Beachgoers flock to the coast seeking relief from hot temperatures

PISMO BEACH, Calif. -- As temperatures soared into the 80s and 90s in some places, Central Coast beaches were a popular place on Wednesday to seek some measure of relief.

"It's absolutely beautiful out here," said Ernest Garcia of Fresno visiting Pismo Beach. "Definitely a nice place to get away. Enjoying it. I love the weather out here."

All day long, the shoreline around the Pismo Pier was full of beachgoers, especially during the afternoon hours as more people arrived to the coast.

"It's beautiful!" said ​​​​​Carolyn Firth of Arroyo Grande. "It's very warm and it's very hot, breezy. It's great being out here. We came to check out what was going on and see the crowds and to just get out. It was nice!"

Temperatures in Pismo Beach approached 90 degrees. While it was not quite record breaking, the weather was still unseasonably warm for the coastal city.

"It's like a summer day out here," said John Ransom, visiting from Vancouver, Washington. "You'd think it was August and normally, it would probably be foggy, but there's not a cloud in the sky here today."

Helping make the heat feel a little more tolerable was a nice breeze. The big American flag at the end of Pomeroy Avenue could be seen snapping in the wind throughout the day.

The water temperature was listed 55 degrees, so anyone who wanted an immediate cool off only had to jump right into the ocean.

"It's very, very cold," said Ransom. "We stepped into it yesterday and decided to head up to Pancho's here and rent some wetsuits!"

For those not wanting to brave the cold water, instead, they sought relief in the shade, under an umbrella or other structures, which were popular places to hang out.

"Don't want to get too much sun," said Garcia. "It will beat you up out here. Get under that umbrella and get a break from that sun. I enjoy the sun, but you don't want to get too much of it."

For many others, a stroll above the water on the pier also provided a nice way to feel the comfortable ocean breeze.

"Yes, it's wonderful!" said Firth. "We love it. It feels invigorating."

With temperatures expected to remain high over the next few days, it's expected crowds will be even bigger as the weekend approaches.