting multiple rescue manuals and survival guides, he was honorably discharged so he could return to his surfing and seafaring ways in Waikiki.
Contribute to this page
Suggest an edit or add missing content