The National Weather Service issued a high surf advisory along most of the region's beaches through Thursday morning. Inexperienced swimmers are urged to stay out of the water due to dangerous conditions produced by high surf and strong rip currents, the agency said.
Despite the advisory, many experienced surfers showed up at The Wedge, a popular spot for catching large waves in Newport Beach. There were even more people on the sand who turned out to simply watch their water skills.
"I look at these people... To me, they just seem so fearless, especially with these rocks right here," Caroline Kausner. "They just really know what they're doing so it really blows my mind."
This came one day after a shark was spotted in Huntington Beach. The sighting prompted the closure of Sunset Beach between Warner Avenue and Anderson Street on Monday.
Parts of Huntington Beach closed to public after shark spotted in ocean
Surfers who spotted it reported it at 10-12 feet long. Officials said the shark wasn't aggressive but because of its size it likely wasn't a juvenile, which factored into the closure.
Los Angeles and Ventura county beaches were also under a high surf advisory through Thursday.