Beach and Pier Rules and Regulations:

• Glass: All glass containers are prohibited
• Alcohol: Alcohol is prohibited on all City beaches, jetties, the pier, and all parking lots.
• Dogs: All dogs are prohibited on all City beaches throughout the year. You may walk your dog on a leash on The Strand.
• Fire Rings: Fires are allowed in designated City fire rings ONLY. No fires are allowed from 11:00 p.m. to 6:00 a.m. daily. There is no curfew on fire rings at Harbor Beach. All wood must be no longer than 30 inches in length and must not be allowed to rise above the height of the fire ring more than 2 feet. You must attend your fire at all times. Any unattended wood will be removed and disposed of. No chemically treated wood is allowed. The use of pallets is forbidden. Do not cut or break apart wood on the beach, street, walkways, or parking areas. When finished, extinguish embers or fires with WATER ONLY – NOT SAND! If you wish to bring your own barbecue, it must be elevated off the ground. Coals must be removed or disposed of in the hot-coal container located at Tyson Street Park, or Harbor Lot 12 on Harbor Beach, or in a fire ring.
• Swimming and Surfing Areas: All swimming and body boarding areas are marked with a black-and-yellow checkered flag. If you wish to surf with a hard surfboard you must be outside of this area. A yellow flag with a black dot identifies a swimming-only area.
• Camping: Overnight camping is allowed in the Harbor Beach area in Lot 11B year round. Lot 12 mid- September to mid- May only.
• Pier Regulations: No dogs, alcohol, glass containers, bike riding, roller blading, overhead casting, sitting on the rails, or jumping off the pier. When in the water, you must remain at least 100 feet away from the pier at all times. Paddling through or shooting the pier on a surfboard is prohibited.
• Picnic Areas: All picnic areas and fire rings are first-come, first-served. You cannot hold your spot with a "Beach Chair"; there must a person standing by.
• Unloading and Loading a Vehicle: Parking your car on the strand is prohibited at all times. If you wish to load and unload your vehicle, you may use a turnaround, such as the one at "Surfrider" and The Strand.

Ocean Safety Tips

Beach and Water Safety

• Learn to swim
• Swim near a lifeguard
• Never swim alone
• Don’t rely on your flotation device, such as a raft or body board; you may lose it
• Never attempt to swim when you have been drinking alcohol
• Look for the designated swim area marked by the black-and-white checkered flag and sign. If unsure, ask the nearest lifeguard.
• Swim parallel to shore if you wish to swim long distances

Rip currents – how to recognize, avoid, and survive!

Waves are caused by the winds in storms at sea. The waves from different storms in the ocean combine to make surf on a beach. Waves are grouped together in sets. During the winter, storms are usually in the North Pacific, and during the summer, many storms are near the equator or Southern Hemisphere.

Waves hit the beach at angles; as a result, this energy creates a current called the long shore current. The long shore current flows along the coastline; it can be recognized by watching the foam in the water. Swimmers or debris near shore drift in it. During the summer, the long shore current usually flows north and in the winter, moves south. After a set of waves break, a lot of water and energy is pushed towards the shoreline. This displaced water will move along the beach with the long shore current until it finds its way back out to sea; this causes the rip current. RIP CURRENTS are narrow, river-like currents that have been fed by the long shore current and sets of waves. Rip currents are between 50 feet and 50 yards wide and can flow up to hundreds of yards past the surf line. You can easily spot a rip current by its foamy and choppy surface. The water in a rip current can be dirty brown (from the sand being turned up) and moves rapidly out to sea.

If you are caught in a rip current – do not panic. The rip current will not pull you under. Call or wave for assistance or swim parallel to shore with the long shore current until you are out of the rip, then swim directly towards shore.

If you cannot recognize the long shore current or a rip current, talk to the lifeguard. If you cannot swim an overhand stroke for 15 minutes, you should not be in the ocean any deeper than your waist. The Oceanside Lifeguard Service recommends that visitors to the beach take swimming lessons to develop their swimming skills before placing themselves in challenging ocean conditions.

The ocean is a wonderful playground. Avoid its dangers by understanding its ways and being strong enough to enjoy it safely.

