Big Waves crash Santa Monica beach during Labor Day weekend

Waves up to eight feet high slammed onto the Santa Monica beaches throughout Labor Day weekend. It was a rare sight for Santa Monica residents, who weren’t used to seeing such big waves crash onto shore.

Strong rip currents and heavy swell conditions in the Pacific Ocean were spotted along many local beaches. In Santa Monica, lifeguards were on the lookout for any potential problems. One lifeguard on shore warned swimmers of a rip current on Saturday afternoon. Out in the sea, lifeguard boats patrolled the area near the local beaches.

The large waves were created by a storm off the coast of New Zealand, which sent swells toward Southern California beaches.

Rip currents seemed to be everywhere along the local beaches. The following tips were offered for those caught in a rip current:

Try to remain calm to conserve energy.
Don’t fight the current.
Think of it like a treadmill you can’t turn off. You want to step to the side of it.
Swim across the current in a direction following the shoreline.
When out of the current, swim and angle away from the current and towards shore.
If you can’t escape this, try to float or calmly tread water. Rip current strength eventually subsides offshore. When it does, swim toward shore.
If at any time you feel unable to reach shore, draw attention to yourself: face the shore, wave your arms, and yell for help.