Anchor ads are not supported on this page.

4S Ranch Allied Gardens Alpine Baja Balboa Park Bankers Hill Barrio Logan Bay Ho Bay Park Black Mountain Ranch Blossom Valley Bonita Bonsall Borrego Springs Boulevard Campo Cardiff-by-the-Sea Carlsbad Carmel Mountain Carmel Valley Chollas View Chula Vista City College City Heights Clairemont College Area Coronado CSU San Marcos Cuyamaca College Del Cerro Del Mar Descanso Downtown San Diego Eastlake East Village El Cajon Emerald Hills Encanto Encinitas Escondido Fallbrook Fletcher Hills Golden Hill Grant Hill Grantville Grossmont College Guatay Harbor Island Hillcrest Imperial Beach Imperial Valley Jacumba Jamacha-Lomita Jamul Julian Kearny Mesa Kensington La Jolla Lakeside La Mesa Lemon Grove Leucadia Liberty Station Lincoln Acres Lincoln Park Linda Vista Little Italy Logan Heights Mesa College Midway District MiraCosta College Miramar Miramar College Mira Mesa Mission Beach Mission Hills Mission Valley Mountain View Mount Hope Mount Laguna National City Nestor Normal Heights North Park Oak Park Ocean Beach Oceanside Old Town Otay Mesa Pacific Beach Pala Palomar College Palomar Mountain Paradise Hills Pauma Valley Pine Valley Point Loma Point Loma Nazarene Potrero Poway Rainbow Ramona Rancho Bernardo Rancho Penasquitos Rancho San Diego Rancho Santa Fe Rolando San Carlos San Marcos San Onofre Santa Ysabel Santee San Ysidro Scripps Ranch SDSU Serra Mesa Shelltown Shelter Island Sherman Heights Skyline Solana Beach Sorrento Valley Southcrest South Park Southwestern College Spring Valley Stockton Talmadge Temecula Tierrasanta Tijuana UCSD University City University Heights USD Valencia Park Valley Center Vista Warner Springs

El Niño wakes up the Cove

La Jolla storm waves - Image by Bengt Nyman/Flickr
La Jolla storm waves

On January 7 waves at the La Jolla Cove roared to life for the first time in two years. Unruly weather and rainfall weren’t enough to deter most surfers from entering the water to tackle 10-to15-foot waves. A handful of surfers bobbed in the gray sea determined to get their fix. Spectators lined the sidewalk winding around the Cove, braving harsh winds and pelting rain to watch the surfers withstand walls of North Pacific swell that swept toward the La Jolla Shores.

Lifeguards prowled the cliffs, and a guard on a jet-ski zoomed around the lineup. San Diego Fire and Rescue were busy implementing their Large Surf Action Plan. When the sun set, an aspiring pro surfer (we’ll call him Johnny) made his return to land. As a set of waves approached, Johnny floated near the cliffs and eyed the rocky platform surfers use to get in and out of the water. An immense set of waves rumbled closer, and a lifeguard barked at Johnny to stay back. Johnny ignored the order and rushed in. He stroked toward the cliffs and mounted a slippery shelf just in time to be swept off his feet and sent flying by a vicious wave. Johnny surfaced lower on the shelf and took a couple wobbly steps before a second wave washed over, dragging him down headfirst. The lifeguard yelled at Johnny to peel off his leash and ditch his board. A third wave swallowed Johnny. Upon surfacing, Johnny ripped off his leash, the lifeguard moved in, and Johnny was hoisted up seconds before a fourth wave spilled through, taking Johnny’s board and smashing it against the cliffs.

Sponsored
Sponsored

Defeated and boardless and bleeding from the face, Johnny climbed and met his father atop the cliff.

“Where’s your board?” His dad inquired.

Johnny replied, “the lifeguard made me lose it.”

Here's something you might be interested in.
Submit a free classified
or view all
Previous article

Reader 1st place writing contest winner gets kudos

2nd place winner not so much
Next Article

SDSU pres gets highest pay raise in state over last 15 years

Union-Tribune still stiffing downtown San Diego landlord?
La Jolla storm waves - Image by Bengt Nyman/Flickr
La Jolla storm waves

On January 7 waves at the La Jolla Cove roared to life for the first time in two years. Unruly weather and rainfall weren’t enough to deter most surfers from entering the water to tackle 10-to15-foot waves. A handful of surfers bobbed in the gray sea determined to get their fix. Spectators lined the sidewalk winding around the Cove, braving harsh winds and pelting rain to watch the surfers withstand walls of North Pacific swell that swept toward the La Jolla Shores.

