What's up Laguna! A big week in the water: the Marie swell brought some big surf and it reshaped half our beaches. Now the crowds are gone and Local Summer begins, hot, quiet, and great waves.
Below you'll find this week's events, ways to give back, spots coming soon, the conditions, some local news, and a bit of Laguna lore.
Sunday 9/13
A meet and greet fair with local service groups, an easy way to find a place to plug in. Just walk in.
Heisler Park and Shaws Cove tidepools Sun Sep 13
The Laguna Ocean Foundation's training day for the volunteers who teach visitors what they're looking at in the tidepools. Ages 18 and up; sign up at
lagunaoceanfoundation.org.
Weekday mornings
Volunteer shifts at the free grocery pantry: sorting food and handing it out to neighbors. Ages 14 and up, application at
lagunafoodpantry.org.
Signups open now
Project sites all over town Sat Oct 3, 8am to noon
Aliso Beach + Crystal Cove Sat Sep 19, 9am
From any bluff or beach Ongoing
Community science from the Pacific Marine Mammal Center: download the Watch Spotter app, enter code PMMC, and log dolphin sightings to help track the coastal population.
Volunteer tutors for the free Monday homework help program for local kids. It starts Monday Sep 21; registration open now.
Laguna Longevity Lab
A doctor run health clinic (hormones, metabolic health, healthy aging) opening this week at 330 Park Ave.
SHACC opens next weekend, Sep 18 to 20
The Surfing Heritage and Culture Center opens its new home at 239 Broadway. The Saturday morning open house (10am to 12:30) is free and open to everyone; only Sunday evening's fundraising gala needs a ticket, at
shacc.org.
Truly Bagels
The team behind Truly Pizza is still building out the bagel shop at 31727 Coast Hwy in South Laguna, the old Ti Amo space. No open date yet.
Surf
What a run that was: Hurricane Marie plus king tides brought the biggest surf in years, 20 foot backwash at Aliso, waves washing over south end decks, The Wedge going wild. This week the ocean calms down: leftover waist to chest high south swell through Saturday, fading early next week. Water 72. South end beaches are stripped to rock in places, so watch your entry.
WED 9/9 2-3ft 13s | THU 9/10 2-3ft 14s | FRI 9/11 2-3ft 12s | SAT 9/12 2-3ft 7s | SUN 9/13 2-3ft 6s | MON 9/14 2ft 5s | TUE 9/15 1-2ft 14s |
Weather
A hot start: 93 Wednesday, mid 80s Thursday and Friday, low 80s for the weekend, high 70s next week. Dry all week, nights near 70.
WED 9/9  93° 76° | THU 9/10 86° 73° | FRI 9/11 85° 75° | SAT 9/12 81° 72° | SUN 9/13 80° 70° | MON 9/14 78° 69° | TUE 9/15 79° 67° |
Crowds
| Local Summer: school is in, the festivals are done, and the trolley is parked. Mellow weekdays; the hot weekend will pull beach crowds. | Tourist-O-Meter  |
In Season
Apples are at Saturday's market, figs are wrapping up, and the first winter squash is starting to show.
Local Wildlife
A smooth hammerhead was spotted offshore, the first since 2015, a warm water El Nino visitor. And sunset season starts now: September through November brings the best skies of the year.
• Taste of Laguna is canceled The chamber called off the Oct 1 food and music festival "due to unforeseen circumstances." It plans to bring it back in 2027.
• Two waterfront staples are gone The Deck (2012) and Driftwood Kitchen (2013) served their last meals Monday after 13 years over the sand. The oceanfront buildings will be torn down for a new resort opening in about three years, and they join Reunion Kitchen on the list of Laguna restaurants lost this summer.
• South Laguna lost its sand Last week's swell stripped Aliso down to bare rock and closed its west lot, and a seawall protecting oceanfront homes near Victoria is cracking. No city sand hauling announced; repairs so far are private emergency fixes.
• Election season is on Nine candidates are running for three council seats and five for three school board seats, with forums running all month. Term limits remain the dividing line.
Submit Event
