Nice weather we're having, isn't it? It's no wonder Angelenos have been flocking to the Pacific shores for some fun in the sun. Here's a look at some photos taken in these first few days of 2012 as we enjoy a bit of summer in January, courtesy the LAist Featured Photos pool on Flickr. more ›

After today's rainfall, the first significant shower since March, Heal the Bay urges Southlanders to steer clear of the Pacific for the next 72 hours. Swimmers are also advised to avoid contact with storm water that pools or streams along the beach. more ›

Long Beach, a city infamous for its poor beach water quality, has been doing its homework and received gold star AND smiley face stickers on its latest report card. Heal the Bay released its 2011 End of Summer Beach Report Card - a report of beach water quality - on Monday, awarding Long Beach with excellent marks for its "dramatic improvement," per Monday's press release. more ›

A body found in Seal Beach Thursday afternoon may be that of a missing swimmer who disappeared in rough waters August 31. The body was spotted in the water on the west jetty of Anaheim Bay at the U.S. Naval Weapons Station, reports the O.C. Register. more ›

Today The G2 Gallery in Venice premiered Nature LA: Sebastian Artz, a photography series dedicated to ghostly jellyfish and our shelled ocean bottom crawlers - crustaceans. more ›

A gust of wind. A dog barks. Cue the truck. An "offshore breeze" will be accompanying a warm weekend of clear skies and 70s highs by the beaches with temps up to the 90s expected for inland and valley areas, notes CBS Local. Sunrise Saturday saw heavy wind and coolness in the mountains with 56 mph gusts reported in Malibu (64 mph near Mount Wilson). more ›

For those among us who watched "Jaws" at too young an age and have lingering terror about the ocean because of it, some good news: researchers at UC Davis found that there are fewer great white sharks living off the California coast than they expected. According to the Daily News, biologists navigated small boats into waters believed to be heavily populated by great whites and counted 131, by taking identifying pictures of each shark's unique dorsal fin. more ›

Rising ocean levels and increased erosion are forcing officials in Ventura to move facilities inland, in an effort that may serve as an example for many of California's coastal communities. "As the coastline creeps inland, scouring sand from beaches or eating away at coastal bluffs, landowners will increasingly be forced to decide whether to spend vast sums of money fortifying the shore or give up and step back," reports the L.A. TImes. more ›

That "weird neon green slime in the water" that has puzzled beachgoers throughout Orange County and up as far as Long Beach is nothing to worry about. That's what a USC professor is saying today. more ›

The Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC) has just released their 20th annual beachwater quality report, which shows that there were 2,904 "beach days"* last year when California's beaches were either closed or under advisory due to water pollution. more ›

16-year-old Abby Sunderland of Thousand Oaks has been rescued from her disabled boat about 2,000 nautical miles off the coast of Western Australia, according to the LA Times. 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 ›

Matti, Pablo, Apolo and Taite got a second chance at life yesterday morning. The four sea lions, once found throughout Orange County's coastline underweight and malnourished, were released back into the wild with a crowd cheering them on at Crescent Bay in Laguna Beach. And by the looks of this video, the cute pinnipeds were sure thrilled to see the ocean again! more ›

If you're heading to the beach this weekend, take note of a warning issued for this weekend from the National Weather Service. more ›

Going up and down the coast is already a different visual experience, thanks to volunteers who took to the beaches yesterday to begin painting all 158 lifeguard towers in L.A. County for the "Summer of Color" public art project. You'll see five colors: yellow, rumba orange, sweat pea, Toronto blue, and crocus petal purple. This is just the first step--by mid-May, color murals painted by children and volunteers across the region will be installed and stay up through October. more ›

Starting Sunday and lasting through October, the region's biggest public art project will begin to take shape. By Mid-May "Summer of Color" will have turned 158 lifeguard towers on 31 miles of California coast into vibrant floral pieces of public art. On Sunday, volunteers will paint tower railings with one of five colors: yellow, rumba orange, sweat pea, Toronto blue, and crocus petal purple. If you want to volunteer, sign up here. more ›

For most of the year, the Giant Coreopsis plant looks like a short stubby odd-looking version of a Joshua Tree. Often referred to as the Dr. Seuss plant, it sits flowerless and dead-looking for about nine months of the year. Then wildflower season comes and it boldly blooms with beautiful yellow flowers. And that time is now and the clock is ticking. more ›

