The Surf Lifesaving del Sur Team are dedicated water safety advocates whom have spent decades promoting and training individuals in drowning prevention and aquatic lifesaving techniques.
A 100% Volunteer based non-profit, Team members do not receive any compensation.
Laine Pepper grew up bodysurfing the beaches of Coronado and Leucadia before ending up in La Jolla, California, where he began his lifeguarding career. During his 20 years with the City of San Diego Lifeguard Service, Laine worked summers and winters as an Ocean Lifeguard in the La Jolla reef area, training numerous lifeguards in the unique rescue techniques necessary along this rock- and rip current-strewn coastline. Spring and fall he spent patrolling Mission Bay and offshore as a Marine Safety Officer, Surf Rescue Boat Operator, or as a Marine Fire Boat Operator and Firefighter.
Laine is trained as an Emergency Medical Technician (EMT), a Cliff Rescue Technician, and a Swift Water Rescue Technician. In addition, his training includes SCUBA Underwater Search and Rescue and Coast Guard Helicopter Rescue Operations.
Laine worked as the Marine Safety Coordinator for the La Jolla Rough Water Swim from 1994 - 2002, the largest ocean swimming event in the U.S.
While employed as a Sergeant, Laine and his crew received a Unit Exceptional Performance Citation from the San Diego Fire Rescue Department, and he received the Blue Knight Award from the San Diego Crime Commission for "exceptional heroic performance in the line of duty". Laine has been awarded the Medal of Valor by the United States Lifesaving Association, the American Legion, and the San Diego Fire Rescue Dept. He has Certificates of Commendation and Special Recognition from the United States Senate and Congress, as well as the California State Assembly and Legislature.
Laine currently splits his time between Cape Town, South Africa and San Jose del Cabo, B.C.S., where Laine is the principal lifesaving instructor for "El H. Cuerpo de Bomberos de Cabo San Lucas y El Colegio de Bomberos y Administradores de Emergencias".
Jimmy Canale was born and raised in Orange County, CA, where he followed in his brother Pete's footsteps, then a Newport Beach Lifeguard. Jimmy was a junior lifeguard in the 60's, worked as a pool guard in the 70's, and began his career as an ocean lifeguard for the City of San Diego in 1979. The focus of his career was spent guarding difficult rock reef beaches such as Wind & Sea and La Jolla Cove, where his experience was invaluable in the training and supervising of both winter and summer lifeguards. Jimmy has guarded and rescued successive generations in La Jolla, earning him the respect and adoration of the community.
During his career, Jimmy also patrolled Mission Bay as a Marine Safety Officer, worked as a Marine Firefighter, and crewed an offshore Surf Rescue Boat. Throughout his career, he worked as an Emergency Medical Technician and a Cliff Rescue Technician. He is trained in SCUBA Underwater Search & Rescue, Coast Guard Helicopter Rescue Operations, and as a Swift Water Rescue Technician.
Jimmy represented San Diego in the International Lifeguard Exchange Program, working in both Australia and New Zealand, and was the Marine Safety Coordinator for our nation's premier ocean event, the La Jolla Rough Water Swim, now THE largest rough water swim event in the world with close to three thousand participants.
Jimmy was nominated by his peers in San Diego on three occasions for "Lifeguard of the Year" and has received the T.J. Wallace award for "Most Inspirational Lifeguard". He has received an "Exceptional Performance Citation" from the San Diego Fire Rescue Dept. The La Jolla Town Council honored Jimmy's continued dedication to the community with an "Outstanding Service Award", and named him Civic Marshall of the La Jolla Parade in 2007 for outstanding community service, the first lifeguard ever to receive this distinction. The San Diego Lifeguard Service awarded Jimmy "Best Rescue 2009" for the dramatic prevention of a double drowning involving scuba divers in La Jolla Cove. Most recently, Jimmy was named "Citizen of the Year" in 2011 by the San Diego Fire Rescue Dept. for his ongoing dedication to the training and implementation of Lifeguards and Lifeguard Services in Baja and mainland Mexico.
Jimmy and his wife, Michele, a former lifeguard and retired Captain with San Diego Fire, raised their children on La Jolla's beaches, where he recently retired as the most-experienced ocean lifeguard in the City of San Diego.
These honored and respected persons have endorsed the principles of Surf Lifesaving del Sur. They have given the prestige of their names and positions to support Surf Lifesaving del Sur and to demonstrate the importance of professional lifesaving in Los Cabos and throughout Mexico.
