It amazes me that people think swimming in Cali is a good idea. Baywatch maybe?

no guts, no glory

Dumb dumb dumb. Remember folks, don't fight a rip tide swimming to shore, swim sideways parallel to the beach until you're free.

A few years back I went to the coast of Florida (in Cocoa Beach). I walked out to knee deep water and cast my fishing line. I caught shark after shark. They were all small like 1 ft long. But, where baby lies there are probably also some mamas. I know what all the stats say but that was the last time I went in the ocean. No thanks

yup...happened to me back in high school when we had the bright idea to go swimming at a beach party at night. The rip tide was really powerful but fortunately we were by a pier and we were able to swim to some of the support beams and wait it out.

yah i agree man. many people are not strong enough swimmers to handle the california surf. the rips are worse than ever the past few years as well. san diego PB and MB area are the easiest, but as you go up the coast, especially into your neck of the woods, the surf is unforgiving. even i have, as an experienced swimmer exhausted myself swimming out of a few rip currents in the huntington beach area.

good post

cory, well be out by your neck of the woods for labor day weekend, a condo in PB right in front of crystal pier, let me know if your planning on being around

Huntington is pretty harsh. And a long swim!

in mexico one year..i remember me , odie and derek from mr skin all getting to the beach at the same time...there was a warning sign but we thought it was not a problem..should have noticed no one else in the water at all.

anyway 3 of us jumped in and from that moment it was a struggle to breathe and stand and get back out...we eventually had to sandwich odie...not that way...but put her between us and it was a real struggle to get out...like major issue

If you can't get back in I will save you Corvette.

ya for sure. huge wide rips, took me nearly 10 minutes to get out of it.

Maybe that's why the life guards are so on edge...

I remember sitting on a boogie-board off Zuma a couple of Summers ago...

I was a bit past the breaks waiting for a larger swell to come in - just kinda chilling, and enjoying the sun.

Next thing I know, I look toward the shore seeing this guy swimming out toward me - red shorts - an orange 'thing' in tow - doing the breast-stroke... with this look on his face that said "I must save your life!!"

Meanwhile I'm listening to the pleasant seagull calls from overhead as I undulate in the breeze...

The guy finally gets to me tossed me his life saver - which lands on top of my board - and yells "GRAB THAT!"...

I say, loudly back.... "I'm just hanging out for a large swell..." I mean, I was barely past the breaks...

He yells "RIPTIDE!"

I look around, and notice that the women I came with are exactly at the same spot I left them at on the beach

I yell back "IT'S OK!"

I really just wanted to get back to enjoying my time... sitting on a boogie-board, and enjoying the sun... besides, even if a riptide was to come along - I'm on a floatable object... I'd hope that I could swim back in.

He yells, "GRAB IT!"... referring to the life saver that's now fallen in and next to my board.

Reluctantly, I do, he suddenly engages in a strong backstroke, and I take off like a small motor-boat. I do have to admit, that part was kinda fun.

I finally arrive on the shore, and a small crowd has gathered to witness the brave life guard rescue whoever 'needed' rescuing... maybe they'd get to see some CPR or something? Instead, I just got to my feet, and stood up. I was notably larger than the lifeguard... Probably a half a foot taller, and built a bit sturdier... it's one of the few times in my life that I felt embarrassed... and for what? Because the Life Guard was bored, and I decided that following his directions was the sound thing to do? I should just tossed him back his life saver, and told him where to shove it.

But I simply walked back to the gals I arrived with - realizing my chances of getting laid that night had just diminished greatly.

Thanks, Mr. Life Guard.


And to add insult to injury, about 3 minutes later, a large swell came in.

I would have saved Odie and left Derek.

The fact that you can tell that story makes you good in my book. haha that was great...

Huntington's strong rips are designed for us to help eject the riff raff...

jk

It does get pretty serious down here, and there are plenty of beach options available without the heavy rips for anybody to be put in harms way.

Sometimes ridiculous is just plain ridiculous...

I once saw Munki's mohawk get ripped out to sea.

It was scurrrryyy,.....

even in mexico. Especially cabo. undercurrent is so strong. even a good swimmer can have a tough time

You should see the size of the sharks i pull out of the surf in just 3 feet of water. Newport, Huntington, Seal, Redondo is LOADED with them.

These people are nucking futts!

No shit bro... I swam for my first time in the ocean here @ Zuma.. and I was like woah. Having to dive under the waves and contend with the underflow was kinda strange, I swam in FL and it was the total opposite so I know what ya mean..

I'm gonna learn how to surf man, now that I'm here in LA it is easy to get to the water.. I always wanted to living in the bay area, but the water there is soooo fucking cold.. Maybe you and me can get together and you can help me out getting the basics down..

Yeah, I would worry more about our sharks than our rips.

I can do that. But you need to get out of Zuma for surfing, it holds the record for broken boards. I will go to Malibu and show you the ropes.

Sharks do nothing for me, they don't bother me. We have WAY more drownings in Cali.....

Sharks do not want to eat people. They don't like the taste.

Meh... you wont catch to much trouble for sharks... unless it's a really unlucky day...

Sting rays on the other hand... those lil fuckers get me more than is called for under any circumstances...

I haven't swimmed in the ocean since I was like 6 years old... To be honest, it's mostly because the water is filthy and ya never know what you're stepping on, and plus it's freezing in there! Just really not a pleasant experience for me...

Probably good that I stay away from the ocean (though I love the beach) cuz I'm really not a strong swimmer either...