High surf kept San Diego Lifeguards busy this week and it expects the trend to continue this weekend.
Six-foot waves and an average water temperature of 68 degrees attracted many beachgoers and surfers. However, the southwest swell also brought dangerous rip currents.
According to Marine Safety Lieutenant Rich Stropky, more than 240 combined rescues were made at La Jolla Cove and Windansea Beach Tuesday through Friday.
“This year has been bigger than normal,” Stropky said. “Large waves have been building over the past week and it peaked on Friday.”
One rescue involved two people who fell off a cliff at La Jolla Cove Friday around 7:45 p.m.
A man was found unconscious in the water and was in critical condition. The woman accompanying him was airlifted to a hospital. Their conditions were not released.
Stropky said he expects the volume of rescues to stay high although the conditions will get milder.
The surf should calm a bit by Sunday night, the National Weather Service predicted.
— City News Service