Stellar surf swamps swimmers

Noaki Schwartz

NEWPORT BEACH -- Last weekend’s forecast called for large surf but

didn’t mention anything like the monster swells that crashed ashore

Monday, sending more people to the hospital and lifeguards repeatedly out

to sea.

“Instead of 6-foot surf, we’re getting 8 to 10 feet and even 12,” said

Jim Turner, lifeguard captain with the Newport Beach Fire and Marine

Department.

This is the “first big storm” of the summer, Turner said, adding that

towering surf is not unusual at this time of year.

By late afternoon Monday, lifeguards had already made more than 100

rescues and Turner predicted that number could reach 150 before day’s end.

“We’ve got a large surf and heavy, dangerous rip currents,” he said,

adding that the currents are dangerous for inexperienced swimmers, who

can easily be swept out to sea.

In addition to the multiple saves, there was also one spinal injury

and a broken leg on the beach.

Despite smaller surf over the weekend, Sunday’s beach crowds did not

escape unscathed. The deceptively smaller surf coerced a number of

inexperienced swimmers into the water.

Four beachgoers at The Wedge, 15th Street and Balboa Pier were sent to

the hospital with possible spinal injuries after they were slammed onto

the ocean floor by the waves.

Lifeguards are still unsure of the conditions of the victims and have

not released their names.

However, they did say that Mother Nature could have made things much

worse.

“If this storm hit [Sunday], we probably would’ve had 300 rescues,”

Turner said.