CLICK FOR LARGER PHOTO There were many free, open hours at the life saving station. You might wonder what the surfmen did in there spare time. We visited the Sleeping Bear Life Saving Station to try to get some clues on the subject. Bill Herd (a park ranger) told us that crewmen loved to fish, play baseball, play cards, and build their own boats. These are just some of the things that crewmen and others did in their spare time. One of the main hobbies the crewmen had was carving lures. The fishing techniques from the early century have changed drastically. Making their own lures consisted of carving from cork or wood or condensed foam into minnow shaped structures. The crewmen often challenged local men to baseball games on Sundays. Many life saving stations had a baseball field right near the station so they were still around for constant watch of the lakes. As you can see there was much more to a crewman's life than just work. These men used their spare time just like any other men of that time period. The point that we are trying to make is that the crewmen lived a busy life even when they weren't working.

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