Calm Labor Day Weekend Comes to a Congested End

Drawn by brilliant sunshine, more than 250,000 people jammed Orange County beaches Monday and thousands more labored on area roads and freeways as the long holiday weekend closed on a congested note.

At least two people died on county roadways during the three-day holiday, but for the most part the Labor Day weekend was calmer than usual, especially at the coast, authorities said.

On the traditional last big beach weekend of summer, fog and cool breezes conspired to keep crowds below normal Saturday and Sunday. But Monday dawned bright and sunny, and by noon parking was at a premium and space on the sand scarce. Late arrivals were forced to park and walk a mile or two or, in Newport Beach, pay enterprising homeowners and shopkeepers up to $15 for a space within a Frisbee toss of the strand.

‘Early or Forget It’

“Gotta get here early or forget it,” said Bob Richmond, a Pasadena clothing designer who pulled into space at the Newport Pier shortly before 8 a.m. “Last year, I waited until midday to come down, and I had to turn around. I never made it across the bridge at Coast Highway. It was a nightmare.”

Lifeguards from San Clemente to Seal Beach reported sizable crowds on Monday, but there were no reports of major traffic tie-ups along the coast, or of incidents on the sand.

About 300 people, however, had to be assisted by lifeguards because of strong rip currents and six-foot waves generated by Hurricane Lorena, spinning west of southern Baja California. No serious injuries were reported, and lifeguards said it could have been worse because cooler-than-normal ocean temperatures and a chilly afternoon breeze kept many bathers out of the water.

“If this was last Labor Day when we had that heat wave, we’d have had twice as many rescues,” said Gordon Reed, a Newport Beach marine safety officer. “It’s been a fairly routine day.”

Herb White, a lifeguard at Bolsa Chica State Beach, agreed: “I’m surprised we’re not a little busier. It was just another day at the office, nothing out of the ordinary.”

Crowds ranged from 22,000 at San Clemente to 65,000 at Huntington Beach and 100,000 at Newport Beach.

While the water was a bit cool, Henry Briones said the view from his perch on a Newport seawall was “hot.” Briones, a warehouse clerk from Chino, and his brother Art were strategically positioned near the pier for some “sightseeing.”

“It’s the girls, that’s our aim,” said Briones as he scanned three young women crossing the sand in neon-colored bikinis. Wearing a tank top and sunglasses, and sipping a cola, Briones said smiling: “It’s the only way to spend a holiday. It sure beats the view in Chino.”

Not everybody was soaking up the sun. Inside one beachside pub in Newport, bartenders couldn’t fill the $3.50 schooners of beer fast enough. “We opened at 11 a.m. and there were about 30 people waiting to get in,” Bob Nelson, a bouncer at the bar, said. “It’s been crazy all day. Bathing suits, beer and bad jokes. It’s great.”

Some Newport Beach locals were cheering Labor Day for a different reason. For year-round residents, it marks the beginning of the end of the summer season, a time when traffic and noise swell.

“Soon this will all be a memory,” said Robert Rocklin, a 28-year Newport resident, who looked strangely out of place walking on the pier in long pants, a flannel shirt and tennis shoes. “See, I’m a fisherman, and once today’s over, I’ll have this whole place to myself--maybe.”

Accidents Claim 2 Lives

It was anything but empty on county roads and freeways Monday evening as thousands of holiday travelers returned after the long weekend.

At least two people died in county traffic accidents over the weekend. A Moreno Valley man died early Sunday when his car swerved off Ortega Highway and down a 225-foot embankment. In the other mishap, a Buena Park man was killed Saturday night when he lost control of his car and it flipped on the Orange Freeway.

Statewide, more than 50 persons were killed during the holiday weekend, which began at 6 p.m. Friday. Last year, 53 persons died on California roads during the three-day Labor Day holiday.

Times staff writers George Frank and Dave Lesher contributed to this report.