Syringes Wash Up On Beach

Hundreds of surfers were ordered out of the ocean and the beach was closed after lifeguards discovered between 800 and 1,500 hypodermic needles washed ashore in California.

Lifeguards immediately closed 1½ miles of the city beach and a one-mile section of Huntington State Beach on Thursday when they found the needles.

"The syringes began coming ashore about 3:30 p.m., and since we don't know where they came from, we're not taking any chances," said city lifeguard Lt. Mike Beuerlein. Each of the syringes had plastic caps over the needles.

Orange County Health officials had been contacted in an effort to determine the origin of the syringes, and whether they might be contaminated, he said.

Huntington Beach, one of the most popular beaches in Southern California and the site of national and international surfing competitions, has been plagued by closings this summer due to a mysterious contamination.

The problem resulted in closing of sections of the beach, first on July 1, when health officials found high levels of bacteria, including extremely high levels of enterococcous known to cause gastrointestinal and respiratory infections.

The beaches were opened in time for the Labor Day holiday, then closed again the following week when traces of fecal contamination reappeared.

Health officials have not yet determined the source of the bacteria.