Rip Tide Warning

As spring approaches, the beaches of Southern California will again begin to fill with visitors looking to catch a few rays and play in the surf.  But as you make your way to the carefree, sandy shores of places like Mission Beach and Pacific Beach in San Diego, remember to recognize the danger posed by rip currents.

Rip currents are powerful currents that pull swimmers out from the beach and into the open ocean.  They do not drag people underwater, but they do carry a swimmer very quickly straight out to sea.  Rip currents are created when strong crashing waves reside next to weaker waves.  The result is a flow of water that moves away from the beach at fairly high speeds and with enormous strength.

Rip Tide Strategies

There are easy strategies to recall if you happen to be caught in a rip current.  First, acknowledge and understand that you are in a rip current and that it will not pull you under, but will take you away from shore.  Attempting to fight the current and swim directly back to shore is never your best option, as it will exhaust you waste energy.  Instead, stay afloat and try to move perpendicular to the shore. The rip current will eventually dissipate, so  if you can manage to stay afloat and you will be able to escape when the rip current ends.  The rip current will not extend incredibly far out into the ocean, averaging around a few hundred yards from shore. Once the current has given way, you will be able to swim in a straight line back to shore–as long as you’ve acted wisely and saved your energy! If you are able, attempt to wave for help when caught in the current to gain the attention of a lifeguard or fellow swimmer.

Strategies for a Rip Tide

If anyone in your group is a poor swimmer, be very careful, and heed lifeguard warnings.  A rip current is dangerous, even for the best swimmer. If someone cannot tread water and stay afloat, surviving a rip current episode can be difficult.  If there is any doubt as to the swimming ability of a member of your party, avoid areas with rip currents, and keep your eyes open for warnings.

Recognizing a rip current area can help avoid the danger.  Rip currents move away from shore and are typically made of choppy water that is a different color from surrounding water.  In general, you may be able to recognize a channel moving away from the shore, cutting through the incoming waves.

Visualizing Rip Tide

Now that you know the dangers of rip currents, how they form and what they look like, here are a few tips to take to the beach for safety, courtesy of Ocean Park Inn located on Pacific Beach in San Diego.

• Swim with Others
• Only swim at Lifeguard protected beaches
• Don’t fight the current
• Float and Tread Water
• Swim parallel to the shore to escape, do not attempt to swim directly back into shore
• Wave for Help if caught in a rip current

The beautiful Pacific Ocean can be a fun and exciting place to spend your vacation in San Diego, and keeping these tips in the back of your mind guarantees that you will enjoy a safe and sunny day at the beach!

Visualizing Rip Tides

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San Diego has something for everyone, and when you come to visit us at the Ocean Park Inn with your significant other we know that your individual vacation plans don’t always match up. When you visit us in San Diego, however, there is a perfect package designed to fit both the male and female desires alike: Fishing and Massages.

For the Guys: San Diego has some of the best deep-sea fishing on the west coast. You can go out and catch a multitude of species including Sea Bass, Halibut, Dorado Tuna and Yellowtail. There are a variety of deep-sea charters around the city, including Seaforth Charters, Islandia, and Fisherman’s Landing. We will connect you with the best charter to help you bring in a trophy fish, and go home with another great fishing story to tell around the boardroom.

For the Ladies: While your man is out on the open water spend your time relaxing in the privacy of your own room with one of our amazing in-room massages. Listen to the waves of the Pacific Ocean crash into the shoreline just steps from your hotel room and let one of our massage therapists work the kinks out of your stress-ridden muscles. After your massage, sit back in your robe and top the experience off with a glass of champagne and watch the sunset. When your better half returns home from his fishing adventures you can enjoy the fruits of his labor and head down to the grill to cook up the catch of the day.

The fishing and massage combo is an ideal solution for guys who want to indulge their inner sport-fisherman, and for ladies who enjoy a day of relaxation and pampering. Call us today and inquire about our fishing and massage packages, and we’ll make sure your experience is unforgettable!

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A day of rest for the USA, A Day of Surf and Sun for San Diego

For most Americans Labor Day is traditionally celebrated as the end of each warm and relaxing summer.  The holiday is therefore often spent of as a day of rest, a chance to take in local parades, and more.

Labor Day was first celebrated on September 5, 1882 in New York City. In the aftermath of a tragic event during the Pullman Strike of 1894, the President made it a point to reconcile relationships with the labor force.  Labor Day was made a state holiday in all 50 states by the turn of the century.

If Labor Day is the ultimate summer day for most of the United States, it is only right that it be deemed a day of surf and sun in Southern California.  As it directly follows what is often the warmest month of the year for San Diego, Labor Day is the perfect ending to a long and enjoyable summer.

