Last weekend in Huntington Beach

If you’re headed to the beach this weekend, it should be a beautiful way to bring summer to an end.

Just remember - everyone else has the same idea.

With this warm weather expected to linger as we’re heading into the holiday weekend, make sure you get down to the beach early to avoid parking hassles.

Last weekend, the crowds were so thick that Bolsa Chica State Beach closed its lot for a few hours, meaning people trying to get there had to wait in line until state guards opened it up.

The surf isn’t expected to be big, meaning conditions will be fairly safe to enter the water. However, always check with a lifeguard before entering, just to see if there’s anything to be concerned about.

And a quick dip may not do all that much to cool you off. If you’re a surfer, definitely leave the wetsuits behind. Water temps this week spiked and were in the 70s, and a swim may feel like you’re hanging out in a lukewarm tub. But hey, I’m sure it’s better than sitting in a non-air conditioned home, right?

With warm water and small surf comes an influx of stingrays that hit the surfline, especially in the Seal Beach and Bolsa Chica State  Beach areas. If you get stung, head over to the lifeguard area where they can treat you with hot water. Click here to learn about the stingray shuffle.

There aren’t a lot of activities happening on the beach this weekend, as things are definitely winding down. Here’s a small NSSA surf contest happening in Huntington Beach.

But if you’re looking for a reason to get your feet sandy, nab a fire ring. Just make sure to get there early (I’m talkin’ 8 a.m. )to claim a spot, because they will be going very fast this weekend. Here’s some places where you can get some.

Most of all, have fun! Fall will be here before you know it.

Post from: OC Beach Blog

The fisherman who fell off was pretty lucky, and was picked up by another sailor out at sea, according to lifeguard Ryan Gates.

OC Register reporter Annie Burris is finding out more, keep posted here.

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Crazy - I was surfing right at that tower this morning, too bad I didn’t see it! Probably would have freaked me out anyhow…

There’s been a lot of talk of these squid, which can reach 10-feet in length. Fisherman have been pulling them up during outings, check out this story by Pat Brennan here. And they washed up on shore after an earthquake in La Jolla, then they were grabbing at and attacking scuba divers, a story that got picked up around the nation.

Maybe surfers are next?

If you recall, there were about 1,500 of these creatures that washed up in Newport in 2005.

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The water is pretty toasty too, let’s hope it stays that way for a bit.

Here’s some snaps from this morning, just in case you missed it.

And if you’re really having a boring Friday night at home alone, check out these past Session Shots:

The Wedge in Newport Beach

Girls training at Salt Creek

South side of Seal Beach Pier

North of the Seal Beach Pier

56th street in Newport Beach

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Your pooch doesn’t have to be an expert wave rider to participate at the July 11 event.  The contest is more of a fundraiser for the Orange County Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals.

Registration is open to dogs of all ages, sizes and abilities; with a $25.50 per dog registration fee profiting the OCSPCA.

The surf competition is open to the public and free for anyone to watch.  At noon, there will be an expression session, where organizers are going to attempt to get more than eleven dogs on one board for a world record.

This is the first year for the SurfinPaws event.  It was started by René Bruce and his pet inspiration, Kia, who has participated in a surf dog competition that was put on by a friend in Del Mar. Kia is a seven year-old Russell Terrier and is the “spokesdog” of the Surfinpaws Dog Jam.

Check out Kia surfing waves down in Del Mar recently:

Kia has been riding boards, scooters and jet skis since she was a pup. She has been featured on various news sites, Reuters,  National Geographic and The Discovery Channel because of her riding talents.  You can also find Kia on her Web site.

When: 9 a.m.-4 p.m. Red carpet and auction festivities will follow the competition at the Waterfront Hilton Huntington Beach from 7 p.m. to 10 p.m.

Where: Bolsa Chica State Beach

For more information about The SurfinPaws Dog Jam, rules and regulations, or
to register your dog, visit surfinpaws.com.

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Now in its fifth year, there’s a ton of support for the quasi holiday, bringing surfers together for the common cause of cleaning up the coast.

Despite drizzly weather and sloppy surf, there was still great turn outs at both the Bolsa Chica and Huntington Beach events. Check out the photos to see if we caught you in action helping out!

Post from: OC Beach Blog

There’s a proposal by the state that would give free access to state parks and beaches - and eliminate this fear that we’ve all hear of about the state beaches being shut down.  State beaches in Orange County include: Bolsa Chica, Huntington State Beach, Corona del Mar, Crystal Cove, and San Clemente State Beach (and San Onofre is nearby, for those who like to go that far south).

How would they do this? Basically, a $15 fee tied to vehicle license fees would raise money for state parks, eliminating their dependency on the general fund - allowing them a solid cash flow that doesn’t fall on the chopping block every time the folks in Sacramento jack up the budget.

Register reporter Pat Brennan wrote about the proposal on his Green OC blog.

According to Bolsa Chica lifeguard supervisor Ryan Gates, the move would be a good thing for lifeguards.

“It will increase the visitation and we’re going to be busy,” he said.  ”But we’ll be properly funded to provide the correct service.”

So this can mean a few things. Locals at those spots who surf Doheny or Bolsa may figure it’s worth paying the $125 annual parking pass to keep the crowds out. But for the family who likes to come to the beach once a month,  it would be a huge savings.

You can learn more and write your representatives by going to this site: www.calparks.org

Tell me what you think in the comments section below, and take our poll:

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If you’ve never heard of the day, it started about five years ago - with the goal of surfers getting together to help clean up their beloved environment, then heading out to appreciate some surf.

The first two years started pretty slow, but the day has gained a lot of traction, and I expect this year to be the biggest.

Get out and surf!

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It was great to see the kids doing their part - and hopefully taking this mindset of a clean beach with them as they get older.

The Ocean Day is something that started about 14 years ago in Malibu, and now stretches up and down the California Coast. The idea is to get school kids out to the beach for the day to educate them about the environment.

Another pretty amazing thing was this human message they formed in the sand. Click on the image below for more photos, and read the story here (on ocregister.com)

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The group is helping Surfrider Foundation celebrate 25 years, and volunteers are setting out to clean up 25 spots nationwide, including right here in Orange County.

After the clean up, volunteers over 21 years old can come out for a party at the new Shorebreak Hotel, where there will be food, live music, and of course, wine.

When and Where:

Beach clean up happens from 9 a.m. to 11 a.m. at Bolsa Chica State Beach, tower 21. The Barefoot Celebration will kick off at 6 p.m. at the Shorebreak Hotel, north of the Huntington Beach pier. The events are free to the public.

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