Pacific Ocean . . . Where to Surf, Where to Swim

Susan Heavilin
May 30
2 min read

" Dune Beach Panorama At Sunset " by Jan Becke

With the hazardous waste (AKA untreated sewage) creeping up the southern coastline from Mexico, it's sometimes tricky figuring out where it's safe to get in the water.

Coronado used to be the beach to go to for sun and fun. But with the Navy SEALS getting sick in the water, most people are opting to head further north to dip their toes.

Last weekend, we had a family reunion up on the San Clemente beach by the pier. The sky was blue, the water looked clean but there was no beach report card rating as no samples had been taken. Those in bathing suits took the plunge but were shortly herded out of the water by the lifeguards. A Great White shark had been spotted in the nearby ocean.

All of us raised in the era of the movie Jaws decided to enjoy the beach instead of braving the water. The littles spent the day building sandcastles, playing paddle ball, collecting seashells, growing mermaid tails in the sand and sliding their boogie boards down a sandy "ski" hill.

So where does one go to find data about when the beach water is safe?

The Southern California Coastal Ocean Observing System (SCCOOS) is a great website that allows you to track the Tijuana River Plume Trajectories. The site provides the flow rate at it's 24-hour maximum and minimum, the plume trajectory and an animated gif.

You can also observe a daily particle count and plume potential at eleven different stations from Coronado (North Island) all the way down to the TJ River mouth.