Savage Surf Eases After Lashing Coast, Battering 2 Teens

A day after Don LaGrange watched two unconscious teen-agers being pulled from the pounding surf, the 12-year-old surfer was back in the water Friday as Orange County’s coastline got some reprieve from waves that battered it Thursday.

“What’s great about surfing is that you don’t know what to expect,” Don said, scrubbing his orange-and-white surfboard near the Newport Pier. “Surfers love the challenge every new day brings.”

Waves and strong riptides churned county beaches Friday, where 75 people were rescued at Newport Beach alone, Lifeguard Capt. Ron Johnson said. Several dozen people were rescued at other nearby beaches. No one was seriously injured.

“Some people just don’t heed warnings,” Johnson said. “They don’t know how strong the currents are.”

Unusually strong waves along the Orange County coastline are caused by winter storms in the Southern Hemisphere, Johnson said. The storms also produce strong currents which, combined with wave movement, cause riptides--seen from shore as brown wisps of swirling sand--which can drag unwary swimmers and surfers away from shore.

Wave heights Friday ranged from 1 to 3 feet at Seal Beach and to nearly 8 feet at Newport Beach.

More than 130 people were rescued Thursday in Newport Beach, when 10-foot waves lashed the Wedge, north of the Newport Harbor entrance, knocking two teen-agers unconscious and nearly sending them out to sea. Don LaGrange, who watched from shore as lifeguards and passers-by rescued the teen-agers, said currents were “strong enough to throw you headfirst to the bottom.” Marie Demirjian, 17, and Lena Soghomonian, 16, of Fontana were taken to the hospital, but neither were seriously injured.

On beaches along the coast Friday, red flags over lifeguard stations warned beach-goers of rough surf, as did lifeguards using loudspeakers.

Despite the dangers, surfers marveled at the breaking waves, taking advantage of swells that are expected to subside today.

“Now, this is what I live for,” said Brad Marshall, 21, of Newport Beach, getting out of his Jeep, surfboard in hand. “This is what it’s all about.”

Fellow surfer Mike Bruno, 23, also swooned over the waves at high tide around noon.

“This is what makes surfing so dynamic,” Bruno said.

At the Wedge, surfers said they were being cautious.

“You need to be an experienced swimmer to go in the water here,” said Leo Margolis of Irvine, leaning against the jetty that marks Newport Harbor’s entrance. “I’m staying away for a while.”

Lifeguards said the strength of the surf depends on the beach. Waves were higher south of Newport Pier, for example, because that stretch of coastline faces south, directly in line with swells moving north.

“Location is important,” said Newport Lifeguard Nathan Camp, 18, surveying the strand. “We always have to look for peculiarities.”

But the waves didn’t interest everyone as the summer tanning season got under way.

Said Carla Wiedermeier of Irvine: “I’ll trade in a surfboard for a blanket on the beach any day.”