Postings haven’t kept merchants, swimmers from beach

Kenneth Ma

HUNTINGTON BEACH -- Local beach concession merchants say their

businesses have not been significantly affected by the recent

reoccurrence of warning signs for high levels of bacteria along Surf

City’s beaches.

Signs advising swimmers about excessive levels of bacterium

enterococcus, which may indicate the presence of other disease-producing

organisms, remain standing this week on a 4,000-foot stretch of

Huntington State Beach, 500 feet north of Newland Avenue to 500 feet

south of Magnolia Street.Warning signs were put up July 12 on a

10,000-foot stretch that included both Huntington city and state beaches.

For merchants who cater to beachgoers, the warning signs have not

severely affected their businesses yet, unlike last summer’s multiple

beach closures. In 1999, bacteria from unknown sources fouled the city’s

beaches during peak summer months, leaving many merchants hurting.

“Last year was a disaster for us,” said Mike Ali, owner of Zack’s Pier

Plaza and two other beach stands. “I lost 50% of my revenues, and my

clients got scared and did not want to rent bodyboards and

surfboards.”This year, Ali said business is back to the level of previous

years because there have not been major beach closures.

Ali’s three locations at Huntington City Beach rent beach bicycle

cruisers, body boards, surfboards, wet suits, umbrellas and other

equipment.

Ali said one of his stands near the border of the city and state

beaches has endured a 20% reduction in sales because of the recent

warning signs.

But he said he has gotten used to warning signs, and that they do not

have the same type of effect on his business as beach closures.

Huntington Beach’s water, he said, has been the same since his arrival in

1969.

Jack Clapp, who owns Dwight’s Beach Concession and Jack’s Beach

Concession, said he lost 90% of his business during a closure of the city

beach near the Huntington Beach Pier before the Labor Day weekend last

year.

This year, Clapp said his location near the pier has been negatively

affected by two upcoming professional surfing contests rather than the

bacteria. A staging area for the Bluetorch Pro and the U.S. Open of

Surfing was set up directly in front of his business, discouraging

customers.

Both concession stands sell food and rental beach equipment, such as

surfboards and in-line skates.

Clapp’s son David, who runs the stand near Huntington Street, said the

location suffered a minor loss after signs were posted last week. But, he

said since some of the signs have come down, rental sales have returned

to normal.He said the television media has been hurting his business by

erroneously reporting beach closures instead of the posting of warning

signs.”Everyone who rents from me is concerned about it, and I have to

explain the difference between water closings and high bacteria signs,”

he said.

David Clapp said beach closures may occur again this summer because of

what has happened in previous years.

Unless there are actual closures, beachgoers appear to be indifferent

about the warning signs.Ryan Gates, a lifeguard at Huntington State

Beach, said crowds this weekend have gone straight into the water,

ignoring the warning signs.

The warning signs have only slightly reduced the attendance of a

normal weekend crowd, which is 20,000 to 25,000 people per day at the

state beach, he said, and lifeguards have been conducting their usual

ocean rescues.

“You have to go. It is part of the job,” he said.

Monica Mazur, an environmental health specialist with the Orange

County Health Care Agency, said bacteria associated with the presence of

enterococcus may cause respiratory disease, gastrointestinal infections

and hepatitis.

She said the sign postings have not affected the Bluetorch Pro, which

began Wednesday and will conclude Sunday.

Rich Barnard, a spokesman for the city, has said sources for the

enterococcus may originate from the Talbert Marsh and the Santa Ana

River. He said both the city and the county have done much to divert dry

season urban runoff to sewage treatment plants and to clean and maintain

sewer lines.

Researchers are also examining ocean soil and beach sand as potential

sources of pollution, Mazur said.