Sun Protection

It pays to avoid the rays. Ultraviolet (UV) radiation (i.e. ordinary sunlight, can lead to numerous health problems including skin cancer, cataracts and an altered immune system (which is responsible for fighting infection). UV radiation can also make your skin look old before its time by causing wrinkles and loss of elasticity. These changes can appear in your twenties if you have spent your childhood unprotected from the sun. The environment, as well as the season and time of day, determine the amount of UV rays you receive. For example, UV rays are more intense in areas closer to the equator and on mountaintops. UV rays are also more intense during the summer and at mid-day. Try to limit your direct sun exposure by planning activities early in the morning or later in the day. If you enjoy recreational activities such as water and snow sports, keep in mind that water, snow, ice and even sand reflect UV rays. This reflection of UV rays virtually doubles the amount of exposure you receive and can cause severe sun damage if you are unprotected. As the earth’s ozone layer decreases over the years, the amount of UV radiation will increase and so will your risk for skin cancer. No one is "safe" from the sun’s damaging UV rays! Even dark-skinned people are susceptible to the damaging effects of sun exposure, but you are at greatest risk if you:

• Have fair skin, light eye and hair color
• Sunburn or freckle easily
• Have suffered a blistering sunburn as a child
• Have a family history of skin cancer
• Have already had skin cancer
• Have a large number of moles or unusual ones that are irregular in size, shape or color
• Work outdoors
• Participate on a regular basis in outdoor activities such as golfing, swimming, hiking, gardening

Cover Up

Although sunscreen blocks much of the sun, added protection is beneficial. When outside, protect yourself by wearing a shirt with sleeves to protect your shoulders. Also, wear a cap or a wide-brimmed hat to protect your face and ears. And, don’t forget a pair of UV-blocking sunglasses to protect your eyes!

Seals and Sea Lions

What is the difference between seals and sea lions?

The scientific name for seals, sea lions, and walruses is Pinnipedia. Its Latin root means "fin-footed" and refers to the modification of limbs to flippers. Pinnipeds have four flippers – one pair in front and one pair in back.

Pinnipeds share five common characteristics with other mammals: they’re warm-blooded, give birth, nurse their young, breathe air, and have hair. Since they live in the marine environment and they find their food at sea, pinnipeds are called marine mammals. Other marine mammals include whales and sea otters.

Although they spend most of their lives in the water, pinnipeds, unlike whales and dolphins, are also dependent upon land. Pinnipeds may come ashore periodically to rest and bask in the sun, and at least once a year, during their breeding season, most species congregate on beaches to give birth and to breed.

 Seals:

Seals are smaller and have a sleeker, torpedo type of shape. They move with a rhythmic sliding or shuffling motion, and they don’t use their flippers to support their body. Harbor seals are very shy and rarely bark.

Sea Lions:
Sea lions are larger, with longer flippers and are very vocal. They can support themselves on their two front flippers and actually walk. They are more territorial and aggressive than seals. Give sea lions a wide berth.

Why do they come ashore?

These animals need to come ashore for many reasons. Most of the time, they rest on jetties or other objects out to sea, like large buoys or large rocks. When the surf is large and stormy, they might come to shore to rest or to get warm. At times, they come to shore if they are sick or lost.

What can I do to help if they come to shore?

Nothing! Please don’t approach these animals. They can be very territorial and they bite! If you see one on the beach, please call the lifeguard service closest to your city. You should remain a safe distance from them at all times, and leave them alone. Keep in mind they have very sharp teeth and may bite if cornered or harassed.

What laws apply?

The Marine Mammal Protection Act makes it a violation of Federal Law to interfere in any way with the natural behavior of the marine mammals. If your actions cause the animals to alter their behavior, you may be found in violation of this law. To report violations, advise the on-duty lifeguard service or call the National Marine Fisheries at (619) 557-5994 or (310) 980-4049.

Jellyfish

 Over 200 different species of jellyfish are found throughout the world’s oceans and seas. Although they don’t often appear in Oceanside, we want to share a little bit about them. They are also known as invertebrates, animals lacking backbones. They belong to the phylum Cnidaria (ny-DARE-ee-uh). They come in many shapes and sizes, ranging from the thimble, to the spherical jellyfish of the Caribbean, to the largest jellyfish of them all, Arctic lion’s mane, whose tentacles may stretch over 100 feet in length.

