Community Corner
Bummer of a Summer Draws to a Close
Overcast skies may have dampened spirits but locals and tourists still sought out the shore this summer.
As the summer drew to its unofficial close on Labor Day, locals couldn't hide their disappointment about the sun that refused to shine. There's no denying that it's been an exceedingly foggy summer at the beach.
"Oh god, it's been horrible!" —Danny Bilikas, 40
"Yeah, this summer... sorta crappy." —Jen Nicole Vu, 21
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"It's more like Siberia over here." —Bill Sigler
"Bummer of a summer..." —Patrick McGoldrick, 34
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Luckily, the dreary weather wasn't coupled with particularly unsafe water conditions. McGoldrick, a Redondo Beach lifeguard, said that the biggest waves bypassed his stretch of the sand this summer.
The crummy weather hasn't dismayed tourists, however. On Thursday, a group of Surf City Hostel guests visiting from Montreal, Canada, took sunset photos with the statue of Tim Kelly in Hermosa Beach.
"We thought everyone in Los Angeles would be all dressed up, walking around in heels with little dogs on leashes," said Estelle Dolber, 26. "But it's not like that at all. Everyone is so friendly here and always smiling and saying 'hi' in the street. I love it!"
Don't think that the locals have been staying locked up in their houses, either. That same evening, a Hermosa Beach volleyball class was meeting at 10th Avenue. Bill Sigler has been teaching the class for the last 14 years, and attendance is still going strong with the help of coach Jason Pursley, and more recently, Tanner Morris, 31, a former AVP player.
Sharkeez and Sangria often sponsor the class with drink specials that are named off at the beginning of the volleyball class, alongside with the rules of the game and plan for practice. On Thursday evening, the volleyball class was planning to commemorate the date 9-2-10 with a costume bar brawl in honor of the TV show 90210.
"There's no party like a Hermosa party," Morris said.
Next door in Redondo, the scene was a little more peaceful. Friday brought back the sunshine and a chance for resident Susan MacKenzie, 62, to take a stroll with her husband, their lhaso apso Honey, and great-grand nephew Simon MacKenzie, 2½, who was visiting from San Francisco.
"We've been living here for 15 years and we love it," she said, "We take walks by the beach and I like going down to the Redondo Coffee Shop on the pier. They have this french toast with cream cheese and jam and the lines aren't as long as other places."
Sun or clouds, there's something for everyone at the beach.
Related: 'Summer of Color' Breaks Cycle of Gloom