Lifeguards prowled the cliffs, and a guard on a jet-ski zoomed around the lineup. San Diego Fire and Rescue were busy implementing their Large Surf Action Plan. When the sun set, an aspiring pro surfer (we’ll call him Johnny) made his return to land. As a set of waves approached, Johnny floated near the cliffs and eyed the rocky platform surfers use to get in and out of the water. An immense set of waves rumbled closer, and a lifeguard barked at Johnny to stay back. Johnny ignored the order and rushed in. He stroked toward the cliffs and mounted a slippery shelf just in time to be swept off his feet and sent flying by a vicious wave. Johnny surfaced lower on the shelf and took a couple wobbly steps before a second wave washed over, dragging him down headfirst. The lifeguard yelled at Johnny to peel off his leash and ditch his board. A third wave swallowed Johnny. Upon surfacing, Johnny ripped off his leash, the lifeguard moved in, and Johnny was hoisted up seconds before a fourth wave spilled through, taking Johnny’s board and smashing it against the cliffs.

Sponsored
Sponsored

Defeated and boardless and bleeding from the face, Johnny climbed and met his father atop the cliff.

“Where’s your board?” His dad inquired.

Johnny replied, “the lifeguard made me lose it.”

Comments
Sponsored
Here's something you might be interested in.
Submit a free classified
or view all
Previous article

Summit Fellowship wants to be a home of belonging

Unitarian Universalism allows you to be exactly who you are in the moment
Next Article

Centennial Salute to San Diego’s Military, East Village Block Party, Birding Basics Class

Events March 29-March 30, 2024
Comments
Ask a Hipster — Advice you didn't know you needed Big Screen — Movie commentary Blurt — Music's inside track Booze News — San Diego spirits Classical Music — Immortal beauty Classifieds — Free and easy Cover Stories — Front-page features Drinks All Around — Bartenders' drink recipes Excerpts — Literary and spiritual excerpts Feast! — Food & drink reviews Feature Stories — Local news & stories Fishing Report — What’s getting hooked from ship and shore From the Archives — Spotlight on the past Golden Dreams — Talk of the town The Gonzo Report — Making the musical scene, or at least reporting from it Letters — Our inbox Movies@Home — Local movie buffs share favorites Movie Reviews — Our critics' picks and pans Musician Interviews — Up close with local artists Neighborhood News from Stringers — Hyperlocal news News Ticker — News & politics Obermeyer — San Diego politics illustrated Outdoors — Weekly changes in flora and fauna Overheard in San Diego — Eavesdropping illustrated Poetry — The old and the new Reader Travel — Travel section built by travelers Reading — The hunt for intellectuals Roam-O-Rama — SoCal's best hiking/biking trails San Diego Beer — Inside San Diego suds SD on the QT — Almost factual news Sheep and Goats — Places of worship Special Issues — The best of Street Style — San Diego streets have style Surf Diego — Real stories from those braving the waves Theater — On stage in San Diego this week Tin Fork — Silver spoon alternative Under the Radar — Matt Potter's undercover work Unforgettable — Long-ago San Diego Unreal Estate — San Diego's priciest pads Your Week — Daily event picks
4S Ranch Allied Gardens Alpine Baja Balboa Park Bankers Hill Barrio Logan Bay Ho Bay Park Black Mountain Ranch Blossom Valley Bonita Bonsall Borrego Springs Boulevard Campo Cardiff-by-the-Sea Carlsbad Carmel Mountain Carmel Valley Chollas View Chula Vista City College City Heights Clairemont College Area Coronado CSU San Marcos Cuyamaca College Del Cerro Del Mar Descanso Downtown San Diego Eastlake East Village El Cajon Emerald Hills Encanto Encinitas Escondido Fallbrook Fletcher Hills Golden Hill Grant Hill Grantville Grossmont College Guatay Harbor Island Hillcrest Imperial Beach Imperial Valley Jacumba Jamacha-Lomita Jamul Julian Kearny Mesa Kensington La Jolla Lakeside La Mesa Lemon Grove Leucadia Liberty Station Lincoln Acres Lincoln Park Linda Vista Little Italy Logan Heights Mesa College Midway District MiraCosta College Miramar Miramar College Mira Mesa Mission Beach Mission Hills Mission Valley Mountain View Mount Hope Mount Laguna National City Nestor Normal Heights North Park Oak Park Ocean Beach Oceanside Old Town Otay Mesa Pacific Beach Pala Palomar College Palomar Mountain Paradise Hills Pauma Valley Pine Valley Point Loma Point Loma Nazarene Potrero Poway Rainbow Ramona Rancho Bernardo Rancho Penasquitos Rancho San Diego Rancho Santa Fe Rolando San Carlos San Marcos San Onofre Santa Ysabel Santee San Ysidro Scripps Ranch SDSU Serra Mesa Shelltown Shelter Island Sherman Heights Skyline Solana Beach Sorrento Valley Southcrest South Park Southwestern College Spring Valley Stockton Talmadge Temecula Tierrasanta Tijuana UCSD University City University Heights USD Valencia Park Valley Center Vista Warner Springs
Close

Anchor ads are not supported on this page.