A Set of Large Waves at The Wedge - 07/25/09

High surf warning for southern California was issued during the week, with the waves peaking on Saturday the 25th. Friday, July 24, 2009, body surfer Monte Valantin, 50, was killed from the dangerous surf conditions at The Wedge. On Saturday, Balboa Island/Peninsula was overrun with beachgoers heading to The Wedge to watch the huge waves. Lines for the auto ferry(0:06) to get to the peninsula side were hours long (even for the pedestrians!) due to one of the three ferry boats being run aground and put out of commission several days earlier. The entrance to The Wedge was coned off to automobiles, and was inundated by bicycles and pedestrians(0:11). On the beach were hundreds of spectators watching the body surfers challenge waves that were so huge that the water surge would occasionally spill over the crest of the beach(4:10)! Lifeguards can be heard telling everyone to move back. Apologies for all the wind noise.