Known for its world-class surfing, its picturesque sunsets and beachfront camping, Jalama Beach is a popular getaway for surfers, families and anyone else who wants to enjoy the isolation the 29.5-acre campground offers.

But park officials have a warning for those who would venture into the water: Be aware of rip currents.

Last week, lifeguards at the park recorded five rescues, three in one day, in the chilly 53-degree Pacific waters at Jalama Beach.

For 30-year-old lifeguard Mike Topping, who was working his first shift at the popular beach, the treacherous rip currents are something he's been trained to watch for.

“It was a pretty normal day for Jalama,” he said. “There was a nice 3- to 5-foot swell in the water. I looked down the beach and noticed a rip current starting to form near the mouth of Jalama Creek - you could see it forming from the lifeguard tower.

“There were three kids swimming and playing in waist-deep water. By the time I got over there to warn them, they had already been pulled out to sea. It happened so quick. They were scared and tired from swimming against the tide,” Topping said.

Swimming against the current is a mistake that could cost a swimmer his or her life, according to Topping.

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“Surfers will often use the rips to get out into the surf,” he said. “But most people don't know what to do when they're caught in a rip current. Their first instinct is to swim against the current. Really, what you're supposed to do is swim across the current, parallel to the beach, to get out of it.

“There are three kids who learned a lesson,” he added. “The beach is definitely a great place to go to have a good time, but at the same time, you have to respect the ocean.”

Topping's experience is not uncommon for lifeguards at the popular beach, according to Bill Falzone, the aquatics coordinator for Santa Barbara County.

“The waters off Jalama Beach are unique,” he said. “Point Conception's surf is quite active. Tides are relatively high there, and rip currents are a common thing at Jalama.”

Santa Barbara County lifeguards are trained to recognize the tell-tale signs of a rip current.

“The water begins to churn and there is a trail of white water leading away from the beach,” said Ryan Nufer, who is in his fourth year as a county lifeguard. “There's also not as many waves, and the ones that do break are usually mushy.”

Nufer believes that it's better to err on the side of caution when it comes to the dangerous rip currents at Jalama Beach.

“I usually try to contact people to let them know there is a rip,” he said. “We call them ‘safety contacts.' It's important to make contact with the swimmers and let them know of any dangerous conditions.”

Nufer has been “living the dream” as a lifeguard, he said. He just recently returned from Australia, where he was trained and employed as a lifeguard with the Australian Professional Ocean Lifeguards Association.

“I met one of the executive officers of APOLA, John Andrews,” Nufer said. “He encouraged me to give it a try. I went through their training and physical testing. It was cool working in Australia this winter. I got to work at the beaches along Australia's Gold Coast.”

Falzone emphasizes that Santa Barbara County's 21 lifeguards are all highly trained professionals.

“Our lifeguards are certified by the United States Lifeguard Association,” he said. “They are also certified in cardiopulmonary resuscitation, the use of automated external defibrillators and oxygenation, as well as standard first aid.

“They are also physically fit swimmers who are aquatics-oriented,” he said. “They are all aquatics-oriented and competitive in triathlons or other swimming-related sports.”

Todd Cralley can be reached at 347-4580 or tcralley@santamariatimes.com.

June 21, 2007