Los Angeles County once again leads Heal the Bay's "Beach Bummers List" with seven locations out of California's top 10 most polluted beache more ›

The Board of Supervisors approved a set of regulation changes governing Marina del Rey beaches and harbors today, one of them being a continuance of the ban on summer touch football. Did anyone out there know this ban existed? more ›

Beachgoers in the OC were recently treated to the sight of hundreds of giant squid carcasses that had washed up on the sand, reports the OC Register. The dead sea behemoths were discovered last night and this morning, and officials say there were between 100 and 200 of the creatures. The likely died due to spawning, which is a natural occurrence. more ›

Are you one of the many, many locals opting to beat the holiday heat with a sojourn by the shore? Well, take a number--our beaches have been crazy busy this weekend. How busy? According to officials, an estimated one million people showed to to Los Angeles County beaches on Saturday and the same on Sunday. more ›

California reached a 5-year high with 11% percent of beaches reporting an increase in bacterial contamination. In Los Angeles County, Avalon Beach, Cabrillo Beach and Colorado Lagoon topped the list of dirty waters. Poche County Beach and Doheny State Beach were the OC's biggest offenders. more ›

Due to heavy rainfall, an advisory has been issued by the County of Los Angeles Public Health department for all LA county beaches until Monday, December 20 at 12 p.m. Officials are cautioning residents (and we imagine everyone else, too) planning to visit Los Angeles County beaches to be careful swimming / surfing / frolicking in ocean waters near discharging storm drains, creeks, and rivers. more ›

Emblazoned with vibrant, cheery colors and eye-catching patterns, Los Angeles County's lifeguard towers have now been returned to their basic blues, marking an official, albeit calendar-challenged, end to the "Summer of Color." more ›

This cool weather has brought Southern California its first significant rainfall after a long drought period and that means stay away from the beach water, says Heal the Bay. That's because the county's 2,800-mile storm drain system, which is meant to prevent local flooding on rainy days, also moves pollution into the Santa Monica and San Pedro bays. more ›

There are few better ways available to Los Angeles residents to cool down from the blistering heat of summer than to hit the beach. And hit them, we do--in droves--on weekends, holidays, and whenever we can find a moment (and a parking place!). more ›

Just two days after National Park Rangers issued a warning that great white sharks have been feeding on sea lions off Santa Barbara Island, a surfer in Pismo Beach was bitten by a shark, according to KTLA. more ›

Despite its beauty and household name among local beaches, Paradise Cove has been one of the most polluted when it comes to water quality. Last year it received an F. Why? "High levels of fecal indicator bacteria," according to Heal the Bay's annual beach report card (eek!). But this year it jumped to a B, thanks to a... more ›

Across California beaches tomorrow, groups of people are expected to gather in a peaceful demonstration against oil drilling. "This movement is not about politics; it is about protection of our coastal economies, oceans, marine wildlife, and fishing industry," explains the Hands Across Sand website, which lists some 650 worldwide locations where events will be found. more ›

There is some bittersweet news about L.A.'s local beaches. According to the latest report card from Heal the Bay, things are improving, but beaches in L.A. County continue to exhibit some of the lowest grades in the state. Based on routine monitoring of beaches where "water samples are analyzed for bacteria that indicate pollution from numerous sources, including fecal waste," the annual report card shows that 79% of the 86 beaches in the county earned A or B grades during dry weather. more ›

As Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger is getting cheers from some in the environmental community for backing down from offshore drilling, he's not winning those fans over his latest veto. This afternoon he decided against a bill that would ban smoking in state parks and beaches. more ›

Today apparently is Ocean Oscars day for the The Nature Conservancy. The behemoth environmental organization has been working with partners to preserve California State Beaches for over 50 years and today honored their favorite spots. more ›

A break in a sewage line belonging to the Santa Margarita Water District last Tuesday is still causing problems on some beaches in the OC, according to the OC Register. "About three miles of coastline from Dana Point to Capistrano Beach are still closed," thanks to the break, and despite the completion of repair work late Friday night, "Orange County Health Care Agency officials said they will not be able to reopen the beaches until water samples meet state safety standards." Officials need to log two consecutive days of clean samples in order to re-open the beaches; this could happen later this afternoon at the earliest. more ›

