How many people died at the wedge?

Asked by: Odin Michel

Who has died at the Wedge?

The Orange County coroner’s office has identified the man as 50-year-old Monte Kevin Valantin of Lawndale. He was thrown against the rock jetty that produces the Wedge’s outsized waves about 12:30 p.m.

Have people died surfing the Wedge?

The Wedge has a harsh history of devastation. In 2009, a man died while bodysurfing big waves. In 2014, longtime Wedge rider Gene Peterson died after suffering massive injuries at the Wedge. In 2010, a pro tennis player broke his neck and was paralyzed.

Do people get hurt at the Wedge?

In fact, many surfers have been injured and a few have even died in the harsh and unforgiving sea that creates The Wedge.

How deep is the water at the Wedge?

The result is a unique “wedge” of water that jacks up to almost twice the size of a normal breaker. In addition, the swell coming into the Wedge moves abruptly from 30-foot-deep waters 200 yards offshore to 3-foot-deep shallows.

How do you survive a wedge?

You want to swim out next to the jetty. This is the safest spot to enter wedge and get out on a big day for a couple of reasons there's a natural rip right here the way it breaks.

Why are the waves so big in Newport Beach?

The waves are a by-product of alterations to the rock jetty on the west side of the Newport Harbor entrance undertaken during the 1930s. When conditions are right, and a wave approaches the shore at the proper angle (most generally a south swell), an approaching wave will reflect off the jetty creating a second wave.

How big were the waves at the Wedge today?

Current Surf Report for The Wedge Current Conditions

Is the Wedge man made?

The Wedge is actually a man-made phenomenon, created by two waves coming together. The first wave reflects off the west jetty of the Newport Harbor channel and crosses the path of the one following it.

Who invented the Wedge?

The earliest known wedges made by people were made 2.6 million years ago. Simple stone tools like these are called “Oldowan” tools by archaeologists. In ancient Egyptian quarries, bronze wedges were used to break away blocks of stone used in construction.

What beach has the biggest waves in California?

Mavericks in Half Moon Bay definitely has the largest break in California. Waves at this specific location can be as high as 60 feet when conditions are perfect and 20-30 foot waves are common in winter. Unique underwater formations create this crazy wave which breaks both left and right.

Why is Newport Beach called the Wedge?

With the right swell direction, reflected waves combine with incoming waves to produce the exponential rise in energy we know today as the Wedge. Because the heavy surfboards of the 1950s were too slow to handle its steep faces, the first ones to tame the Wedge wore nothing but fins.

Is it safe to swim in Newport Beach?

Trust your instincts: If in doubt, don’t swim out. For surf reports and “safe spots,” call 949-644-3171 and 949-644-3047, respectively. Swim at lifeguard-protected beaches. Newport Beach has 35 lifeguard towers that are staffed between 10 a.m. and 6 p.m. during summer months.

Are there sharks in Newport Beach?

There have been a handful of shark attacks off the coast of Orange County recorded since the 1920s. As a whole, the county has seen a total of 6 non-fatal shark attacks and one fatal, offshore attack.

Why is Newport Beach water brown?

It’s a normal thing that happens in the ocean,” he said. A surfer drags his board into the water in Newport Beach past the line of drying brownish foam in the sand, the remains of an algae bloom that has been seen in the waves for about a week.

Are there sharks in Newport Dunes?

Most Newport Beach residents are probably familiar with the great white sharks that patrol the waters off the coast of Orange County, and the speedy mako shark.

Do sharks go into Newport Bay?

Recently, there has been an increased occurrence of shark sightings in the ocean waters off Newport Beach, including the Corona del Mar area. We have developed this site to provide the public with information about ocean safety.