Huge Waves Bring Surfers, Spectators to 'The Wedge'

CBS Los Angeles reports that the waves at the world-famous bodysurfing area, The Wedge at Huntingdon Beach, are huge as a result of Hurricane Maria.

One surfer exclaimed, “I mean, it’s a dream. It’s the best feeling, getting barreled every single wave… sometimes you get the beating of your lifetime, but you can’t complain, as long as you’re safe.” Only the most advanced bodysurfers were allowed to surf in the water.

Two surfers from San Luis Obispo came all the way south to surf in the powerful waves. One said, “As soon as we heard there’d be waves, we came down here. We’d drive 500 miles if we had to.”

High waves are expected through Thursday. One lifeguard said, “The lifeguards here are gearing up, specifically at The Wedge, for crowd control. When word gets out that there’s going to be fun surf to watch, people come down. It just makes it harder for us to do our job. Everyone wants to go in the water, even when the conditions are too dangerous for them to do that.”

The waves have measured from 10-12 feet, with predictions they may rise to 25 feet. They were so powerful that lifeguards closed the rock jetty to fisherman and spectators.

Another problem is that many of the seasonal lifeguards normally working have gone back to school, prompting a call for more lifeguards at the scene.

A surfer in Malibu died from cardiac arrest from the force of the waves.