High Tide

Well, it’s finally here — happy summer 2025! We hope you all have a wonderful Memorial Day weekend.

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NYC Parks’ official beach-opening ceremony takes place tomorrow, Friday, May 23 at 10 a.m., at Beach 17th Street and the Boardwalk.

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Every year, Rockaway’s ocean waters are unfortunately underestimated by swimmers — both local and visiting. Please remember to stay safe on the beach and remind your kids to swim only when and where lifeguards are on duty. Lifeguards will be officially on duty starting Saturday, May 24, from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. at designated beach locations.

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If you’re heading to the boardwalk this summer — whether for some long-overdue vitamin D or to check out the concessions — don’t miss the Top 30 finalists of the 2025 Rockaway Times Photo Contest. These stunning photos, along with five honorable mentions, will be on display all summer along the boardwalk and by the ferry landing.

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Speaking of summer, the 2025 Rockaway Times Summer & Community Guide is being delivered with the paper this week! So many people worked very hard on this year’s Guide, and we hope that you enjoy it and use it all summer long! And please remember to support our advertisers. Without them, we wouldn’t be able to bring you the weekly Rockaway Times or our 100-page Summer Guide — for FREE! These businesses believe in us and in the Rockaway community. So show them some love this weekend and all summer long — and don’t forget to tell them you saw their ad in The Rockaway Times Summer Guide.

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On the topic of advertisers, we’re excited to welcome Sconzo and Sciascia General, Cosmetic, and Family Dentistry, our newest partner in The Rockaway Times. You’ll find their ad on page 9 of this week’s issue. If you’re looking for a dentist, give them a call — and be sure to mention you saw them in the RT!

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Summer vibes are everywhere this week! Interested in playing some summer hoops? Don’t forget to sign up for the St. Francis Summer Classic at sfdsparish.org. Completed applications must be postmarked by May 29.

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If you’re taking the ferry to or from Rockaway this weekend, be aware that a new summer schedule went into effect on Monday, May 19. Be sure to check the latest schedule at www.ferry.nyc

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On Thursday, May 29, the Rockaway YMCA will host its 10th Anniversary Celebration from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m. Time flies! Tickets are $50 per person or $90 per couple. Questions? Contact Jessica Raha at jraha@ymcanyc.org or 929-697-1488.

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Our stories in the Summer Guide are finished in early May. With that said, things change! As an update to our Army Corps Update story, at a stakeholder meeting on May 15, USACE said they will not be conducting work this summer and Beach 116th Street, which has long been used for a staging area, will open to beach access this summer! And as an update to our story on the Rockaway Ocean Club (Riis Bathhouse), they are now saying their opening is pushed back a bit and they may not be open by mid-summer.

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On April 16, the federal government put a stop to Equinor’s Empire Wind project that was set to bring 147 windmills about 14 miles off the coast of Jones Beach, saying further review was needed. That stop was short lived. With 60 stakeholders involved and 1,500 jobs on the line, on Monday, May 19, Equinor announced that the stop work order was lifted by the feds and they would be resuming work immediately.