Waves of beachgoers

Schools are back in session, traffic on the 55 Freeway north is clearing up, and the beaches are clearing out, slowly but surely.

“Within the last week, community colleges have started and the local high schools have started,” Rob Williams, battalion chief of the Newport Beach Lifeguards, said. “That has only reduced our population on the beach.”

This means one thing: The end of summer is near. But before that takes place, it seems that, almost per tradition, locals and Southern Californians will be looking to finish the beach season off with a bang.

“We’re still expecting a big weekend,” Williams said. “We’re treating this as a normal holiday weekend.”

“I’ll be going to the beach this weekend,” David Payne, a Costa Mesa resident, said. “Where else would I be?”

As usual, a big focus of the Labor Day weekend will be safety — both in the water and on boats.

Gloria Sandoval is the public information officer for the California Department of Boating and Waterways. She believes the Labor Day weekend will attract plenty of boaters statewide because of the three-day weekend and lower gas prices.

“Gas prices are down, so many boaters may be hitting the waters,” she said.

Sandoval has been publicizing the department’s “Wear It! California” campaign, which has been traveling to marinas to inform boaters and putting up signs reminding them to wear life jackets.

“The message applies to the entire state,” Sandoval said.

Along the same lines, Williams said his lifeguard staff will be fully staffed and prepared for the large crowd he expects out on the beach this weekend.

“It’ll be the same preparation as any day on the beach,” he said. “This time of the year, we’re fully staffed, and we’re expecting our guards to work like any day of the year.”

The two tips Williams gave were basic: Stay near a lifeguard and swim with a friend.

“It’s easiest to be safe when there’s more people around.”