Marla Jo Fisher at the Orange County Register says "that Sunday is supposed to be the lowest tide of the winter," meaning access for tide pool exploration should be at its prime. more ›

Nestled on coastal bluffs on the western end of the Santa Monica Mountains is a quaint and beautiful park, perfect for picnicking, reading, relaxing and easy hiking. Run by the city of Malibu, Charmlee Wilderness Park is 532-acres in size, hosting about 8 miles of easy trails. more ›

Because rain continued to drop today, the Los Angeles County Department of Health extended an advisory that warned beach goers to stay away from swimming near discharging storm drains, creeks, and rivers. That's because "bacteria, debris, trash, and other public health hazards from city streets and mountain areas are likely to enter ocean waters though these outlets," they said. more ›

Whether you live in the Valley or near the coast, we are all connected. That piece of trash sitting in an Encino curb could easily be swept into the storm drain system or L.A. River, traveling to the beach and into the Pacific Ocean. This Saturday, Heal the Bay and other organizations hope for 15,000 volunteers at more than 70 inland and beach locations for the 25th annual international Coastal Cleanup Day (and the 19th for the event to happen locally). more ›

To go along with our wordy look at the 100 years of history of the Santa Monica Pier, our LAist Featured Photos pool just happens to be brimming over with images of the iconic landmark that we couldn't keep to ourselves. more ›

On August 1, 1939, California Attorney General Earl Warren sent 250 local and state officers to raid four gambling ships anchored off the coast of Santa Monica and Long Beach. The Tango and Showboat idled off Long Beach while the Texas and the Rex anchored off Santa Monica. Local and state authorities, riding in Fish and Game boats and 16 rented water taxis, easily boarded the Tango, the Showboat and the Texas. Once aboard, raiding officers eagerly threw roulette wheels, dice tables, black jack tables and slot machines into the Pacific Ocean. Upon approaching the S.S. Rex, officers were greeted with armed gunmen and high-pressure fire hoses. A nine-day standoff ensued, which newspaper men dubbed "The Battle of Santa Monica Bay." more ›

Los Angeles has had one for a little while and now Santa Monica has joined the club. Typically, when it rains the runoff goes into the storm drains directing it to the ocean. What it takes along with it--chemicals, trash, etc--is extremely harmful and wasteful, too. If the little water brought to us in Southern California was spent on keeping it in the groundwater system instead of spending money to move it out, all the better. The Lookout News in Santa Monica was at a demonstration yesterday and explains how the new one on the 100 block of Bicknell Avenue works: more ›

An undersea earthquake rattled a few nerves in San Diego Saturday morning, and the 4.0 shaker was felt in the OC, but it wasn't the aftershocks that had area residents talking later that day. Several giant squid washed ashore on Saturday, surprising beach-goers, most of whom had never seen anything like it before. Even after they were tossed back in the water they'd re-appear on the sand, causing many to wonder if it was because of the earthquake. Check out the video for the story. more ›

For the most part, eco-documentaries follow a pretty narrow pattern; either they’re well funded and a little boring or guerrilla style and probably a bit nauseating, but either way you’re supposed to be so outraged you get out of your seat and punch the richest asshole you can find. That’s the gist. But there’s often a disconnect between the images of the film and the actions of the audience because, ecologically, problems tend to be so big any given person feels powerless. more ›

A visit to Channel Islands National Park means an hour or longer boat ride across the Santa Barbara Channel. Your travel takes you over the National Marine Sanctuary where without a doubt--unless the weather is treacherous--you're bound to see some amazing ocean wonders. In two recent trips, we've seen hundreds of dolphins, seals, birds, a whale, a sun fish and last weekend, something very unusual, a feeding frenzy. more ›

The state Office of Environmental Health Hazard Assessment (OEHHA) this month released its health advisory and safe eating guidelines for fish caught from coastal areas from Ventura Harbor south to the Dana Point area. "The results do not bode well for those that regularly eat locally caught coastal fish," wrote Mark Gold, President of Heal the Bay. more ›

The Los Angeles region has many secrets and Channel Islands National Park is one of them. The group of islands off the coast of Ventura and Santa Barbara are easily seen from the crowded beaches of Malibu, but most of those beach goers have never been on the other side. And while it is one of the closest National Parks to the millions who live here, it is also one of the less accessible ones. Boats don't run as consistent as the ferry's to Catalina Island and the sometimes the costs (around $50 roundtrip and up, depending on which island you visit) stop many. more ›