Hundreds of people took the plunge off the Ocean Beach Pier on Monday for a good cause.
It was part of a fundraiser for the Prevent Drowning Foundation of San Diego to give free swimming lessons to underprivileged children. It's also the only time jumping off the pier is allowed.
"In addition, we provide all of the Junior lifeguard program scholarships. So we're working to provide access so that every kid can learn life saving," said Nicole McNeil, president of Prevent Drowning Foundation of San Diego (PDFSD).
Participants paid a minimum of $150 for the opportunity to jump off the pier. Dustin Nguyen, a community representative for Councilmember Kent Lee, said the experience was quite scary.
"Initially, stepping off was not too bad," he said. "It was halfway down — they tell you not to look down, but I had to look down to make sure I was landing in water. About the halfway point, I started to regret stepping off."
For Alex Sun, Nguyen's intern, it was a thrilling experience. He said his mind went blank and all he remembered was screaming all the way down. He used to be a lifeguard and a swim instructor, so it was also a meaningful experience.
“It's one of the few opportunities that we have (to jump off a pier)," Sun said. "We only have a few piers out here, but it's for a good cause. It's something that I'm really passionate about. It's an honor to jump.”
In addition to jumping, participants also had to swim roughly 2,000 feet back to shore.
"Don't underestimate the swim back," Nguyen said. "People have told me it only takes 10 to 15 (minutes), it definitely took me more so on the 30-minute side."
Nguyen's intern, Sun, however, proudly boasted that it only took him 15 minutes to swim back.
"I was actually out for a good 10 minutes before (Nguyen) came out," Sun said. "I went to the beach, and I saw him. He was on his knees, completely out of it. It was really funny."
The event Monday is expected to raise $30,000 for the foundation. Last year, the PDFSD funded 26 grants allowing for 8,000 children across the county to participate in water safety swim programs.
The foundation also funded all of the San Diego Junior Lifeguards scholarships. People can still donate to the PDFSD by visiting preventdrowningfoundation.org.
