Water Pollution

[bgdkmetzger2003]

Im from San Diego. We have warnings that post that we should stay out of the water for at least 72 hours!! I usually dont stay out that long but for sure I wont surf the next day after a heavy rain. How about you guys?? Whats your area like?? How long do you stay out after a good rain???

[PapaW]

ITs not so bad in the UK but still remains the main cause of illness instances contracted from water after heavy rainfall. General guideline is 24hours here but personally my immune system has had everything having a go at it since I been surfing. Most things I'm immune too now.

[Hopupu]

I normally don't surf within 24 hours after heavy rain. I guess America suffers more from waste pollution than Europe?

Then again, sitting at home can also result in serious injury.

Anyway, it never hurts to get a hepatitis A vaccination shot.

[Driftingalong]

No problems in the Delaware/Maryland area...
In fact, I went out this past Sat. right after the rain. The winds pulled offshore and there were some 3-4' waves on hand.

[SDCali]

In CA a lot of the pollution is from what comes down the storm drains, people dump all kinds of stuff down there , and it goes straight to the ocean untreated. Occassionally after a storm the sewer systems and sewage treatment plants will get overloaded and dump untreated or partially treated sewage into the ocean. I would definately be careful going out after a storm. Your best bet would be to check the beach out for yourself, or ask the lifeguards how the water is, as those are general alerts, and the conditions vary from beach to beach.

[dondiemand]

i usually check the beach report before going..in l.a., we get warnings everytime after a significant amt of rain..i usually stay away from river mouths, drainpipes, etc..i've gotten sick a few times but nothing serious, usually i get like a runny nose or something..

[bgdkmetzger2003]

I got sick for a week with stomach cramps after I first went in the water in SD. There are some beaches that are notoriously more dirty that others. After that Ive never gotten sick. I got a skin infection I believe was from the water a while back also. I am glad that I got my Hepititis shots this last year also especially the Hep A shot. I think you can get immune to a certain amount of filth in the water just like the people in Mexico can drink their own water you know? But if you surf in LA or SD I would get a Hepititis shot.

[dondiemand]

I got sick for a week with stomach cramps after I first went in the water in SD. There are some beaches that are notoriously more dirty that others. After that Ive never gotten sick. I got a skin infection I believe was from the water a while back also. I am glad that I got my Hepititis shots this last year also especially the Hep A shot. I think you can get immune to a certain amount of filth in the water just like the people in Mexico can drink their own water you know? But if you surf in LA or SD I would get a Hepititis shot.

Im def getting one soon!

[BoMan]

The big swells are in Santa Barbara area right now. (if you can handle the uber high bacterial count...)

Salty is right! It’s good to know how clean the water is before paddling out.

Blue Water Task Force
http://www.surfrider.org/blue-water-task-force

[Tudeo]

Salty is right! It’s good to know how clean the water is before paddling out.

Blue Water Task Force
http://www.surfrider.org/blue-water-task-force

Unfortunately Bali is not monitored by the Blue Water Task Force, so I just use my own method of counting used diapers floating around in the lineup related to my frequency of diarrhea..

[yeaahgarrett]

As long as you're not close to Imperial Beach by the Tijuana Slough, it's not to bad in San Diego. I waited a day to go back in the water and it didn't seem bad at all. Luckily I seem to not have gotten any sickness!