Large crowds flock to the coast to keep cool
April 13th, 2008, 6:21 pm · Post a Comment · posted by Laylan Connelly, staff writer
A quick tally of Orange County beaches showed more than 250,000 people flocked to the sand today to get away from the scorching heat.
The crowds were larger than usually reported this time of year, similar to what lifeguards would see during a typical summer weekend.
“It’s like we’ve skipped spring and gone straight into summer,” said Huntington Beach Marine Safety Lt. Mike Lt. Beuerlein.
The beach rescues stayed low at most beaches because of small waves and chilly, 54-degree water that kept people from staying wet for too long.
He said the morning was slow for lifesaving activity, but by the afternoon they had some pretty out-of-the-ordinary calls.
A 5-year-old boy suffered a fractured skull and had to be transported to the hospital after he was hit in the head with a baseball bat. A swarm of bees and large numbers of ladybugs were bugging beachgoers. And lifeguards had just received reports of a man who was struck by a car in the parking lot, but then proceeded to walk in the sand while urinating, Beurelein said.
“Crazy thing are happening,” he said.
Other beaches reported a few rip current rescues and lost children reports, but no major injuries along the coast, despite the massive crowds.
Here’s a breakdown of beach attendance for today:
Huntington City Beach: 75,000
Huntington State Beach: 50,000
Bolsa Chica: 30,000
Newport Beach: 65,000
Laguna Beach: 35,000
San Clemente: 10,000
Seal Beach: N/A
