A scary situation in the water between surfers in La Jolla has caused a ripple effect on land.
Now, the San Diego Police Department said they're putting an emphasis on patrols in the area to keep an eye on Windansea Beach in La Jolla.
According to SDPD Lt. Brian Avera, a man called 911 to report an incident in the water between himself and three other surfers on the afternoon of Aug. 13. Officers responded and took a statement from the man, who claimed that, while he was in the water, the men asked where he was from, then pushed him off of his board and held him underwater for an estimated 30 seconds.
What San Diegans Are Checking Out:
Get San Diego local news, weather forecasts, sports and lifestyle stories to your inbox. Sign up for NBC San Diego newsletters.
“This isn’t the type of thing that happens every other day — his certainly stands out,” said Avera, explaining that the man said he felt like he was “going to die.”
The victim told police he is a San Diego County resident.
In direct response to the incident, San Diego police will pay extra attention around the clock, seven days per week to the Windansea. Avera said it is considered “an area of interest at this moment.”
Cole and Jess Castellano. who grew up in La Jolla and have since moved away but return during the summer to surf at Windansea, said it was a surprise to hear about the extent of the reported fight.
“It used to be more heavily regulated out there, and now guys from all over surf here,” said Cole. “You can go out there on a Wavestorm from Costco and usually you don’t even get hassled.”
Coronado resident Tyler Whitmarsh said he goes to Windansea multiple times each week to surf. He said he's been going there for more than 20 years and has heard disagreements in the water when certain etiquette is not followed.
“There has been a couple of unlucky times when people learning to surf, who get in the way of a local here and what not — I’ve heard words, “ Whitmarsh said. “A lot of verbal stuff, but never seen physical.”
For beachgoers who might not be familiar with the unwritten rules of the waves, it can be intimidating.
“As someone who’s never surfed before, they probably would have no idea,” said Jaspreet Kaur, an out-of-towner visiting from Canada. “Or if you’re a beginner, how would you even know there’s such a thing?”
So what is surf etiquette?
“The pecking order — there’s a few different criteria,” said Cole Castellano, admitting there are a lot of factors. “There’s whoever is the furthest outside is probably the top of the criteria, then, whoever’s been surfing here the longest has to do with it, also, and whoever’s the best surfer.”
Avera, who has been with the department for 15 years, was unable to recall a surfing incident that escalated into a physical fight but acknowledged tat they may not all be reported to police.
