Unexpected Ocean Conditions Bring Challenges to Ventura County

Recent storms fueled by a growing El Niño are causing powerful swells and warming ocean waters. These conditions have led to increased sand erosion and attracted uncommon marine life to the shores of California. However, Ventura County officials did not anticipate these conditions would also result in a “bomb-like” marine marker washing up on a local beach.

The Navy’s MK25 phosphorus location marker, designed to create visible smoke and flames for locating objects or people in the water, appeared under unclear circumstances. The exact origin and discovery location of the marker remain unknown. Currently, Ventura County’s Sheriff’s department has not offered comments on the situation.

An Instagram post by the Ventura County Sheriff’s bomb squad detailed the incident, stating a citizen found the marker at the shoreline. Concerned for public safety, the individual took the marker home and contacted law enforcement. Responders from the Sheriff’s Bomb Squad and the Navy’s explosive ordnance disposal unit from Point Mugu acted promptly, retrieving the device from the citizen’s residence in Ojai.

Officials acknowledged the resident’s good intentions but cautioned that marine markers, even when wet or expired, pose extreme dangers. Once removed from water, any residual phosphorus could dry, potentially leading to spontaneous ignition or explosion. These markers can reach temperatures up to 3,000 degrees and are highly toxic.

This marine marker discovery was not the only unusual event linked to the change in ocean conditions. Over the summer, personnel from the sheriff’s bomb squad and naval explosive ordnance disposal were called to another site. They retrieved a more dangerous item: a Super Bazooka round, which washed up at Mugu State Beach Tower 14. The beach area, previously a military training ground, occasionally reveals past ordnance due to sand erosion and tide changes.

The Super Bazooka round, identified as live and too hazardous for transport, led to a temporary closure of the beach and Pacific Coast Highway for its disposal.

Ventura County’s bomb squad emphasized the importance of leaving such items undisturbed. People who find objects resembling military ordnance should evacuate and alert authorities by calling 911.

Other discoveries aligned with these unusual conditions include the exposure of jetties meant to curb erosion near Newport Harbor and sightings of marine animals not typically seen locally. A hammerhead shark, favoring warmer waters, was spotted off Malibu Pier. Moreover, in a notable event, two olive ridley sea turtles laid eggs on Seal Beach and Huntington Beach. These turtles typically nest in tropical regions like Mexico and Central America.