Jumping from the Ocean Beach Pier is never allowed, except for one time a year when kids take a leap from the concrete pier in support of drowning prevention programs.
Dozens of San Diego Junior Lifeguards, their family and some members of the public will get the rare opportunity Monday to plunge into the Pacific Ocean from the end of the OB Pier.
Each kid that participates in the pier jump must know how to swim and have a pair of swim fins ready for their swim back to land, which can be up to 1,000 yards away. All the participants attended a safety class before the jump to make sure they were prepared.
Kids will jump from the pier in two groups, one at 8 a.m. and another at noon.
While the annual jump is a fun summer tradition, the goal of the event is to raise funds for swimming lessons for children in underserved communities.
Two children ages fourteen or younger die from unintentional drowning every year but swimming lessons can reduce those numbers, according to the latest research from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
Organizers say that each $100 donation to the program allows them to fund swimming lessons for one child.
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Proceeds from the event go towards the Prevent Drowning Foundation of San Diego. Last year's fundraiser allowed the program to fund swimming lessons for more than 6,000 kids and host other lessons and events.
For other drowning prevention tips, visit the CDC website here.
