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Lifeguards keep busy with eight rescues
Ventura Harbor's half-mile stretch of beach was packed with people over the weekend, keeping Harbor Patrol officers and state park lifeguards busy with rescues.
Rip currents and 5-foot waves caught several swimmers and body boarders, dragging them out to sea, said Tim Burrows, Harbor Patrol officer.
On Saturday, one swimmer almost drowned off Surfers Knoll before a bystander jumped into the water from a rock groin and pulled her out, Burrows said.
The Harbor Patrol responded, and the girl was taken to a local hospital.
Using a boat and four-wheel-drive vehicles, the patrol of four officers responded to eight rescues over the weekend, each involving several victims.
"It was as crowded as I've ever seen this weekend, and the conditions were dangerous for swimmers," Burrows said. "The beach has no lifeguard, so we sent the boat out and just patrolled and waited."
The rough waves and windy conditions are predicted to last through Wednesday, the Fourth of July holiday, when even more people are expected on the unprotected beach, Burrows said.
The Harbor Patrol and state park lifeguards are urging people to swim only at beaches with lifeguards. Those beaches include Harbor Cove within Ventura Harbor, Pierpont, the state parks, Hollywood Beach, Silver Strand and Port Hueneme Beach Park.
Posted by surfmedic91 on July 2, 2007 at 12:23 p.m. (Suggest removal)
john, do you mean La Colonia? Beaches with residential neighborhoods don't need lifeguards. That just promotes tourism. People need to be responsible for themselves and there shouldn't be lifeguards because people are irresponsible. It's always the out of towners who they have to rescue. How about we make non-beach city residents pay a fee for beach use to pay for the extra lifeguards. We don't have paramedics at the most dangerous intersections waiting for a motor vehicle accident.
Posted by godslove1 on July 2, 2007 at 1 p.m. (Suggest removal)
johnmuir96: I'm wondering what La Colonia neighborhood has to do with anything...Might as well have said Wilson or Rose Park or Freemont North or East Village or even Teal Club!! At any rate you couldn't have been making a racial slur because we all know that the beaches are public no matter what neighborhood you call home...Just remember even 90210 has it's share of ghetto trash.
One thing that we all need to remember are the basic rules of water safety: Be sure that you can swim..if not dont go deeper that you feel comfortable. 2) Don't drink and swim...alcohol does funny things to the brain and the body that may be beyond your control...3) always swim with a buddy and be responsible for eachother 4) Respect the ocean in all her glory!
Posted by noneya on July 5, 2007 at 10:30 a.m. (Suggest removal)
johnmuir96~ WHAT A STUPID ASS COMMENT? WHAT DOES LA COLONIA HAVE TO DO WITH ANYTHING? PEOPLE COME FROM ALL OVER TO GO TO THE BEACH. JUST LIKE PEOPLE LEAVE HERE AND GO TO THE SNOW. ALOT OF PEOPLE ARE NOT KNOWLEDGABLE ABOUT THE OCEAN'S STRENGTH, THAT IS WHAT THE PROBLEM IS NOT BECAUSE THERE FROM COLONIA!!! SO IN OTHER WORDS MEXICANS GO TO THE BEACH AND RUIN IT??? THAT IS WHAT YOU ARE SAYING RIGHT! !@#$ING IDIOT!
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