VENTURA : Storms Are Good News for Surfers

Offshore tropical storms have created outstanding surfing conditions this week at Ventura-area beaches, a lifeguard said Tuesday.

“There are 40 to 50 surfers out here right now,” said Griff Hutton, 31, a state lifeguard at the popular Surfers Point near the state fairgrounds.

Hutton said some of the waves, which were peaking at eight feet, were causing tricky currents. But so far this week, he said, no surfers have had to be rescued.

“This summer’s been relatively calm” in terms of good surfing conditions, the veteran lifeguard said. “These are the first real swells we’ve had.”