I spent the summer training to be a lifeguard for the Skowhegan artist residency, and for the lake at large. After a month of preparation and building a buoyant platform, two man-powered canoes pulled me out. The tower was constructed entirely of Styrofoam making it an unclimbable beacon of safety and summer. On its first day, the wind cracked the tower. After making reinforcements, I hired a boat to pull me out every day. I stood duty from 8 AM until 6 PM. Boaters joined me for lunch, dinner, and conversation. I mixed small talk with swimming and boating tips, but for the most part enjoyed the more leisurely activities of a lifeguard, i.e. reading, counting waves, etc. A few swimmers also joined me by swimming the 1.5 mile distance from shore, from where the tower was just a blip on the horizon.
Many thanksto Paolo Arao, Ridley Howard, John Landeweghe, Carl Scholz, Amy Sillman, Michael
Smith, Julian Stark, and Mark Swanson
on duty in the middle of Lake Wesserunsett
Lake Wesserunsett, Skowhegan, ME
a tug boat Morning and evening taxi service
daily activities
lifesaving lessons from the East Madison Fire Department
