A northwest swell churning up big waves — the first of two swells to hit the San Diego County coast this week — prompted lifeguards to close Ocean Beach Pier the morning of Dec. 8. Lifeguards reopened the pier around 3 p.m. after minor repairs to a railing, a San Diego city official said. “We had some water actually washing through the pier rail,” said San Diego lifeguard Sgt. Jon Vipond. “Just very minor damage to the rail, but enough water washing through the pier to be a hazard.” A National Weather Service high surf advisory was in effect amid surf of 5 to 8 feet and local sets to 9 feet along the coastline south of Del Mar. The advisory was to expire at 6 p.m. Dec. 8 as the swell subsides. Crowds of spectators lined Ocean Beach, armed with cameras, selfie sticks and video drones.
Mary Williams, visiting from Lopez Island, Washington, was one of the few at Ocean Beach who dared to get into the water. “Crazy, powerful current,” Williams said. “I was trying to stand up and all the water was trying to force me back out. It’s pretty fun.” A second swell on Thursday, Dec. 10 is expected to bring similarly large and potentially damaging surf, with local sets to 12 feet into the weekend. The elevated surf combined with strong rip currents is expected to cause dangerous swimming conditions. Forecasters said waves may break over jetties and sea walls and that minor beach erosion is possible with slight coastal flooding during high tides. Researchers have warned for months the powerful conditions could become a regular occurrence as El Niño’s storms churn the water and create stronger wave energy. — City News Service