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View Full Version : Anyone going to Pismo this weekend?



Her454
09-01-2006, 10:59 AM
I heard about this today on the news too............. I don't swim anywhere I am the bottom of the food chain anyway, but its kinda scary.
Shark sighting closes waters
Avila and Port San Luis waters are closed
A sign posted in Avila Beach states that waters are closed during the end-of-summer holiday weekend.
More photosAnother shark sighting will keep the waters at Avila Beach and Port San Luis closed through Sunday.
And a few miles down the coast, the county Health Department posted another health warning for ocean pollution Wednesday in Pismo Beach.
The signs have some business owners worried about a drop in customers during the end-of-summer holiday weekend, but others said they likely won't have any impact at all.
Wednesday's shark sighting will keep the swimming, wading and surfing areas at Avila Beach and Port San Luis closed until 7 a.m. Monday.
A woman standing on the bluff south of Avila Pier reported seeing a great white shark feeding just outside the no-boat buoys at Avila Beach. Harbor officials went through a two-page checklist with her to verify what she had seen and deemed it a credible shark sighting.
The harbor district's policy created in 2003 following a fatal shark attack at Avila Beach is to close the water for five days after a shark is seen. The beach will remain open.
When the ocean is off-limits, business slows down, said Pete Kelley, owner of Pete's Pierside Café at Port San Luis. He expects business might drop by as much as 30 percent over the holiday weekend.
Kelley said he has debated the harbor district's shark policy. He understands the need to keep beachgoers safe, but "on the other hand, it does kill Labor Day," he said.
Kelley, who has lived and swam at Avila Beach for more than 30 years, said this is a "sharky" time of year. The harbor is full of seals that attract sharks, and he said he chooses not to swim now.
"I hoped there wouldn't be another sighting, but I kinda thought there might be," he said.
The closing affects business some, but Kim Harrigan, an employee at Fat Cat's Café at Avila Beach, said she expects out-of-town visitors to keep business up.
"Weekends we're always busy, so I'm not really worried about it," Harrigan said.
The waters off Avila Beach and Port San Luis were closed for five days starting on Friday after a shark was sighted chasing harbor seals in the port's mooring area.
Pismo Beach waters won't be closed because of higher-than-normal levels of fecal coliform, but signs posted Wednesday warn surfers, swimmers and other beachgoers of potential health hazards.
Liberty Amundson, environmental health specialist, said some forms of fecal coliform bacteria can make people sick. Water with high bacteria levels can cause intestinal problems, ear infections and skin irritation and rashes.
Technicians retested the water Wednesday; results are expected to be available today.
If results show bacteria levels at or below the recommended range, Amundson said, the department could remove the signs as early as today.
It's the third time this month that tests of nearby ocean waters registered levels of fecal coliform higher than state standards allow.
Environmental Health Services posted warnings at the site Aug. 8 and during the week of Aug. 15.
Amundson said testing methods weren't specific enough to tell if the contamination came from humans, animals or birds.
"It's often a combination of factors," she said
Employees at three Pismo Beach surf shops said the signs likely won't deter people from coming to town.
"This weekend?" said Devin Gomez of Moondoggies. "It's doubtful. Most of the business is generated through tourism, and most of the kids from the (Central) Valley won't even pay attention."
Josh Martin at Pancho's said most tourists probably won't know the signs are up until they arrive in town.
Fewer people might go in the water, said Christian Domingues at Esteem, but warning signs don't usually have much impact.
Past warning signs haven't significantly reduced the number of visitors, all three employees said.

LAFD
09-01-2006, 11:02 AM
im goin shark hunting in pismo this weekend.

Her454
09-01-2006, 11:04 AM
im goin shark hunting in pismo this weekend.
I take it you are joking, but my ex used to do that in the SF Bay (outer bay) quite a bit.

LAFD
09-01-2006, 11:06 AM
I take it you are joking, but my ex used to do that in the SF Bay (outer bay) quite a bit.
yeah i am kidding about the hunting but might be goin to pismo.

charitycase
09-01-2006, 11:14 AM
I know Her454 isn't.She's going to KnightsLanding.

Her454
09-01-2006, 11:15 AM
I know Her454 isn't.She's going to KnightsLanding.
Nope, Im not going to Pismo LOL.................... :rollside:

charitycase
09-01-2006, 03:03 PM
Nope, Im not going to Pismo LOL.................... :rollside:
I didn't PENCIL you in for a spot.I put it in permanent marker :skull: