Warm Ocean Temps Bring Rays to Shore — Don't Forget the Sand Shuffle

Seal Beach, CA · August 16, 2026

Sunday morning ocean breezes are keeping things comfortable along the shore, but if you're dipping your toes in today, watch your step. The warm water has drawn extra ocean wildlife right up to the shoreline.

The Lead

A mid-August surge in coastal water temperatures has brought an influx of round stingrays to shallow shorelines near the river mouth. Marine researchers spent the week working alongside local lifeguards to catch, study, and clip the barbs of hundreds of rays in the waters long known as "Ray Bay." With weekend beach crowds out in full force, lifeguard towers are stepping up safety reminders for waders and swimmers. Guards urge everyone entering the ocean to practice the stingray shuffle—dragging feet through the silt rather than stepping down—to give buried rays time to glide away. Ocean safety teams keep hot-water treatment basins ready at main towers, though keeping toes sliding in the sand remains the best line of defense.

Local Pulse

Lifeguards Enforce Beach Shade Structure Rules Shoreline canopies must stay open on at least two sides to maintain clear sightlines from towers.
High School Flag Football Starts Fall Practice Los Alamitos athletes return to the field this week for pre-season drills ahead of opening night.

Today's Outlook

High 78°F · Low 66°F — Overcast
- A comfortable summer day stays mild under cloud cover, perfect for a coastal walk.

What's On Around Town

Chris O'Leary Band Marni's, 5:30 PM High-energy blues harmonica master headlines an intimate Sunday show.
ABBA LA: Tribute Concert Spaghettini (3005 Old Ranch Rd), 6:30 PM Seventies disco favorites and high-energy tribute tunes.
Dual Sound Bath Session Needle & Leaf Sound (148 Main St), 6:00 PM Guided sound bath designed to reset your mind and weekend.
Sunday Night Karaoke Hennessey's Grill (143 Main St), 8:00 PM Casual neighborhood singing and music videos along Main Street.
Los Alamitos: Live Night Racing Los Alamitos Race Course, 6:00 PM Short drive inland for live quarter horse action under grandstand lights.

Spotlight & Story

The Stingray Shuffle
- Shallow runoff where the San Gabriel River meets the ocean turned Seal Beach into a stingray sanctuary by the mid-1950s. Lifeguards began coaching waders to drag their feet along the sand, creating a lifelong habit that local kids learn before swimming.

Seal Beach Daily Digest — compiled from local sources as of 6 AM. For breaking updates, follow your local newsrooms.

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Previously Covered (avoid repeating):

Spotlights: Mary Wilson Library, Red Car Museum Car No. 1729, Electric Avenue Greenbelt, San Gabriel River Trail, Gum Grove Park, Slick the Seal Sculpture, Seal Beach Lions Fish Fry, 1916 Derby Racer Roller Coaster, Seal Beach Yacht Club, Artie Jenkins, Bay City, Harbour Surfboards, The Bay Theatre, Seal Beach Pier, Seal Beach National Wildlife Refuge, Old City Hall Facts/Details: Seal Beach Pier, Police Department Installs Medication Disposal Kiosk, Pickleball Court Upgrades Wrap Up Center, Certified Farmers Market, Steve Cole Live, Long Beach: Moonlight Movies on the Beach, Seal Beach National Wildlife Refuge, District One Council Field Reaches Four Candidates, Police Lobby Kiosk Accepts Unused Prescription Medications, Lego Mania, Long Beach: Art Fair on the Bay, B. Frank Live Jazz, Incendio in Concert, Old City Hall Recent subject lines (do NOT re-anchor today's Lead or subject to a project, road, or institution that appears in 2+ of these):

Cutting Plastic Waste at the River, Live Blues Tonight, and Sunday Notes
Main Street Vision Plan Unveiled, Plus New Riverfront Trails
Pipeline Negotiations Target Neighborhood Safety and Bridge Care
Candidate Deadline Arrives Today — Plus Mid-Week Local Notes
District One Council Race Field Finalized — Plus Tonight's Stormwater Forum
Live Smooth Jazz Tonight — Plus Weekend Beach Safety Notes
Live Jazz on Ocean Ave, Beach Safety Notes, and Your Saturday Guide