Lifeguards advise beach-goers to shuffle feet following 1,300 stingray incidents

Though the busy summer season at La Jolla beaches is behind us, area lifeguards are reminding coastal visitors to do the “stingray shuffle” when wading into the water.

Lifeguard Lt. John Maher said at the La Jolla Town Council meeting Jan. 8 that of lifeguards’ 2,221 cases of medical assistance in 2025 in the city of San Diego, 1,356 were related to stingray stings, many of them at La Jolla Shores, Black’s Beach and Tourmaline Beach.

Maher said he had “never heard of [such high numbers] before … so I was surprised.”

Stingray stings are painful and are treated by submerging the wound in hot water.

“Stingrays can be in ankle-deep water and their defense mechanism involves the stinger on its tail … so we teach people to do the stingray shuffle,” he said. “You plant both feet and shuffle without lifting your feet, and move really slowly.”

Last year, Maher said, lifeguards estimated 31 million people visited beaches in San Diego and that lifeguards conducted 420,000 preventive acts citywide, such as preventing someone from swimming into a rip current or starting a fire on the beach.

“They made 6,100 water rescues … and 47 cliff rescues,” Maher said.

He advised people to swim near a lifeguard tower and check in with lifeguards about weather conditions, rip currents and other safety considerations.

Police blotter

Additional details were unavailable from San Diego police.

Dec. 20

• Felony grand theft: 6400 block La Jolla Boulevard, 2 a.m.

• Petty theft: 2600 block Torrey Pines Road, 11 a.m.

Dec. 22

• Felony grand theft: 1300 block Virginia Way, 12:55 p.m.

Dec. 23

• Fraud: 1100 block La Jolla Rancho Road, 10:20 a.m.

Dec. 27

• Vehicle break-in/theft: 6200 block Dowling Drive, 1 a.m.

Jan. 1

• Felony grand theft: 600 block Tourmaline Street, 12:50 a.m.

• Petty theft: 600 block Tourmaline Street, 12:55 a.m.

Jan. 2

• Petty theft: 2600 block Torrey Pines Road, 9:23 a.m.

Jan. 4

• Vandalism: 3100 block Morning Way, 1 a.m.

• Throwing substance at a vehicle in motion: 5500 block Waverly Avenue, 2:10 p.m.

• Felony vehicle theft: 3200 block La Jolla Village Drive, 11:14 p.m.

Jan. 5

• Felony grand theft: 8900 block Gilman Drive, 7:12 a.m.

• Felony vehicle theft: 8500 block Villa La Jolla Drive, 5 p.m.

Jan. 6

• Vehicle break-in/theft: 2600 block Torrey Pines Road, 9:05 a.m.

• Felony grand theft: 8800 block Villa La Jolla Drive, 5 p.m.

• Felony vehicle theft: 8500 block Villa La Jolla Drive, 6 p.m.

Jan. 9

• Felony vandalism: 5800 block Soledad Mountain Road, 10 p.m.

Jan. 10

• Battery: 6000 block Camino de la Costa, 11:45 a.m. ♦