High surf continues to pound Calif. coast - Atlanta Journal Constitution

The Associated Press

LOS ANGELES — Authorities are warning about dangerously high waves pounding the central California coast that have left a swimmer missing and likely caused a marijuana smuggling boat to crash onto a beach.

Steve Bass navigates the parking lot with his sons Jacob, 10, right and Nick, 8, as high tide comes in and floods the parking lot near the Balboa Pier in Newport Beach, Calif. Wednesday, Aug. 31, 2011. Bulldozers work to erect a berm to keep the high water away from the boardwalk homes. (AP Photo/Orange County Register, Ken Steinhardt)

A set of waves hit the bottom of the Balboa Pier as High tide comes in and floods beach parking lots near Newport Beach, Calif. Wednesday, Aug. 31, 2011. Bulldozers work to erect a berm to keep the high water away from the boardwalk homes. (AP Photo/Orange County Register, Ken Steinhardt)

Beach goers parked at Balboa Pier navigate high water to get out as high tide comes in and floods the parking lot near the pier in Newport Beach, Wednesday, Aug. 31, 2011. Bulldozers work to erect a berm to keep the high water away from the boardwalk homes. (AP Photo/Orange County Register, Ken Steinhardt)

Lifeguards conducted dozens of rescues, officials said. High surf also caused some damage to the Ocean Beach and San Clemente piers.

A high surf advisory was in effect until 5 p.m. Friday with waves of up to 10-feet high pounding beaches from San Luis Obispo to San Diego, the National Weather Service said.

The powerful surf probably forced a smuggling boat to crash on a Southern California beach where more than 500 pounds of marijuana washed ashore, authorities said Thursday.

California State Parks rangers found the abandoned boat split in half on rocks near Point Mugu northwest of Malibu, said Lindsey Templeton, a superintendent for the park system said.

Waves reaching 6 to 9 feet and "probably a lot of misjudgment by the cartel operating the boat" led to the crash, Templeton said.

"Obviously they didn't check the surf or they risked it anyway," he said.

Authorities warned swimmers and surfers to be careful because of high waves and strong rip currents that hit Central and Southern California through the day.

The Coast Guard suspended its search for a missing body-boarder after a fruitless overnight hunt that covered 78 square miles of ocean. Jowayne Binford, 24, of Long Beach, was with three friends when he disappeared Wednesday evening about 200 yards off the Surfside area of Huntington Beach, Coast Guard spokesman Trent Kelly said.

Rip currents are strong channels of water flowing out to sea that quickly exhaust swimmers who struggle against them. Authorities recommend that swimmers caught swim parallel to the shoreline until they are out of the current.

"We could tell yesterday the waves were getting a lot bigger and the current was getting strong. The yellow (warning) flags were waving," said Rhonda Selmanson, who has lived in a seaside home at Sunset Beach for three years.

To the delight of surfers, occasional 20-foot waves slammed into the Wedge, a popular body-surfing spot at Newport Beach in Orange County.

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September 02, 2011 04:16 AM EDT

Copyright 2011, The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

02 Sep, 2011

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