Holiday Revelers Escape Heat and Smog for Beaches and Fog

Neither fog nor mist nor cloudy skies deterred thousands of holiday revelers from packing huge picnic baskets and flocking to Ventura County beaches to escape the heat and smog of inland communities.

Although the sun never pierced the lingering June gloom, the windless day allowed temperatures to climb into the 70s along the shore. That was enough to give some of the bravest souls the confidence to play in the chilly surf.

Mary Perez, 24, of Arleta coaxed her 5-year-old niece, Elaine Carballo, about knee-high into the ocean. The child shrieked every time a wave of the 62-degree water broke on her, sending her clambering up on her aunt.

For the past eight years, about 30 members of Perez’s family have made an annual pilgrimage to the Ventura beach on the Fourth of July.

“The older folks sit around and eat,” Perez said. “We play in the water. It is always hot and sunny, except for this year.”

Lifeguards at San Buenaventura State Beach estimated that about 5,000 people, a sizable turnout given the weather, turned up along the stretch of sand from the Ventura County Fairgrounds to the Pierpont section of Ventura.

“If you had a choice between being in the hot and smoggy inland and being here next to the refreshing water, you know where you’d be,” said George Kabris, a lifeguard supervisor.

“We came here to get out of the heat,” Jeremiah Whittington said. The air conditioner in his Santa Clarita condominium broke Wednesday, keeping him and his wife awake and perspiring much of the night. “So we put on our trunks this morning and said, ‘Let’s go to the beach.’ ”

His son played in the waves, but Whittington was not tempted. “I’ll wait,” he said, his shirt still on and his arms folded across his chest.

Lifeguards estimated that another 10,000 visitors congregated on Silver Strand, Hollywood and Oxnard City beaches. Derek Piester, a lifeguard at Port Hueneme Beach Park, said the city’s parking lot was full, with at least 1,500 people on the beach.

There were no reported rescue attempts. “The surf is really small and the water is kind of cold,” said Trace Neiland, a senior lifeguard with Ventura County.

Gabriel Fesilyan, 13, of Sun Valley took time to bury a friend from junior high up to his neck in sand. “We’re best friends,” Gabriel said, pinching his buddy’s cheek, leaving it smeared with wet sand. “We’re here because it is cleaner than Santa Monica.”

Carol Fleming said she decided to bring her family to the beach after asking her 4-year-old son, Alex: “What does summer mean? He said, ‘Going to the beach.’ So here we are.”

Her son was oblivious to the weather, busy digging in the sand with pudgy fingers clasped around a plastic shovel. He was wearing his favorite beanie with a whirly-gig on top.

Some arrived at San Buenaventura State Beach in the early morning hours to watch the city’s predawn fireworks and decided to stay. A few expressed disappointment that some of the rocket-propelled fireworks were shrouded by the morning fog.

“I’ve been here three years in a row, and this wasn’t so hot,” said Lenny Persky, 67, who lives out of his motor home in parks around Ventura. But Persky said he was delighted to spend his day comparing notes with other self-professed vagabonds who have torn up roots to live in a motor home.

Bert English, 59, on the road from Toronto in his 35-foot Blue Bird WanderLodge, rolled into the state beach parking lot about 3 a.m. for the fireworks show.

“I would have been disappointed if I had come here only for the fireworks,” said English, towering at least 6 feet, 6 inches in his black roller-skates.

“A lot of folks who live around here don’t like the weather,” he said, making a half-spin. “This is perfect for me. I don’t like it too hot or too cool.”

Doug Dougherty said his Ventura beach equipment rental shop was going great guns on the holiday. “On a sunny day, we usually rent more water sports stuff, Boogie boards, canoes, rafts and boats.”

On Thursday, he rented more skates, bikes and four-wheeled surreys to beach-goers. “Today is a great day,” Dougherty said.