Bacteria levels in ocean after rain??

[Shawn Michael]

"Rain water mixed with urban pollutants often creates stormwater pollution. Urban runoff pollution may also flow to the ocean through the storm drain system. Pollutants included in stormwater and urban runoff are : trash, oil and other automotive fluids, paint and construction debris, yard and pet wastes, pesticides and litter, just to name a few."

Here in southern california we are having the first rain in a long time.  I assume that all the crap will be washed out in the ocean which is already bad here....sometimes they are slow and poorly mark beach closure signs...so is this true??  Stay out of the water following rain?  How long?  I just got a new paddle and I am crazed to get out there.  Thanks!
 

[stoneaxe]

Urban runoff is a problem but beach closures usually only happen in areas with combined sewer overflows (CSO's). Older cities often have combined sewer systems, storm and sewer together. When heavy rainfall is too much for the system it will discharge raw sewage through the overflows directly to the waterways without treatment. Urban storwater pollutants are nasty enough but its the bacteria levels in untreated sewage that make CSO's dangerous.

[1tuberider]

I think you are ok as long as you stay standing. 

Don't drink the water or have any open sores. Bad things can happen.  I cut myself on the columbia windsurfing and even though I cleaned it, I got an infection that took months to clear up. Still have the
scar.

We are having the rain and wind but our paddling options seem to be limited by the gales and 4 inches per day of rainfall. I will wait it out.

One nice think about living in the far north of Cal were the population is under 20k, we have clean water, air and mostly friendly folks. I left the southern mess in 1978 after falling in a sink hole after a rain storm closed our beloved huntington beach. The sink hole near the boardwalk on the beach took me up to my waist and had I not had a surfboard attached under my arm I could have been trapped.  It was yuk and I am outta here.
 

[surfcal]

San Diego County Department of Health.....No water contact for 72 hours after a major rain event.   San Diego didn't get any of that rain. Yet.
And the surf is good right now.

[Shawn Michael]

Thanks for the information.   Kettlebells and Versaclimber...bummer.  I just got a new paddle from Jimmy T (quickblade)  My usual paddle is 12 overhead but my new board (f-18) is thicker so this one is 13.5 overhead.  Longer paddle = more reach = more speed for me...will see if my shoulder notices.

[Strand Leper]

Just don't fall in.  Get your hep shots and enjoy uncrowded waves... trying to clear the schedule for a quick dawn assault tomorro... damn that high tide!

Tim

[steamroller]

Just don't fall in.  Get your hep shots and enjoy uncrowded waves... trying to clear the schedule for a quick dawn assault tomorro... damn that high tide!

Tim

yup those things are a pain in the butt too...gotta go back for like 6 needles over the course of 4 months...or something like that...and if you forget and miss....Opps gotta start all over again...
 


but yeah this is probably theBEST reason to SUP...so many times ive surfed Malibu with the creek opened up and raw sewage spewing out...turds...trash...needles...rattlesnakes...dead fish...just all kinds of crap...go easy and dont fall in...wash your feet when you get out and youre cool...all the bellycrawlers are grumpy though...ha ha

 

[tbsurf]

No worries - it's safe as long as you don't get wet!  I give it a day or two after the first significant rain of the season, "flushing" all the debris off the streets, into the storm drains and into the lineup.  If it looks too good to wait, I head to Zuma and beyond, where there is less urban detritus.  TB

[kwhilden]

Crazy story on the dangers of surfing in polluted water....
http://espn.go.com/action/news/story?id=3830299

That's one tough tough dude

[asystole]

Crazy story on the dangers of surfing in polluted water....
http://espn.go.com/action/news/story?id=3830299

That's one tough tough dude

Read the story about Turner awhile ago and shortly after that my nephew and his surfing buddy picked up MRSA down around Cardiff, surfing the day after a moderate rain. After that I started paying more attention to water quality and urban runoff.

[PonoBill]

Nasty stuff everywhere. You can get MRSA from a lot of sources, and you don't necessarily need a skin break to get it, though that's certainly easier. Of course most people get it in a hospital, as I and Mark Raaphorst did.

I'm not sure how to avoid infection doing the stuff all of us do, but if you suspect you might have some persistent infection don't hesitate to see a Doc.

[dpca10]

I'm sick as hell after SUP'n Santa Cruz yesterday, I have bad sinuses already, but this is pain down to the roots of my teeth.  I tried my hardest not to fall in but I took a few dips, can't believe how bad it is considering my minimal water contact!!  Arrrg, still dragged myself to work, just try to think of the epic rides I got.

[Deb]

Go see a doc asap - it could be serious. I picked up MRSA (in my knee) in the water off of Kihei last year. (Tiny little scratch I forgot to wash with alcohol). Ended up in the ER, but the antibiotics did work. One of the nurses said I should take lots of Vitamin C - it helps the immune system. Now if I feel a "spot" starting (like a toenail base) I take 3000 mg to 5000 mg of Vit C per day (spread over the day) for about 3 days, drop as much stress as I can, wash the area with benzalkoniium chloride solution (remember mercurochrome?) and so far that seems to keep it at bay. MRSA can be terrible stuff - don't wait.

[andygere]

Water on the West Side of SC was still looking pretty brown as of last night...I passed and went for a run.

[stoneaxe]

Damn!....and i thought the scar on my head was fugly... . My roommate in the hospital had a infection in his brain. Poor bastard was toast when he came in but was slowly making progress by the time I left. Scary stuff...he had no idea what he was doing the first couple of days. Turned out he had gotten his infection the same way...bad sinus infection. Gives a runny nose has a whole new meaning.