Campers Cope With High Surf

Campers at Doheny State Beach got a surprise soaking during an unusually high tide Tuesday night when campgrounds normally more than 100 yards from the surf were flooded, sending campers scrambling.

Kelp, trash and lots of seawater flowed over personal belongings and tents, but campers, none of whom were injured, stuck it out, either moving farther inland or camping in their cars for the remainder of the night.

John Boal, a real estate agent from Upland, has been camping at Doheny regularly for about 35 years. During a game of Scrabble with friends, the water began flooding in.

“We just lifted our feet and kept playing,” he said. “It’s very strange to see this wall of water. It’s just coming right at you, and there’s nothing you can do about it except watch it.”

State Park Ranger Jody Kummer said the campsites had been reserved for at least seven months. Even though the campsites are usually more than 100 yards from the water, 30 of the 34 suffered at least minor damage.

The beach itself was changed. The 7-foot surf carried much of the sand around the campground out to sea, Kummer said. There is now a gully where the beach was flat.