Angelenos looking to beat the heat this weekend should take extra caution at the beach, because a school of stingrays has been spotted in Marina del Rey, lifeguards say.
Phelan Blades spotted a school of stingrays swimming in a cove off Mother's Beach in Marina del Rey, and posted a video of the creatures on Instagram.
"They are very common in this area, they are in the ocean all the time, so people encounter them all the time," said John Greger, LA County Fire, Lifeguard Division captain.
The ocean is about two degrees above normal temperatures this summer, according to USC marine biologist Douglas Capone.
One child, Giacoml Chapman said he was searching for stingrays in Marina del Rey Friday. "There's a big black line right here, and like they're all over and they keep charging at us," he said.
Warmer water has attracted more beachgoers, Greger said, who added that the more swimmers are in the ocean, the more the stingrays are visible.
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"We suggest that people shuffle their feet, when they shuffle their feet the stingrays will move out into deeper water," Greger said.
Stingrays are technically not considered to be dangerous, and only sting in defense, according to lifeguards, who added their sting is not to be taken lightly.
Stingrays Swarm Marina Del Rey
As of this afternoon, lifeguards said six people had been stung by stingrays in the past 24 hours.
Luke Melendez, a junior lifeguard in training, said stingrays scare him sometimes because his mother had been stung before.
"She was just screaming, and my dad had to carry her out of the water," Melendez said.
Melendez said he knows what to do if someone is stung. "You carry them out of the water, and then you want someone to call 911" he said. He added that it's good for the person to lie down and remain calm while you "wait for 911."
