Anchor ads are not supported on this page.

4S Ranch Allied Gardens Alpine Baja Balboa Park Bankers Hill Barrio Logan Bay Ho Bay Park Black Mountain Ranch Blossom Valley Bonita Bonsall Borrego Springs Boulevard Campo Cardiff-by-the-Sea Carlsbad Carmel Mountain Carmel Valley Chollas View Chula Vista City College City Heights Clairemont College Area Coronado CSU San Marcos Cuyamaca College Del Cerro Del Mar Descanso Downtown San Diego Eastlake East Village El Cajon Emerald Hills Encanto Encinitas Escondido Fallbrook Fletcher Hills Golden Hill Grant Hill Grantville Grossmont College Guatay Harbor Island Hillcrest Imperial Beach Imperial Valley Jacumba Jamacha-Lomita Jamul Julian Kearny Mesa Kensington La Jolla Lakeside La Mesa Lemon Grove Leucadia Liberty Station Lincoln Acres Lincoln Park Linda Vista Little Italy Logan Heights Mesa College Midway District MiraCosta College Miramar Miramar College Mira Mesa Mission Beach Mission Hills Mission Valley Mountain View Mount Hope Mount Laguna National City Nestor Normal Heights North Park Oak Park Ocean Beach Oceanside Old Town Otay Mesa Pacific Beach Pala Palomar College Palomar Mountain Paradise Hills Pauma Valley Pine Valley Point Loma Point Loma Nazarene Potrero Poway Rainbow Ramona Rancho Bernardo Rancho Penasquitos Rancho San Diego Rancho Santa Fe Rolando San Carlos San Marcos San Onofre Santa Ysabel Santee San Ysidro Scripps Ranch SDSU Serra Mesa Shelltown Shelter Island Sherman Heights Skyline Solana Beach Sorrento Valley Southcrest South Park Southwestern College Spring Valley Stockton Talmadge Temecula Tierrasanta Tijuana UCSD University City University Heights USD Valencia Park Valley Center Vista Warner Springs

San Diego lifeguards cast wary eye on Pt. Loma surfers

Dolphins Tanks and Donuts trickiest spots

Sergeant Marino's rescue photos posted that Friday, Nov. 6.
Sergeant Marino's rescue photos posted that Friday, Nov. 6.

At about 8:30 a.m., on November 5, a walker at the Cabrillo National Monument park dialed 911 when he saw a distressed surfer down below. "A surfer had washed into the rocks near the tide pools at Cabrillo Park," said the SD Fire-Rescue's social media handler. "Fortunately, lifeguards reached him quickly."

In Sergeant A. Marino's rescue photos posted that Friday, it appears there was one lifeguard onboard a watercraft who rescued a surfer wearing a black-colored wetsuit with a red-colored surfboard in tow in the 6-8 feet surf. There were at least two other first responders in between the overlooking cliffs and an eight-foot fence. "A very high tide made for a challenging rescue .... and he was safely returned to his boat."

"The rescue was in front of Dolphin Tanks and by Donuts."

"It's legally accessible by a boat that is anchored outside the breakers," Chris Mannerino, a known waterfront photographer, said to me on November 15. "The rescue was in front of Dolphin Tanks and by Donuts. You can access them by foot on low tide, but it's a huge fine from the park rangers."

Sponsored
Sponsored

"You definitely cannot hike it unless you like $2000 fines and/or getting [possibly] shot at by the military," commented a Redditor who lived up the street from the national park. "All these assholes from L.A. come down with their boats, or so I have heard. I don't know who in their right mind would go through that much effort to surf a mediocre right point break, but to each his own, I guess."

Naval Base Point Loma and Fort Rosecrans National Cemetery, a federal military cemetery, are north of the tidepools' park; they share the cliffs overlooking the surf.

On November 15, I tried to talk to the San Diego Fire-Rescue Department about the recent rescue and the surf by the bottom western edge of the Point Loma peninsula but did not get a response.

"Dolphins Tanks and Donuts are some of the best-kept secrets in San Diego," Marla Rothhouse said to me. "Maybe it's an excellent surf, and they don't want other people to go there."

Marla Rothhouse: "When I hear an ambulance drive by our store, I say, 'I hope that's not a surfer.'"

For the last 36 years, Rothhouse has sold surfboards and surf gear out of the Second Chance Sports store on Point Loma Blvd., about five miles north of where the rescue transpired. "It's kind of like the Take Every Wave: The Life of Laird Hamilton documentary where they took a boat, and they surfed at these dangerous places. So it kind of reminds me of that."

A number of brave souls are depicted surfing on the Dolphins Tank and Donuts breaks on YouTube. Then there's Rob Rast's "I Got Destroyed - Surfing Dolphin Tanks From a Boat in San Diego" video, which garnered 69 likes — and 24 dislikes. "It'd be much better if you learned at your local beach break and didn't burn the people that know what they are doing while they keep this spot away from the radar," commented a local surfer. "Advice? Stay in the gym and trim your mustache. .... You are seriously creating animosity amongst the people that have surfed the area for many, many years and generations."

