Stinson Beach remains under high surf warning

By John Ramos

On Tuesday, a high surf warning continued along the entire coast of California, but especially for south-facing beaches like Stinson Beach.  And while the waves were behaving themselves for most of the day, the lifeguards say that’s also part of the deception of the super El Niño.

The surf warning began over the weekend, with dangerous and unpredictable wave action including rip currents and sneaker waves. At Stinson, the swell direction tends to run parallel with the beach, which means people caught in them usually get shoved sideways up the beach about 100 yards.

“But that current’s not taking them out. It’s the rip currents,” said lifeguard Dave Rosenlund. “And we get them, they’re called flash rips. And they can just pop up, mainly after we get a set of bigger waves that come in. And when that water comes in, it’s got to go back out, and that’s when we get the rips.”

Rosenlund began lifeguarding at Stinson decades ago, and he said this week’s disturbance is all a part of the super El Niño that began forming earlier this year.

“Off Mexico where hurricanes are generated, we’re getting more hurricanes than we normally do, thus giving us these south swells,” he said. “Stinson Beach faces virtually south. It comes right in here.”

But those playing in the waves on Tuesday didn’t seem alarmed–or even aware–of the coastal surf warning.  Although young boogie boarder Ernesto Garcia said the waves felt a little weird out there sometimes.

“Sometimes the waves are like that and then sometimes they’re really high up,” he said. “The water actually drags you underwater sometimes. It can get scary, you know?”

It got pretty scary in Santa Cruz a few days ago when a young lifeguard had to save a swimmer as huge breaking waves crashed over them. Rosenlund saw the video of the rescue that has now gone viral.

“That was a tough thing to do, with one person trying to hang on to him, trying to get him up on the beach and dealing with the hydraulics of the ocean,” he said. “You can’t fight it. You just have to understand it, work with it and do your best until you can get some backup.”

It didn’t look anything like that on Tuesday at Stinson Beach, which may have lulled Deb Holmes into a false sense of security.  She too was boogie boarding and said it didn’t feel like dangerous surf to her.

“It doesn’t. I’ve been coming for 25 years with kids and this is a perfectly good surf, right now. And I’m 75 and I’m out there!” she said, laughing.  But did she ever worry about being out where the waves were breaking?  “Of course!” she said.  “But it’s worth it.  It’s worth it!”

But Rosenlund said the tame-looking waves can be deceptive to inexperienced swimmers.

“When we do get the south swell, it can look just like this.  But in 15 or 20 minutes, all of a sudden you’ll have five to six waves twice the size of what’s normally breaking.  And all of a sudden, if they’re in the water, they’re getting hammered by these bigger waves.”