Jellyfish are over 95 percent water and have no heart, blood, or gills. Despite limited sense organs, jellyfish can smell, taste, and remain balanced in the water. Jellyfish also have light-sensing organs around the bell rim, and although jellyfish cannot detect objects, they can distinguish light from dark. Jellyfish can sense smell and tastes using chemoreceptors. Touch receptors on the tentacles, oral arms, and around the mouth sense movement and help jellyfish find food. In addition to swimming, jellyfish are carried by wind, waves, and currents. They swim using jet propulsion. Special muscles called coronal muscles, embedded on the underside of the bell, push water out of the hollow bell. As water is pushed in one direction, the jellyfish moves in the opposite direction. Jellyfish are most known for, and avoided for, stinging cells located on the tentacles and other body parts. The stinging cell consists of a capsule with a sensory hair, a lid and an interior nematocyst, (nee-MAT-o-sist) which actually stings, captures and subdues prey.

Even a jellyfish that has washed ashore should not be handled, since moist nematocysts may still fire. The stings of some jellyfish may be quite painful, causing mild rashes. Although feared by swimmers, most jellyfish are harmless to human beings. In fact, these graceful creatures can benefit people and should be appreciated. Several different kinds of jellyfish are being used to treat certain cancers and heart diseases.

Lifeguard Service

The Oceanside Lifeguard Service provides public safety to users of Oceanside's coastline and ocean waterways from the Oceanside Harbor entrance to the south city limits, safeguarding 3.7 miles of beach. Beach areas include Harbor Beach, North Pier Beaches, South Pier Beaches, Wisconsin Street, Oceanside Blvd., and Buccaneer Beach.

Oceanside was incorporated in 1888 with the Lifeguard Service dating back to the mid-1940s. Today we have over 45 seasonal staff and 6 full-time lifeguards. Our Junior Lifeguard Program, aimed at youths from 9-16 years of age, is an extremely popular program conducted each summer with annual attendance exceeding 650 students. The Oceanside Lifeguard Service operates seven days per week all year. Throughout the summer months, our hours of operation are 8:00 a.m. - 8:00 p.m. During the winter months, hours of operation are from 8:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m. We operate out of Lifeguard Headquarters at the base of the pier, 301 North The Strand, and one communications/dispatch tower in the middle of the pier. Lifeguard responsibilities include water rescue of swimmers and surfers, boat rescues, underwater search and rescue, swift-water rescue, missing persons, and related emergencies. Oceanside lifeguards also handle enforcement of laws and regulations, primarily related to beach and water use, through citation and arrest. The lifeguard service utilizes a wide variety of rescue equipment to handle these responsibilities.

In emergencies, Oceanside lifeguards can be contacted and dispatched by dialing 911. Informational telephone numbers include a recorded beach and surf report, which is updated twice daily.

Maintenance
Maintenance is responsible for the maintenance, repair, upkeep and construction of the docks, slips, fishing piers, launch ramp, 3.7 miles of beach, the open air amphitheater, restrooms, buildings, parking lots and other public use facilities. Additional responsibilities include landscaping and lawn, slope and tree care. The range of services includes electrical, plumbing, concrete, carpentry, painting and emergency and non-emergency response to hazardous materials incidents.

Lifeguard Services
Oceanside's Beach Lifeguards provide beach and ocean safety rescues, emergency medical aid and a variety of water-related rescue activities. The program manages and operates the youth-oriented Junior Lifeguard Program, provides special event lifeguarding. Additionally, the division manages the department's swift water rescue program and participates in the department scubadiving services program.

Harbor Police
Harbor Police handles the department's emergency response element for traditional and maritime law enforcement, search and rescue, maritime firefighting, emergency medical aid and scuba-diving services provided by the Harbor Police Division. Harbor police officers are deployed on a 24-hour basis and respond to both emergency and non-emergency service calls.

Non-emergency services include vessel safety inspections, general assistance to boaters, dock inspections and after-hours assistance to the public on harbor-related matters. The Harbor Police utilize four-wheel-drive vehicles, boats and foot patrol to support field operations