The second day of the July Fourth weekend was even busier than Saturday at San Diego beaches.
San Diego Lifeguards estimate 185,800 people came to the beaches Sunday. That compares to 155,000 on Saturday.
Lifeguards and police expect up to one million people at the beach on the Fourth of July.
Lifeguards performed 211 rescues on Sunday and 228 on Saturday.
The Fourth of July is typically the busiest beach weekend of the year with tens of thousands of people flocking to the coast. Accordingly, lifeguards plan to bring in extra staff.
This weekend, the ocean water should to be warm, which means a lot of holiday beachgoers will be in the water.
There will be 20 lifeguards in Mission Beach alone over the weekend, and 30 on the Fourth. Police will also have command posts at popular beaches.
Local
Police and lifeguards are reminding beachgoers to not bring alcohol or glass or tents that close in all directions. Only open tents are allowed.
They also advise owners to leave their pets at home until after 6 p.m. because of the heat.
Plastic containers are allowed, but remember to pack out all trash so the beaches stay clean.
Swimmers should stay in areas where they can touch the ground, always swim with a buddy, and use lifeguard stands as a reference to where they were originally swimming. Beachgoers should always check with a lifeguard before getting in the water.
“You might see a spot where it’s inviting. Rip currents look inviting. They don’t have any waves. It looks like a nice calm area, but it’s just a big, deep hole where the water recirculates,” Lt. Rick Romero of San Diego Lifeguards said.
Lifeguards say kids get lost every year during the Fourth, so parents should keep a close eye on their kids.
Police usually see an uptick in pool drowning deaths over the holiday as well, so parents need to watch kids closely when they’re swimming in the backyard.
The National Weather Service issued a Beach Hazards Statement through the fourth, and the surf is also expected to be up to five feet over the weekend.
