As historic storm pounds Southern California, hand-wringing mommy blogs beg region’s surfers to stay out of the water: “It’s really dangerous and a health hazard!”

"Steep seas" etc.

Anyone who has access to news is well aware that Southern California is getting pounded by a historic storm system. Snow falling at very low levels. The skies open and showering everywhere else. The Pacific whipped into a brown froth. It is not an inviting surf day and I would imagine only those attempting to set some sort of “consecutive day” Guinness record, or the like, would even be giving it a thought.

Even thus, the region’s hand-wringing mommy blogs are imploring the devil-may-care to avoid paddling.

LAist, for example, begins by leaning on experts, declaring, “Los Angeles County officials alerted residents to ‘bacteria, chemicals, debris, trash, and other public health hazards’ that are likely to drain into the ocean. The National Weather Service advised Angelenos to stay out of the water due to ‘gusty winds, large steep seas, and high surf.’

And then transitions to pieces that appear on The Inertia comparing surfing to mystical spirituality.

Yuck.

Surfline’s San Diego forecaster describes conditions as, “A junky mixture of fading S swell with some WNW combination joining in means small to moderate sized surf out there. The current storm front moving through the area is dumping rain on us while gusty Southerly winds shred the surface conditions. End result is real junky and mixed up surf with filthy water quality.”

And the adds “The Health Board advises against all ocean contact during and within 72 hours following significant rains due to increased bacterial levels, especially around storm drains, river/creek mouths and other areas of concentrated runoff.”

Not bold.

But when it dumps rain what are your thoughts on surfing? I have heard that it increases the likelihood of disease by some tiny margin and nothing more.

Is that information correct?

Should I pass on to Guinness hopefuls?