It's the season when refugees from sultry inland valleys begin showing up en masse at local beaches. Some carry rented umbrellas and Boogie boards or drag ice chests brimming with illicit beer. Others wade into the surf in their blue jeans.
Lifeguards pay special attention to novice beachgoers.
But the onslaught of Beach Barneys aren't the only concern for lifeguards as the summer season ramps up. San Diego's lifeguard service is struggling to fill gaps in its coverage. The mile-long beach at Ocean Beach typically is protected by a dozen lifeguards on a busy summer weekend. But half that many lifeguards watch the mile-long beach between the Crystal Pier and Pacific Beach Point. Mission Beach and the 27 miles of shoreline along Mission Bay also need additional summer lifeguards than are budgeted, Harris said.