Surf Talk Guru

Surfrider image showing visible pollution plume at Nye Beach

The Environmental Public Health arm of the Oregon Department of Human Services issued a water contact advisory for Nye Beach. Advisories are issued for marine water samples that are or exceed 158 enterococci(orgs)/100ml. The marine water at Nye Beach Turnaround’s discharge pipe tested at 495 enterococci(orgs)/100ml and the fresh water discharge pipe tested greater than 24196 enterococci(orgs)/100ml. That’s off the charts!

What does this mean for surfers? Well, it is advised not to wade, swim or surf in contaminated water at posted beaches. Surfing in water with a high bacteria count can make you sick, producing cold-like symptoms that linger throughout the rainy season. You should be safe to surf up or down the coast at beaches where the bacteria count is lower. The bacteria is still there, but not in quantities high enough to make you sick.

The only advice I can give is that when you’re surfing this winter and an advisory has been issued for a nearby beach, just get in wearing an Xcel wetsuit , get your waves, and get out. It gets hard enough to linger in cold water winter conditions without the worry of a health hazard you can’t avoid.