Last month we told you about "Summer of Color," a massive project that will turn 155 lifeguard towers on 30 miles of California coast into vibrant floral pieces of public art. Bringing together volunteers from the community, the Project of Hope is working every Saturday from now until May to paint the panels that will then be affixed onto the lifeguard towers. more ›

Remember when taxis all over New York City were covered in flower paintings as one massively big mobile public art project? The same non profit that organized it is now working on one for Los Angeles, but with the goal of bringing public art to every lifeguard tower in Los Angeles County, which equates to 155 of them along some 30 miles of coast. more ›

When it rains, it gets dirty... and dangerous. Due to the current storm, the County Health Officer advises people to stay away from water in beach areas near discharging storm drains, creeks, and rivers because bacteria, debris, trash, and other public health hazards from city streets and mountain areas are likely to enter ocean waters though these outlets. more ›

A long summer of hot-hot-hot heat means lots of beach days for Southern Californians. Now that the season is wrapped up, Heal the Bay has released their annual Summer Beach Report Card [PDF]. The non-profit group graded nearly 500 beaches statewide based on bacterial pollution levels monitored from Memorial Day to Labor Day this year, according to their release, and the news is generally pretty good. more ›

Local beaches have been cleared of the tsunami advisory issued yesterday in response to the massive earthquake in the South Pacific, reports KTLA. This morning Los Angeles County lifeguards announced they'd conducted patrols of the beach overnight and "found no dangerous currents or other hazards." more ›

Starting tomorrow, the region will be within a high pressure system resulting in some hot weather that will even have the beach areas suffering somewhat. Then tomorrow expect mid 80s at the beaches and temperatures into the 90s more inland. Some parts of the San Fernando Valley could reach in the low 100s. Thursday could see even hotter temperatures followed by a just slightly cooler weekend, but not by much. As for today: expected highs are in the upper 70s at the beaches, upper 80s inland and into the 90s in the Valleys. more ›

Dangerously high surf is still expected today at the beaches, as predicted earlier--all part of the same system of swells that "pounded Orange County beaches on Friday, killing a surfer at the Wedge" according to the OC Register. Massive waves can be awe-inspiring, but the 4-7' swells "and occasional sets up to 9′" and higher in some places mean even the pros should think twice about hitting the water. more ›

Typical for the Los Angeles area, beaches are experiencing upper 60s to mid 70s while more inland, highs will reach the mid 80s, according to the National Weather Service. In the Hollywood Hills and Valley, expect the 90s. However, the LA County Public Health Office today released a warning for the Santa Clarita Valley: "High temperatures are forecasted for today and tomorrow in the Santa Clarita Valley, with the heat index forecast to reach 104 degrees today and 101 degrees tomorrow.... 'While people don’t need to be told it’s hot outside, they do need to be reminded how to take care of themselves, children, the elderly, and their pets when the weather gets hotter,' said Jonathan E. Fielding, MD, MPH, Director of Public Health and Health Officer.'" more ›

Speaking of LA County's terrible water quality ranking that was announced today, have you seen these along Los Angeles' curbs? These catch basin screen covers prevent litter larger than ¾ of an inch from entering the storm drain system that brings water to the ocean via the LA River and Ballona Creek. Over the past year, they started appearing in the Valley, but they were first installed in other areas that generated the highest amount of trash. more ›

LA County still has worst water quality in state and includes several sites on the top 10 "beach bummer" (i.e., worst beaches in the state) list in this year's Heal the Bay Beach Report Card. This comes as neighboring Orange and Ventura counties earn high grades for good water quality. more ›

Planning for the weekend, the weather is looking to be pretty sweet. Basically, today through Sunday, the weather will be in the 70s on the beaches, low 80s inland and a little hotter in the hills and Valley, according to the National Weather Service. Oh yes, for the win. The skies will remain clear and sunny until Sunday night and Monday morning, when patchy clouds and fog will roll on in before it once again... clears. more ›

When it rains in the Los Angeles area, the yucky stuff (you know, bacteria, debris, trash, and other public health hazards) from city streets and mountain areas enter the ocean via storm drains, creeks and rivers. That means, swimming near them for the next few days can be hazardous for your health. more ›

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