The Mexican Navy deployed a Sikorsky UH-60 Black Hawk helicopter to rescue a surfer who wiped out south of Ensenada.

"Since the pandemic, lots of newbies got into surfing," Rothhouse continued. "And with the new surfers, so have the accidents. When I hear an ambulance drive by our store, I say, 'I hope that's not a surfer.'"

Last summer, Morgan, a North County bodyboarder, noticed the SD Fire and Rescue lifeguards hard at work. "Mad respect for you guys," she said. "I was in the water for 30 minutes in Del Mar and saw the guards pull out 12 people in that period of time." Then in January, there were back-to-back rescues involving surfers.

On January 6, a surfer with his surfboard assisted a woman who had jumped into the ocean off of Sunset Cliffs Blvd. by Froude Street in Ocean Beach; the surfer "kept her afloat while lifeguards were on the way," said an SD Fire-Rescue personnel. "Within minutes, lifeguard trucks arrived, and two lifeguards jumped into the water to relieve the surfer .... After a tremendous effort by the lifeguards, this critical rescue of the young woman was accomplished."

The day before, and over 100 miles south, the Mexican Navy deployed a Sikorsky UH-60 Black Hawk helicopter to rescue a surfer who wiped out south of Ensenada, according to the El Imparcial news outlet. The Navy men utilized a winch and cable to extract the surfer from the waters.

The latest copy of the Reader

Here's something you might be interested in.
Submit a free classified
or view all
Previous article

Mary Catherine Swanson wants every San Diego student going to college

Where busing from Southeast San Diego to University City has led
Next Article

At Comedor Nishi a world of cuisines meet for brunch

A Mexican eatery with Japanese and French influences
Sergeant Marino's rescue photos posted that Friday, Nov. 6.
Sergeant Marino's rescue photos posted that Friday, Nov. 6.

At about 8:30 a.m., on November 5, a walker at the Cabrillo National Monument park dialed 911 when he saw a distressed surfer down below. "A surfer had washed into the rocks near the tide pools at Cabrillo Park," said the SD Fire-Rescue's social media handler. "Fortunately, lifeguards reached him quickly."

In Sergeant A. Marino's rescue photos posted that Friday, it appears there was one lifeguard onboard a watercraft who rescued a surfer wearing a black-colored wetsuit with a red-colored surfboard in tow in the 6-8 feet surf. There were at least two other first responders in between the overlooking cliffs and an eight-foot fence. "A very high tide made for a challenging rescue .... and he was safely returned to his boat."

"The rescue was in front of Dolphin Tanks and by Donuts."

"It's legally accessible by a boat that is anchored outside the breakers," Chris Mannerino, a known waterfront photographer, said to me on November 15. "The rescue was in front of Dolphin Tanks and by Donuts. You can access them by foot on low tide, but it's a huge fine from the park rangers."

Sponsored
Sponsored

"You definitely cannot hike it unless you like $2000 fines and/or getting [possibly] shot at by the military," commented a Redditor who lived up the street from the national park. "All these assholes from L.A. come down with their boats, or so I have heard. I don't know who in their right mind would go through that much effort to surf a mediocre right point break, but to each his own, I guess."

Naval Base Point Loma and Fort Rosecrans National Cemetery, a federal military cemetery, are north of the tidepools' park; they share the cliffs overlooking the surf.

On November 15, I tried to talk to the San Diego Fire-Rescue Department about the recent rescue and the surf by the bottom western edge of the Point Loma peninsula but did not get a response.

"Dolphins Tanks and Donuts are some of the best-kept secrets in San Diego," Marla Rothhouse said to me. "Maybe it's an excellent surf, and they don't want other people to go there."

Marla Rothhouse: "When I hear an ambulance drive by our store, I say, 'I hope that's not a surfer.'"

For the last 36 years, Rothhouse has sold surfboards and surf gear out of the Second Chance Sports store on Point Loma Blvd., about five miles north of where the rescue transpired. "It's kind of like the Take Every Wave: The Life of Laird Hamilton documentary where they took a boat, and they surfed at these dangerous places. So it kind of reminds me of that."

A number of brave souls are depicted surfing on the Dolphins Tank and Donuts breaks on YouTube. Then there's Rob Rast's "I Got Destroyed - Surfing Dolphin Tanks From a Boat in San Diego" video, which garnered 69 likes — and 24 dislikes. "It'd be much better if you learned at your local beach break and didn't burn the people that know what they are doing while they keep this spot away from the radar," commented a local surfer. "Advice? Stay in the gym and trim your mustache. .... You are seriously creating animosity amongst the people that have surfed the area for many, many years and generations."

The Mexican Navy deployed a Sikorsky UH-60 Black Hawk helicopter to rescue a surfer who wiped out south of Ensenada.

"Since the pandemic, lots of newbies got into surfing," Rothhouse continued. "And with the new surfers, so have the accidents. When I hear an ambulance drive by our store, I say, 'I hope that's not a surfer.'"