Don Luis Bulnes Molleda
Presidente del patronato de Bomberos
Cabo San Lucas, Baja California Sur
Lic. Juan Antonio Carbajal Figueroa
Comandante de Bomberos
Cabo San Lucas, Baja California Sur
ritical to the success of Baja Seminario's in Los Cabos is a core group of volunteer trainers.
Lifeguard Sergeant at City of San Diego
Volunteer Surf Lifesaving del Sur Expert Trainer
Born in El Paso, Care moved with his family to San Diego when he was 8 years old. He attended San Diego State University earning a BA in Business Finance.
Sgt. Eric Care has been a lifeguard with the City of San Diego for over 30 years. He currently is a Lifeguard Sergeant and oversees the city’s Mission Bay Harbor Boat and Safety unit. As the Sergeant, his responsibilities include operation and training of various vessels ranging from 22’ Boston Whalers to the 42’ fire suppression vessels.
Sgt. Care is also on the Swift Water Rescue team and is committed to passing on top level rescue techniques to his fellow rescuers south of the border. He has been a volunteer member of the Surf Lifesaving del Sur Team since the inception of the program in 2004.
Lifeguard III Field Training Officer, Lifeguard Services- City of San Diego
Volunteer Surf Lifesaving del Sur Expert Trainer
Officer Ryan Dammann has been with the City of San Diego Lifeguard Services for over 25 years. He currently holds the position of Lifeguard III Field Training Officer. His responsibilities include coordinating and instructing all lifeguard vessel academies. Dammann is also a member of the Swift Water Flood Rescue Team and is Cliff & Dive rescue certified.
A native of San Diego, he grew up in Mission Beach. Dammann attended the University of Wyoming and San Diego State University.
He joined the Surf Lifesaving del Sur Team in 2005.
Marine Safety Captain, Lifeguard Service- City of San Diego (retired)
Volunteer Surf Lifesaving del Sur Expert Trainer
John Sandmeyer worked the San Diego Lifeguard Service for 38 years and retired as the Marine Safety Captain. He oversaw all Lifeguard and Mission Bay Harbor Patrol training including the San Diego County Lifeguard Regional Training Academy. He was the Swift Water/Flood Rescue Team Leader for San Diego Fire-Rescue Department and directed the San Diego Junior Lifeguard program.
He has been involved with training northern Baja California lifeguards for over 20 years and has been on the Surf Lifesaving del Sur Team in Cabo San Lucas for the last 16 years.
Sandmeyer is a Board member for the Prevent Drowning Foundation of San Diego and spends his recreational time surfing, swimming and playing beach volleyball. He is married with three children and lives in San Diego.
Early on he was an exchange student at the Universidad de Salamanca and later lived in Mundaka, Spain for 6 months. He speaks Spanish and travels whenever he can to increase his experience in and out of the water.
Aquatic Stunt Professional
Volunteer Surf Lifesaving del Sur Expert Trainer
Lance Mendoza has been a San Diego Lifeguard/Safety Marine Officer for over 30 years. He has acquired many certifications and training such as critical stress incident stress management, Aquatic Rescue, Marine Firefighter, EMT, Swift Water Rescue / Cliff Rescue Tech, Rescue Scuba diver, Personal Watercraft Rescue Boat Operator Instructor, Helicopter Rescue Tech, and Safety Supervisor City beaches motion picture projects. Lance is a true aquatic safety professional with the skills and resources necessary to be an operational leader.
Mendoza has been a volunteer trainer with Surf Lifesaving del Sur since 2004.
Volunteer Surf Lifesaving del Sur Expert Trainer
Cicchetto joined the Surf Lifesaving del Sur Team in 2005.
Volunteer Surf Lifesaving del Sur Expert Trainer
Wade has been a volunteer trainer with Surf Lifesaving del Sur since 2004.
Mary Vail, MBA is an award-winning Las Vegas based publicist known for her innovative PR and marketing campaigns as well as her philanthropic efforts that extend across the globe.
A water safety advocate, she is co-founder of Float Like A Duck, an award winning water safety initiative established in Las Vegas, NV in 2003.
A water sports enthusiast, Vail has won 2- triathlons.
She is the author of “What’s Your Philanthropic Footprint?”. The publication reveals her personal and business experiences providing insight on how to realize and enhance one’s Philanthropic Footprint!
Vail earned a BS from the University of Hawaii, an MBA from the University of Nevada-Las Vegas, Lee Business School Executive MBA program, and a Certificate in Social Sector Leadership from Berkeley University-BerkeleyHaas School of Business: Philanthropy University.
Vail joined the Surf Lifesaving del Sur Team in August 2021.
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