Lifeguards at Carlsbad State Beach will be near full staffing this Memorial Day weekend to watch over holiday crowds and protect them from the dangerous rip currents that plague the coastline this time of year.
But don't get used to it.
After the three-day weekend, there will be drastically fewer lifeguards in Carlsbad and on all other state beaches this summer due to budget constraints, state park officials said.
The cutbacks in lifeguard service affect 17 miles of state beaches in the county, including Carlsbad, Torrey Pines and Cardiff, that will be staffed only occasionally through June.
Lifeguards in Carlsbad hope to maintain at least two towers on the southern and northern ends of the state beach through the summer. That's a significant drop compared to last summer, when on any normal weekend lifeguards staffed about eight towers.
“If we're expecting really warm weather, we'll attempt to call in more lifeguards,” state beach lifeguard Capt. Karl Tallman said.
The cuts do not affect service levels at beaches supervised by city lifeguards in Del Mar, Solana Beach, Encinitas and Oceanside.
Ronilee Clark, superintendent of the San Diego District of the state Department of Parks and Recreation, said last month that to stay on budget, she needs to cut seasonal staffing by 9,000 hours.
Officials say the limited lifeguard service this summer makes it more important than ever for beachgoers to use caution and common sense.
Last year, there were 24 drownings on state beaches in California, all of which occurred in unguarded areas, according to the department.
This time of year makes for especially hazardous swimming conditions with large, rough surf and powerful rip currents that can pull swimmers out to sea.
One Salt Lake City tourist nearly drowned on Tuesday after he was swept into a rip current just north of Carlsbad State Beach.
That small swath of shoreline north of Oak Street is never monitored by a lifeguard.
But lucky for the visitor, an off-duty Solana Beach lifeguard was nearby.
The 18-year-old woman, who was just hired as a lifeguard, jumped into the surf fully clothed and hauled the man to shore. A state beach lifeguard who was on duty about 200 yards away eventually spotted the pair and responded in his Jeep to assist.
“The victim was pretty lethargic, incoherent and exhausted,” Tallman said. “She definitely saved his life.”
Rip currents act like streams that can carry swimmers from the surf zone out to sea. They are stronger in the spring and early summer due to the uneven ocean bottom from winter storms.
If caught in a rip current, remain calm to conserve energy and think clearly.
Lifeguards recommend that you don't fight the current, but instead swim out of the current in a direction following the shoreline. Once out of the current, swim toward shore.
“This time of year, we definitely don't recommend swimming in the ocean unless it's in front of a lifeguard tower,” Tallman said.
To find open lifeguard towers, call (760) 438-2675.
Kristina Davis: (760) 476-8233; kristina.davis@uniontrib.com
