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April 14, 2004 - Sadly - Another Drowning at The Shores

I got down to The Shores this morning - about 5:45 AM - the surf had really increased from the past couple of days, but there was a lot of action - boats, helicopters, cops, lifeguards - whew -

Apparently some kids from UCSD went swimming - three went out, only two came back in.

I can't imagine losing a kid that young - just makes me so thankful for every day that my kids are still in my life.

I think this is drowning number two or three, or maybe more, this year at The Shores.

I don't think the conditions here have changed much, at least in the 50 years I've been hanging around - just so many more people -

I think that the common perception of The Shores - and the Department of Tourism certainly touts it as such - is that The Shores is a nice family beach with gentle waves.

During the summer, if the swell is from the south, The Shores is usually a very safe place for swimmers of all abilities, including those with no abilities - however - in the spring, The Shores, because of the direction it faces, receives a lot of the wind swells that are generated just northwest of Point Conception.

Even a cursory look at the wave height graph demonstrates The Shores' [SIO Buoy] ability to pick-up the wind swells:

This is a very common spring and early summer wave pattern -

The Hole becomes a caldron of chop and whirlpools, however, just a hundred yards north or south of The Hole, the waves were good!

I don't know of ANY experienced surfers, including the best surfers / lifeguards in the world, who don't avoid that area like the plague - it ain't the rip at Sunset, or even the rip at the north peak at Black's - but it ain't NO fun getting stuck there!

The current was running north to south, then south to north - lottsa water movement - ZERO visibility!

On a more happy note -

Another Crow Board Delivered - this time to Richard - a good guy, even a better surfer -

Later,

BA

 

BA - Black's - 2000 - Geoff Pastusack Photo

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