Last summer, Morgan, a North County bodyboarder, noticed the SD Fire and Rescue lifeguards hard at work. "Mad respect for you guys," she said. "I was in the water for 30 minutes in Del Mar and saw the guards pull out 12 people in that period of time." Then in January, there were back-to-back rescues involving surfers.

On January 6, a surfer with his surfboard assisted a woman who had jumped into the ocean off of Sunset Cliffs Blvd. by Froude Street in Ocean Beach; the surfer "kept her afloat while lifeguards were on the way," said an SD Fire-Rescue personnel. "Within minutes, lifeguard trucks arrived, and two lifeguards jumped into the water to relieve the surfer .... After a tremendous effort by the lifeguards, this critical rescue of the young woman was accomplished."

The day before, and over 100 miles south, the Mexican Navy deployed a Sikorsky UH-60 Black Hawk helicopter to rescue a surfer who wiped out south of Ensenada, according to the El Imparcial news outlet. The Navy men utilized a winch and cable to extract the surfer from the waters.

Comments
Sponsored

The latest copy of the Reader

Here's something you might be interested in.
Submit a free classified
or view all
Previous article

3 Tips for Creating a Cozy and Inviting Living Room in San Diego

Next Article

Operatic Gender Wars

Are there any operas with all-female choruses?
Comments
Ask a Hipster — Advice you didn't know you needed Big Screen — Movie commentary Blurt — Music's inside track Booze News — San Diego spirits Classical Music — Immortal beauty Classifieds — Free and easy Cover Stories — Front-page features Drinks All Around — Bartenders' drink recipes Excerpts — Literary and spiritual excerpts Feast! — Food & drink reviews Feature Stories — Local news & stories Fishing Report — What’s getting hooked from ship and shore From the Archives — Spotlight on the past Golden Dreams — Talk of the town The Gonzo Report — Making the musical scene, or at least reporting from it Letters — Our inbox Movies@Home — Local movie buffs share favorites Movie Reviews — Our critics' picks and pans Musician Interviews — Up close with local artists Neighborhood News from Stringers — Hyperlocal news News Ticker — News & politics Obermeyer — San Diego politics illustrated Outdoors — Weekly changes in flora and fauna Overheard in San Diego — Eavesdropping illustrated Poetry — The old and the new Reader Travel — Travel section built by travelers Reading — The hunt for intellectuals Roam-O-Rama — SoCal's best hiking/biking trails San Diego Beer — Inside San Diego suds SD on the QT — Almost factual news Sheep and Goats — Places of worship Special Issues — The best of Street Style — San Diego streets have style Surf Diego — Real stories from those braving the waves Theater — On stage in San Diego this week Tin Fork — Silver spoon alternative Under the Radar — Matt Potter's undercover work Unforgettable — Long-ago San Diego Unreal Estate — San Diego's priciest pads Your Week — Daily event picks
4S Ranch Allied Gardens Alpine Baja Balboa Park Bankers Hill Barrio Logan Bay Ho Bay Park Black Mountain Ranch Blossom Valley Bonita Bonsall Borrego Springs Boulevard Campo Cardiff-by-the-Sea Carlsbad Carmel Mountain Carmel Valley Chollas View Chula Vista City College City Heights Clairemont College Area Coronado CSU San Marcos Cuyamaca College Del Cerro Del Mar Descanso Downtown San Diego Eastlake East Village El Cajon Emerald Hills Encanto Encinitas Escondido Fallbrook Fletcher Hills Golden Hill Grant Hill Grantville Grossmont College Guatay Harbor Island Hillcrest Imperial Beach Imperial Valley Jacumba Jamacha-Lomita Jamul Julian Kearny Mesa Kensington La Jolla Lakeside La Mesa Lemon Grove Leucadia Liberty Station Lincoln Acres Lincoln Park Linda Vista Little Italy Logan Heights Mesa College Midway District MiraCosta College Miramar Miramar College Mira Mesa Mission Beach Mission Hills Mission Valley Mountain View Mount Hope Mount Laguna National City Nestor Normal Heights North Park Oak Park Ocean Beach Oceanside Old Town Otay Mesa Pacific Beach Pala Palomar College Palomar Mountain Paradise Hills Pauma Valley Pine Valley Point Loma Point Loma Nazarene Potrero Poway Rainbow Ramona Rancho Bernardo Rancho Penasquitos Rancho San Diego Rancho Santa Fe Rolando San Carlos San Marcos San Onofre Santa Ysabel Santee San Ysidro Scripps Ranch SDSU Serra Mesa Shelltown Shelter Island Sherman Heights Skyline Solana Beach Sorrento Valley Southcrest South Park Southwestern College Spring Valley Stockton Talmadge Temecula Tierrasanta Tijuana UCSD University City University Heights USD Valencia Park Valley Center Vista Warner Springs
Close

Anchor ads are not supported on this page.

This Week’s Reader This Week’s Reader