Just when you thought summer was winding down, the heat wave hits. With this crazy weather hitting the county as we kick off the weekend, you can bet the beaches are going to be packed.

If you are headed to the coast, make sure you use extreme caution, especially Friday. A big hurricane swell sent pounding waves to the coast Thursday, and novice swimmers are being warned to be careful of big waves and rip currents through the weekend.

So if you’re looking to find out what’s going on - to either join the festivities or to avoid the crowds - here’s a glimpse of what’s happening along OC’s coast this weekend:

SIMA Surfing America USA Championships:

A surf contest that showcases some of the best amateur surfers from around the nation is going down in Huntington Beach this week, where competitors are trying to nab the USA championship title.

The 2009 SIMA Surfing America USA Championships presented by Verizon Wireless kicked off Tuesday south of the Huntington Beach pier, and runs through Sunday.

There’s 18 divisions in the contest, everything from young groms to seniors, longboarders and shortboarders.

Read more about the event here, and check out a slideshow of the first day of the contest here.

When: Starting at 8 a.m. Friday, Saturday, and Sunday

Where: Huntington Beach Pier

Battle of the Brands surf contest in HB

Come out to check some surfing athletes from top surf brands battle it out for bragging rights in Huntington Beach on Aug. 29.

Athletes from Billabong, Quiksilver, Rip Curl and O’Neill (and the zany editors from Surfer Mag, Surfing Mag, TransWorld Surf, Surfline and Fuel TV) will be going head-to-head during the 3rd annual PacSun Battle of the Brands.

When: 1 p.m. to 4 p.m. Aug. 29

Where: South side of the Huntington Beach Pier.

1-mile swim at Corona Del Mar this weekend

The Don Burns 1-mile scholarship swim is happening down at Corona del Mar on Saturday.

The event is held in honor of Burns, who was a lifeguard for 47 years before he died 16 years ago.

The race - which typically draws hundreds of swimmers - will be held at 10 a.m. at Big Corona Beach. Check in starts at 9:15 a.m. at tower 3, next to the jetty.

Swimmers go out to a buoy 100-yards offshore, then go down coast along the swim lines, past cliff side homes and the rocky coastline to the secluded cove of Little Corona. They then round buoys on their right shoulder, return up coast to the first buoy, and swim to an onshore finish at the starting line.

When: 10 a.m. Saturday

Where: Corona Del Mar State Beach

Catalina Classic paddleboard race

If you can head up the coast a bit, head up to Manhattan Beach to check out the Catalina Classic Paddleboard Race. There’s plenty of Orange County paddleboarders to support who do the 32-mile race.

The paddler must have completed last years race by the 9 hour cut-off time or competed in another notable paddleboard competition with a solid standing.

When: Sunday August 30, 2009

Where: Manhattan Beach to Catalina Island

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