SAN DIEGO (KGTV) - San Diego police and lifeguards are stepping up patrols for the July 4th holiday.
Despite cool and cloudy weather on Monday, Mission Beach was packed with visitors.
"We were expecting it a little warmer. We know it's cold down here, summertime even but we were expecting little warmer, get in the water and see how it goes, but nothing is stopping these kids," said Derek Sanders.
Lifeguards responded to seventy water rescues over the weekend, which is actually down for a holiday weekend. A water temperature of sixty-three degrees is keeping big crowds out of the water.
By noon Monday, they rescued seven swimmers at three different lifeguard stations.
"It only takes one to two steps before you can drop off into a hole that's deeper than where you can touch," said San Diego Lifeguard Lt. Jacob Magness.
Lifeguards recommend average swimmers avoid deep water.
"We always tell people stay waist deep with your feet on the bottom and that gives you better chances if you were to step in one of those deep holes that you'd still be able to touch and come back to shore," said Lt. Magness.
Greg McNamee and his family are happy to be out of Arizona's triple-digit heat.
"America's birthday it brings us together for a day," said Greg McNamee.
The kids are happy to spend time with their grandmother.
"I'm excited to be with my family and we get to spend a lot of time together and it's going to be Fourth of July so there's going to be fireworks," said Hannah McNamee.
