Ryan Hennessy brings a bit of Australian happy-go-lucky to the structured protocols of o2SURFTOWN. As well, his coastal sensibility, shaped by years of ocean activity near Geelong, brings a salted perspective to a surf scene sprung from the world’s most famous river wave. Since moving to Germany in 2018, he’s navigated intimidating language barriers to assimilate and earn his lifeguard certification. Most remarkable we found is his genuine stoke and love for the inland wave pool. Ryan isn’t phoning it in; he honestly enjoys watching people surf and have fun. At Surftown, he’s known for his focused approach to safety, his ability to connect with guests, and a now-infamous moment when he went surfing in near-freezing water wearing only a pair of Speedos.
Skills:
Bringer of Positivity & High Fives
German Lifeguarding Accreditation
German Language Accreditation
Named After A Famous Alcohol
Aussie-Go-Lucky Vibes
Likes People
“I feel relaxed and energized at the same time when I’m in or around water.”
Where are you originally from, and how long have you been in Germany?
I’m originally from Geelong, Australia, near Melbourne. I came to Germany in 2018 with my partner. First, we lived in Hamburg. I did a few different things, including studying there. We moved around Europe a little bit, and I spent some time back in Australia before reading about Surftown and then moving here to Munich for the job.
Have you always been a lifeguard or is this something new?
No, this is new for me. I read about this Surftown project, and it really spoke to me, and I was excited about what they were building here. I thought, wow, I’d love to work here. Funnily enough, I spoke with my partner about job possibilities, and she mentioned lifeguarding. She said it would fit my personality, so I went out and did the German lifeguarding accreditation and my first aid certificate. I put my application in here at Surftown. Yeah, it’s a new job for me.
Was getting the job at Surftown something that helped keep you in Germany?
It was certainly part of my thinking. The wave pool is 100% me and suits my interests and my personality. From being outside of Germany, it’s a way I can feel more at home here.
You grew up in Australia. Were you more used to being outdoors—pools, beaches, all that?
Yeah, all the Aussie stuff. Lots of swimming. As a kid, I was swimming from a young age in poolsand doing squad swimming training. In my mid-teens, we lived right on the coast, right on the beach. So I got into surfing there. Being in, on, and around water has always been important to me. I feel relaxed and energized at the same time when I’m in or around water.
That must be quite unique, coming from your stint in Hamburg to Southern Germany where today it’s a beautiful sunny day and there’s a pool and it feels like the beach.
Hamburg had its advantages. I met so many good people during my time there. It’s a great social city. But something like this was lacking for me. I traveled a few times to the North Sea, on the German or Danish coast. It was fun and great. But to live in Munich with this facility is awesome.
Did you have to do your lifeguard accreditation in German? How’s your German?
Yeah. My German has built over time. My partner is from Austria, and we spoke English together all the time. But whenever I visited here, I would speak German with her family. So it grew through that. Then we lived here from 2018, and I did a few German courses. I’ve always struggled with grammar, but my understanding and how I use the language is enough. I did the lifeguard accreditation course in German. I had to have a certain level of German to work here, and I did a certificate to prove my basic level.
That’s quite an accomplishment for an American or Australian to learn a new language.
Yeah, quite late in life. I feel like I’m never going to be perfect at speaking it, but what I’ve learned in the space of ten or fifteen years has held me in good stead to be able to live and work here.
And of course, it’s charming when you mangle words.
I laughed about that with Quirin, one of my work colleagues here, yesterday. He didn’t understand something I said, and I said, “Yes, my pronunciation’s not perfect, but that’s me. That’s who I am.”
So what are your duties here? What do you do?
Officially, as a lifeguard, we’re in charge of pool safety. There’s always at least one of us on the pool edge. We constantly have our eyes on the pool—watching the guests, the surf coaches. We look for any incidents or near misses. If something’s a bit unsafe, we’ll let guests know. We’re here to prevent injuries.
Do you oversee other lifeguards, or are you part of the team with shared duties?
The way we have it at Surftown is we have a lifeguard or two on the pool edge, and we’re in radio contact with our wave operator tower. The person up there is also a lifeguard. I do that role too. We coordinate with each other on what we see and just make sure everything’s safe.
At any given time, how many lifeguards are working?
During the busiest periods, we have two lifeguards on the pool. When it’s quieter, just one. But the person sitting up top in the tower is also a qualified lifeguard, in radio contact, pressing the buttons on the waves. They have a great viewing point and can watch where the surf coaches and lifeguards are. So in total, two people at quieter times and three during busier times.
What is the most common thing people visiting Surftown don’t know to do?
It’s a very safe environment to surf, as it’s contained. You don’t have the open ocean elements, but there are still dangerous flat areas at the end of the wave. Surfers need to fall flat and protect their head. Also, the wave-generating technology creates a current along the back wall of the pool. We have to watch and inform people about correct procedures—where to paddle, where to avoid the next surfer.
Outside the pool, are there other safety issues you monitor?
Some people underestimate the physicality of the session. Especially those without surfing experience. They’re quite exhausted afterward. Nothing major, but they definitely feel it. On the pool edge, we make sure there’s no glass. So, it’s small things like that.
This morning I saw someone having trouble paddling, and the lifeguard was encouraging him. Are lifeguards trained to be compassionate in those situations?
That’s something I didn’t mention. We lifeguards are part of a small team within the bigger surf experience team. There are surf coaches as well, and we separate that. The surf coaches focus on technique and passion for surfing. Lifeguards do that too. It’s a big part of our job to bring positivity and high-fives during or after a session, but our primary job is safety. We work in conjunction with the coaches. Promoting the stoke is secondary.
Have you held many jobs over the years? How does this one compare?
I’ve had a lot of jobs. In my younger days, I worked at a ski resort, and my first job was at a cinema. Places where people come to have a good time. I knew this would be a good atmosphere—people are generally happy. The most rewarding thing is sharing that with them. The most challenging part is how draining it can be. Lifeguarding all day and being alert, social, and positive with guests—is tiring. I love it, it suits my personality, but some days I go home quite tired.
Superman needs to go back to his Ice Cave?
One hundred percent.
Is there anything else you’d like to share about Surftown Hallbergmoos that people might not be aware of?
When we first opened last year, I became kind of famous within the surf coach and lifeguard group because we did a lot of training sessions. Sometimes I’d wear my little Speedos, and the crew found that funny. I put the Speedos away when it got cold, but at the Christmas party, we had a few surf sessions before it started. The water was two degrees. A couple of us stripped down to Speedos and surfed one wave.
So you surfed in two-degree water, which is about 35°F, wearing nothing but Speedos?
Nothing but Speedos. It was invigorating. Everyone had a good laugh. It was a great way to start a Christmas party.