There is no avoiding Labor Day weekend in San Diego.  The scent of barbecue is in the air, the beaches are packed and there is an overall sense of happiness and relaxation that settles over the crowds. San Diego weather, which almost always cooperates with a comfortable average in the 70’s near the coast, can be relied upon to host a picnic, barbecue or backyard party.  Boasting some of the best beaches in the country, including the sand just across the boardwalk form the Ocean Park Inn at Pacific Beach, San Diego makes spending some time in the sun easy.  For those who want to get outside and put a few miles on their shoe leather, San Diego also supplies hiking opportunities at Cowles Mountain, and family fun destinations such as Balboa Park or Sea World.

All in all, if Labor Day is for resting, barbecuing, surfing or catching some rays at the beach you need look no further than San Diego and Ocean Park Inn.

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Relaxing on the Beach

“If life is the pursuit of happiness….the Beach should be the Destination” – Anonymous

According to ancient mythologies from various corners of the globe, everything in nature is comprised of the four basic elements: water, fire, wind and earth. Water is often the most awe-inspiring, and thought provoking. While at times water–be it in the form of Earth’s oceans, lakes, or rivers–can be gentle, it is nonetheless the most powerful of all the elements. Fire, Wind and Earth are not any less important, but this blog is about the beach after all!

People have always been mentally effected by all water forms including rivers, clouds, mist, beaches, waterfalls and rain. The color blue is used to emphasize cooling and relaxing qualities. An expansive blue sky and glistening blue tinted ocean remind us of peace and calm, which readily promotes meditation and thoughtful insight into life’s problems. Blue is uplifting and often associated with the ideas of intuition, inspiration, sincerity and spirituality.

Around the world the color blue symbolizes and represents water, the source of life. The fact that water carries the energy and strength to sustain us speaks for itself. One only needs to take a walk on the beach and listen to the crashing waves to understand what we mean. We don’t know if there is any scientific evidence that says the beach and ocean waves help mental health, but you’d probably be hard-pressed to find someone on the beach who will dispute that claim. So if your intention is to “take a load off” and truly relax, why not stay on the beach? Better yet, why not stay on the right on the boardwalk in Pacific Beach, Southern California? Pacific Beach is the perfect place to roll out of your comfortable bed at Ocean Park Inn, and right onto the sand for some peace of mind. Can you already feel the sand beneath your toes?

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Desperately searching for that last minute gift to wow Mom this Mother’s Day? Look no further than the Ocean Park Inn’s Mother’s Day getaway package!  We would love to have your family stay with us to celebrate this holiday, and our Ultimate Mother’s Day package won’t disappoint. Your mom is sure to feel relaxed, appreciated, and loved when she is able to enjoy discounted facial treatments at one of Pacific Beach’s most popular spas, a breezy ocean view brunch at the Firehouse Restaurant just steps away from our lobby, and the delicious chocolate-covered strawberries that will await her in your recently updated, and spacious room–not to mention the 15% discount on your stay that sweetens the deal for everyone involved!

But the gifts for mom don’t have to stop there! There are several smaller gifts that she would certainly love to receive this year, and we have a few recommendations for you. First, is the Numi flowering teapot, which is a new approach for any avid tea-drinker. The box includes a charming glass teapot, and five flowering tea bundles—three white teas, a green and one black. The hand-picked, premium teas will leave please the taste buds, and leave your mother feeling rejuvenated and excited about her new gift.

If you are looking to offer Mom some relaxation this year, check into Korres new all-natural shower gels. These great-smelling gels come in a variety of sweet, and fruity flavors from Vanilla Plum, to refreshing Basil Lemon. These aromatherapy shower gels will give Mom all the proof she needs of how much you appreciate her, not just on Mother’s Day, but all year long.

Studies have shown that chocolate is the perfect cure to gloomy moods, so this holiday offer your mother a smile with these loving kindness, Dalai Lame designed chocolates! Intentional Chocolates are imbued with “focused good intention by experienced meditators,” some of which studied with the Dalai Lama himself. These sweet treats come from peaceful beginnings, and are perfect for the mom looking to relax and indulge.

Our last gift recommendation is for moms who are passionate about cooking. ‘Bean Appetit: Hip and Healthy Ways to Have Fun with Food’ is a great cook book for mom’s looking to find delicious meal ideas on a time crunch. Make the recipe search easier for that special lady in your life this year with a book full of great food that’s fun to make!

Our gift ideas are limitless, but we want to hear feedback from our fans! What do you think is the ultimate Mother’s Day? Get those creative juices flowing and let us know what you have in mind for your mom this holiday.

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