Woman dies after being swept out to sea at Santa Cruz beach
This article was originally published on KSBW.com
Emergency crews rushed from one ocean rescue to the next on Wednesday, highlighting the unpredictable and unforgiving nature of the ocean.
“The ocean is unpredictable. It’s, it’s wild. It, it’s unforgiving. You just have to be very careful,” said Lori Johnson, one beachgoer.
The south swell is impacting many Monterey Bay beaches, creating powerful rip currents and sneaker waves that have caught beachgoers off guard.
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“Trying to stay above the high tide line, you can usually see where there’s wet sand or debris from the ocean like kelp, and just put your stuff way up there. If you’re going to read a book or something, making sure that you’re watching the water, you’re never turning your back on the ocean,” said Bryan Kine, lifeguard supervisor for Santa Cruz State Beaches.
At Panther Beach, high tide creates a dangerous trap as water rushes through a rock archway, completely cutting off access.
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“We had to airlift the two patients off the sand because we can’t even get there when it’s, when it’s high tide,” Kine said. “We had lifeguards up here yesterday talking to everybody, getting them off the beach before the high tide came up. That was prior to the rescue call that came out. And we’ll be doing the same today.”
Beachgoers are acknowledging the risks, with some taking extra precautions.
“I know how to swim. But if I go out in the water, I even brought my life jacket as an older swimmer. I know how hard it is to swim back to shore. So yes, I have to be very cautious,” Johnson said.
Lifeguards are warning of more swells throughout the weekend, urging everyone to stay vigilant.
“It’s a pretty unique swell this early in the season to be this large of a south swell. And it’s really reshaping our coastline. So it’s, you know, even if you were down here a week ago, it’s going to be a completely different beach today. So just making sure that, again, you’re checking on the condition, that you’re watching the water,” Kine said.
If entering the water, lifeguards advise knowing your limits and staying alert to changing conditions.
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