
PHOTOS: Beating the heat in Santa Cruz

Seven-year-old Noah Moralez came from San Jose to cool off in the lagoon at Main Beach in Santa Cruz. (Kevin Painchaud / Lookout Santa Cruz)

Main Beach was a popular spot Thursday as temperatures soared toward triple digits. (Kevin Painchaud / Lookout Santa Cruz)

The Chardonnay II sails past Main Beach as visitors seeking to beat the heat cooled off. (Kevin Painchaud / Lookout Santa Cruz)

Cameron Bell, 5, zeroes in on dad Rian as they cooled off at Main Beach in Santa Cruz. (Kevin Painchaud / Lookout Santa Cruz)

Meanwhille, it was a sweltering Thursday for agricultural workers in the fields of Watsonville. (Kevin Painchaud / Lookout Santa Cruz)

Shade was at a premium Thursday in downtown Santa Cruz as temperatures shot into the 90s. (Kevin Painchaud / Lookout Santa Cruz)

Lyly Ho brought son Noel Moralez, 1, from San Jose to enjoy a little dip in the San Lorenzo River at Main Beach in Santa Cruz.
(Kevin Painchaud / Lookout Santa Cruz)

(Kevin Painchaud / Lookout Santa Cruz)

Keeping cool was all about making a splash at Main Beach in Santa Cruz on Thursday. (Kevin Painchaud / Lookout Santa Cruz)

Miguel Ruiz, 11, from San Jose found himself a chill spot at Main Beach in Santa Cruz on Thursday. (Kevin Painchaud / Lookout Santa Cruz)

Capitola Beach was the place to be Thursday for surfers of all ages. (Kevin Painchaud / Lookout Santa Cruz)

READ THE STORY: Capitola Beach bummer: After popular spot gets unhealthy F, is it safe to swim there? (Kevin Painchaud / Lookout Santa Cruz)

Capitola Beach lifeguard Ian Richardson, a recent transplant from Santa Monica, had plenty to keep an eye on Thursday as crowds flocked to the shore in search of relief from the heat. (Kevin Painchaud / Lookout Santa Cruz)

The heat wave sweeping California made Thursday a particularly good day for ice cream in Capitola Village for 6-year-old Daxton Marin of San Jose. (Kevin Painchaud / Lookout Santa Cruz)

Parrot Elvis was happy to have left his building Thursday, taking in the sights and sounds at cool Capitola Beach. (Kevin Painchaud / Lookout Santa Cruz)

With temperatures soaring Thursday in Santa Cruz, Jasper Zion rests in the shade in the San Lorenzo Park benchlands encampment.
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