Call to arms?

[DPR]

If the waves are big enough barley any torists are out there. They stay on the beach.

[PowerUser]

are you honestly suggesting that "Surfing Beach Facilitators" become more common along the coast.

interesting.

[DrPin]

Brothers lay down your arms. Save them. You are only battling in vain; for waves worth paddling or battling for are not ashore during the tourist season.

[MDSurfer]

are you honestly suggesting that "Surfing Beach Facilitators" become more common along the coast.

interesting.

Sure, just add a few extra dollars to the beach tags they already charge for to pay them. NOT.
OCM knows who pays the bills, it's the vacationing swimmers, not the stand up surfers, or even the bodyboarders. I suspect it also has a lot to do with the size of the town's beaches. We also are lucky enough to have 30 miles of national park beaches at Assateague Island (where they happen to be talking about expanding the protected beach area).

OCM has 9 miles of beaches, most of which have no jetties, and none of which have visible outfall pipes in the impact zone. What the ESA and Surfrider, and the town's recreation department negotiated for surfers was three beaches on weekdays, and two on weekends and these beaches move south one block each day and rotate back to the north twice during the summer. It pretty much covers the 145 numbered streets north to south. The inlet break was a recent addition to the original two beaches, but the city thought it a wise move to keep swimmers away from the inlet rips, boat traffic, and heavy concentration of Latino beach-goers. Interestingly, the beach patrol now views the inlet beach as their personal beach for lifeguard training and junior lifeguard exercises. The more the merrier.

If Belmar only has two or three miles of accessible beach, and I think I recall a LOT of pilings all along the beaches (at least there were back in the 70's) you're likely to have less leverage with the town. If you and your local surf businesses join with Surfrider and ESA representatives and can win over the town recreation director to your cause, you might negotiate a better deal. Question: Did they ever remove those pilings and did they pump the beaches up there or not?

[Xtreme*Liquidshredder]

Yo homies. 1st street jetty (vb) can be real crowded during the summer especially on the weekend. It really sux and all especially with the tourists with their du rags and jean shorts swimming right next to the line up at 2nd street. But its all good it's actually kinda funny. Thankfully all the good waves aren't until after tourist season which also is when cops won't rite tickets as often as during summer.

[Prey4Surf]

I surf at Belmar a lot. It does have a surfing beach, and swimmers are NOT allowed on it.

However things are not perfect...

1) On the weekdays, the lifeguards seem to not care. Last week on Wednesday there were plenty of swimmers on the surfing beach. Although less surfers were there than the weekend, it's still dangerous and I could have taken out some

2) On the weekends, swimmers still swim there. They can't seem to read the chalkboard on the boardwalk that says "Surfing Only" and they don't notice the blue flag that designates the section of the beach as surfing only. The lifeguards are always blowing the whistle and chasing them out.

3) The bodyboard area, which is seperate from the surfing area, allows swimmers. Although a bodyboard is not as dangerous, it's still a stupid idea.

4) The surfing beaches are TINY and tend to get packed on the weekends.



I would definitely like to see more of an effort made to keep swimmers away, perhaps more signs and larger ones. It's dangerous for them and us. Also, I'd love to see the surf beach expanded...just a bit...so it's not as packed and dangerous.

My exact issue right here.

I'm not pushing for more beaches, just a real effort at keeping them for surf, body board, or swimmers, and not let them be mixed.

And just from a safety standpoint, I think its far more dangerous for bodyboarders than you might think. With the surfboard, the swimmer is the only one really getting hit, but I've gone head to head with these people before, that really hurts. I have 3 previous concussions, I really don't want to get another one, especially because I'm at a high risk for being lights out next time. Passing out in the water isn't a goal of mine.

[ritecoastsurfer3]

it's almost over. . .and its been flat for the past three and a half weeks. . . but i still salute your effort and better times are coming soon

[windswellsucks]

Brothers lay down your arms. Save them. You are only battling in vain; for waves worth paddling or battling for are not ashore during the tourist season.

amen, brother preach on