So Long Summer
by Kailey Aiken
As August comes to an end, so does the summer season. With Labor Day falling on the earliest date possible this year, the last day beaches will be open for swimming is Sunday, September 7.
Last week, Hurricane Erin brought exactly what she promised: huge surf, life-threatening riptides, and overall extremely dangerous waters for swimming … and for advanced surfers it brought great waves.
The beach was closed for swimming Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday, with large surf and strong rip currents remaining over the weekend. Lifeguards remained on duty, stationed on the sand while the beach was closed to implement the no-swimming rule. Unfortunately, despite countless announcements, warnings, and whistles, people still chose to swim.
By Friday, a sunny, beautiful day, it was impossible to keep everyone out of the water. People snuck into the ocean on closed beaches or just blatantly ignored lifeguards’ directions. Lifeguards on some beaches even had to go in for multiple rescues, including a surfer who wound up in over his head on Beach 97th Street. While trying to swim in, he was pulled into the rock jetty on Beach 98th Street and needed to be backboarded and hospitalized due to his injuries.
Reminder: the rock jetties will ALWAYS win. Stay away from them! The strong currents they create can trap even experienced surfers and strong swimmers. If you do find yourself being pulled towards the jetty, don’t fight the current. Take the rip out past the jetty and swim in on the opposite side, like a “U” shape. If possible, swim all the way out past the breakers before making a run for the other side — you do not want to be slammed into the barnacle-covered rocks by a wave.
The rock jetty rip currents were nothing short of vicious during Erin’s reign. By ignoring the rules and swimming despite beach closures, people not only put themselves at risk, but also put lifeguards at risk.
We have our training, sure — but we’re not superhuman. The size and power of the waves during hurricane swells can be overwhelming, even for lifeguards. When it comes down to it, if it’s me versus an eight-foot wave crashing over the jetty … my money’s on the wave.
Last week’s swell was the exception, not the rule. But the next time these waves come around, we need a better way to keep people out of the water, maybe even off the beach entirely.
Anyway, as I’ve returned to school, this marks my last column of the summer. Thanks to all who have read any of my articles this year. Enjoy these last days of summer!
Photo by Kevin Boyle.
