Swell sent by tropical storm brings sizable surf to the Wedge
Hayden Werbe stood on the rocks watching the waves build as the tide rose Tuesday morning at the Wedge, Newport Beach’s famed surf spot at the end of the Balboa Peninsula.
The 20-year-old Placentia resident was biding his time, waiting for the perfect set before strapping on his fins and hitting the ocean.
“That’s the one,” he said, quickly pulling up his black wetsuit before charging into the waves to join a dozen bodysurfers already in the water.
Werbe, who has been bodysurfing at the Wedge for four years, said he braved the weekday morning traffic to go to the coast when he heard about the sizable surf expected Tuesday.
“It’s definitely worth it,” he said. “It looks pretty fun right now.”
Waves reached up to 10 feet Tuesday morning at the Wedge and were expected to build throughout the day and into Wednesday. Surf in other parts of Newport Beach and in Huntington Beach is expected to range from 4 to 8 feet, according to the National Weather Service.
The larger-than-normal waves are the result of a large swell pushed toward south-facing Orange County beaches by Tropical Storm Eugene, which had been classified as a hurricane before losing strength off the coast of Mexico.
The surf Tuesday wasn’t huge for the Wedge, where waves have been known to tower more than 20 feet. But it was enough to lure surfers and spectators to the beach for the day.
Newport Beach lifeguards at the Wedge left their tower and moved closer to the shore to get a better look at the action. A lifeguard boat patrolled the water nearby.
On Tuesday afternoon, lifeguards said they hadn’t encountered any emergencies, despite the large waves and strong rip currents.
“It shouldn’t overwhelm us,” lifeguard Battalion Chief Brent Jacobsen said earlier. “It’s a significant surf event, but it’s nothing we’re not prepared for.”
Onlookers made their way to the sand to watch and cheer the bodysurfers. A mist of ocean water provided the audience with a taste of the action without setting out into the waves.
Lori Stanley, 40, of Sacramento groaned as a big wave slammed a surfer, sending him up the beach in the white froth.
“That must have hurt,” she said.
Waves at the Wedge are known for putting on a captivating — and sometimes dangerous — show when swells roll in.
The popular surf break has left generations of daredevils and other enthusiasts with stories of broken bones and concussions. But that doesn’t stop the allure of the wild waves.
“It’s a dangerous break,” Werbe said. “If you don’t know what you’re doing, that’s when you get hurt.”
Over the weekend, a different south swell brought elevated surf to local beaches as crowds in the hundreds of thousands sought a reprieve from toasty temperatures inland. Those factors led to more rescues than normal, lifeguards said.
Newport Beach lifeguards made 207 rescues during the weekend, according to Jacobsen.
Lifeguards in Huntington Beach also reported more than 200 rescues.
Laguna Beach guards made 96 rescues Saturday and 211 on Sunday, officials said.
Newport guards sought to chat with beachgoers over the weekend before they entered the water to warn them of potentially dangerous swimming conditions.
They plan to continue the tactic this week.
Twitter: @HannahFryTCN
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