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Safety on the Central Coast
The Central Coast is beautiful; it is pristine. It can also be quite dangerous. Every year, people are injured or killed
in accidents that could be prevented by knowledge of basic safety precautions. A large part of the Central Coast is
wilderness and help is not close by. Many of our visitors are from urban areas and are unaware of the dangers.
The most effective way to prevent mishaps is to adequately prepare for the trip. Knowledge of the area, weather,
terrain, limitations of your body, plus a little common sense can help to ensure a safe and enjoyable trip.
Please read the following to ensure that your visit will be a safe and happy one. Also see Safe Outdoor Cooking.
in accidents that could be prevented by knowledge of basic safety precautions. A large part of the Central Coast is
wilderness and help is not close by. Many of our visitors are from urban areas and are unaware of the dangers.
The most effective way to prevent mishaps is to adequately prepare for the trip. Knowledge of the area, weather,
terrain, limitations of your body, plus a little common sense can help to ensure a safe and enjoyable trip.
Please read the following to ensure that your visit will be a safe and happy one. Also see Safe Outdoor Cooking.
- Never Turn Your Back on the Ocean when you are in the tidal zone or directly above it.
Oversized rogue waves can strike the coast at any time. Watch for them! They have killed people, washed
away from the breakwater at Morro Rock. They are especially common in winter, but can occur in any season.
Changing tides pose another danger when walking near the ocean. Don't let rising tides trap you. When
visiting the beach, carry a current tide table for the area and know how to read it. Tide books are available free
at many local businesses and chamber offices. Dangerous undertows and riptides can occur anywhere
along the California coast and can pull anyone in the water out to sea. If trapped in one, do not try to fight them.
Instead, swim parallel to the coastline until you can break free. North of Point Conception, our ocean water is
cold and unforgiving. You can suffer hypothermia and even die within a very short time. Wear a wetsuit. They
are available for rent in most coastal communities.
- Stay Back From Cliffs. Coastal soils and rocks are often unstable. Don't get close to the cliff's
edge, and never climb on cliffs unless there is a safe trail. Years ago, my friend died during a fall at Ragged
Point.
- Wild Animals range from very tiny to quite large. Ticks are a persistent pest, especially in winter and
spring. Some ticks carry Lyme disease. Wear light clothing when hiking so you can see them. Do a body
check when you get home and take a shower. Never try to burn a tick out of your skin, it will only bury deeper.
Simply grab it close to the skin and yank it out. If it is in deep, coat it with vaseline or oil. It will back out for
oxygen. Mosquitos in spring, wasps, spiders, scorpions, and even rattlesnakes also occur in coastal areas.
Be aware of your footsteps. When camping, put citronella tea lights in glass jars around your campsite to keep
the mosquitoes away. We also suck on a clove of garlic, it seeps from your pores and repels insects. In tidal
areas, do not handle jellyfish or sea urchins, they have painful stinging spines. In wilderness areas, you may
encounter mountain lions or black bears. Secure all food and utensils in camp. If you encounter a mountain
lion, do not run. Make eye contact, yell, raise your arms, brandish a stick, appear as large and threatening as
possible. Mountain lions can easily kill you, they attack from behind; you won't see them coming. Best advice
here is Never hike Alone. Do not handle or approach any wild animal, from ground squirrels to elephant
seals. They are not tame, and they will bite.
- Bears. Many black bears make their home in the forest. They are most often found foraging for berries and
tubers in riparian areas. During the fall they move up to the oak woodlands looking for acorns. Hungry bears
will walk through camps and pick up packs and food bags, ripping them apart if they smell food. If the bears
become accustomed to obtaining food from backpackers, they will develop a habit of approaching humans. In
order to avoid confrontations, we urge the following: Do not approach any bear, especially a cub. Do not feed
bears or try to retrieve food from them.
Leave packs empty on the ground with all zippers and flaps open so that bears can nose through them.
If a bear approaches your camp, make noise to try to scare the bear away. If the bear does not retreat, leave.
Pack out any trash. Never bury it. Bears will dig up trash, including empty cans.
Report any bear damage to the Ranger.
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- Crime. Lock your vehicle when you park it at a trailhead. Leave valuables out of sight, at home, or take them
with you. When camping, don't leave valuables unattended. There are criminals who prey on Central Coast
campgrounds. We had our cameras stolen at Pfeiffer.
