As August rolls in, the annual “summer’s almost over” lament begins. For beachgoers, the countdown to Labor Day starts ticking. But lifeguards and locals know the ocean is just waking up.
August brings hurricane and storm swells, sprinkling bigger waves and stronger currents throughout the last true month of beach season.
Last summer, Hurricane Erin brought huge surf to Rockaway mid-August. Waves reached more than 15 feet on some days. Surf that size creates powerful rip currents, making the ocean dangerous—and sometimes life-threatening—for anyone other than expert surfers.
On days like this, we close beaches for swimming. Lifeguard chairs are empty and “No Swimming” flags are put up. We patrol from the shack and on the sand to keep people out of the water, yet people who either overestimate their abilities or underestimate the ocean still choose to try to swim, putting themselves and lifeguards in dangerous situations.
This summer, the water has been unusually calm, with long stretches of flat water that made the ocean look more like “Lake Rockaway.”
On Monday, we closed beaches for the rest of the day around 11:30 a.m. due to high surf conditions. Four- to six-foot waves and a midday high tide sent waves crashing nearly past our lifeguard chairs. Torrential downpour and heavy winds kept people off the beach all morning and most of the day, but the sun came out in the afternoon. And when the sun shines on Beach 97th Street, I swear a bat signal goes off across the city that says, “Get to the beach right now!”
And so naturally, a dozen or so people showed up around 4 p.m. Despite the sunshine, the ocean was still in storm mode. A couple of people decided to test their luck in the water. Two of them were swept out as soon as they were past their knees. Lifeguards responded before we even had a chance to whistle them out of the water. We pulled the two victims out before the situation escalated, but it was a testament to how fast the ocean moves.
On Tuesday, waves sized down a bit, but the water was still rough. Beaches were open, and lifeguards stayed extra vigilant of rip currents. On Beach 96th Street, one man found himself caught in a rip, and despite being a strong swimmer, he did not know how to swim parallel to the current and could not get in. Lifeguards went in to assist him and brought him safely to shore.
Storm swells don’t always look dangerous from the shore. Sometimes the waves are clean, the sun is shining and gleaming off the peaks, and the beach is crowded and beautiful while life threatening rip currents are churning just offshore. That’s exactly what makes August one of the trickiest months for lifeguards.
As waves continue to roll in throughout August, remember to check ocean conditions regularly and avoid swimming when beaches are closed — you’re putting yourself and the lifeguards and first responders who come in to rescue you in danger.