- Stream Crossings or fords can be deadly. Deep, rushing water can overcome even an experienced
hiker. Never ford a creek or stream if it seems unsafe. Always use a hiking stick, and undo the waist belt of your
backpack before crossing. Do not dive headfirst into pools in streams and rivers unless you are very
experienced and have full knowledge of the depth and the rocks below.
- Getting Lost. Always tell someone where you are going. If you hike off alone, leave a note in your car or
tent listing your route and destination. Carry maps of the area. If you lose your way, stop, don't wander aimlessly.
Teach children to stay where they are if they discover they are lost. Instruct them to find a nearby tree and stay
with it until they are found.
- Dead Trees. An aggressive disease called "Sudden Oak Death" is killing native oaks in many areas along
the California coast, including Big Sur. Dead trees or trees weakened by Sudden Oak Death have been known to
topple suddenly and without warning. Be on the lookout for trees that may be affected!
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A Word About Bees and Yellow Jackets.
Bees are normally not a problem when away from their nest, but if you encounter a large
number of honeybees foraging in one area, it could indicate a colony nearby. Yellow
jackets can be a real problem when trying to eat outdoors.
Bees are normally not a problem when away from their nest, but if you encounter a large
number of honeybees foraging in one area, it could indicate a colony nearby. Yellow
jackets can be a real problem when trying to eat outdoors.
Never poke around a bee colony or throw rocks at it. If you discover a bee colony near a hiking trail or campsite,
notify a ranger or other official.
Wear light-colored clothing. Dark to a bee means bear or other predators.
Avoid perfumes or other sweet scents when hiking. This includes deodorant, cosmetics, even chewing gum.
Keep your eating area clean. Make sure all drinks stay covered.
Try hanging a piece of meat or fish over a container filled with soapy water at a good distance from your eating
site. This will attract yellow jackets, who will fall in the water as they attempt take-off.
If a bee or yellow jacket lands on you, brush it off, slowly and gently, with a piece of paper.
Do not wear brightly colored clothing. You will look like a flower.
Never squash and kill a yellow jacket. When smashed, it will emit a chemical alarm that will put other nearby
wasps and yellow jackets into attack mode.
If you are stung, make a paste of powdered meat tenderizer and water. Once applied, it will ease the pain.
notify a ranger or other official.
Wear light-colored clothing. Dark to a bee means bear or other predators.
Avoid perfumes or other sweet scents when hiking. This includes deodorant, cosmetics, even chewing gum.
Keep your eating area clean. Make sure all drinks stay covered.
Try hanging a piece of meat or fish over a container filled with soapy water at a good distance from your eating
site. This will attract yellow jackets, who will fall in the water as they attempt take-off.
If a bee or yellow jacket lands on you, brush it off, slowly and gently, with a piece of paper.
Do not wear brightly colored clothing. You will look like a flower.
Never squash and kill a yellow jacket. When smashed, it will emit a chemical alarm that will put other nearby
wasps and yellow jackets into attack mode.
If you are stung, make a paste of powdered meat tenderizer and water. Once applied, it will ease the pain.
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- Rattlesnakes may bask on the trail, enjoying the sunshine. Few people ever see
them, and rarely is anyone bitten. Only a small percentage of bites cause serious injury. If
you are bitten, remain calm. Chances are, you haven't been injected with venom. Look for
swelling around the wound within five minutes. If it doesn't swell, you are probably fine. If
swelling occurs, or numbness around the lips and hairline, a metallic taste in your
mouth, or twitching facial muscles - get to the emergency room as soon as possible.
Yellow jackets, also called "meat bees" (and several other less flattering names), are quite common in the forest.
They can be very aggressive toward people, particularly during the middle of their summer nesting season. They
nest in the ground. Sometimes the vibration from people hiking or riding nearby is enough to stir them up. They
have been known to pick out one target from among several people. They can bite/sting repeatedly. It hurts! Watch
for concentrations close to the ground and try to avoid them.
They can be very aggressive toward people, particularly during the middle of their summer nesting season. They
nest in the ground. Sometimes the vibration from people hiking or riding nearby is enough to stir them up. They
have been known to pick out one target from among several people. They can bite/sting repeatedly. It hurts! Watch
for concentrations close to the ground and try to avoid them.
