Big waves, lets just close the beaches

Yep, storm off shore will finally bring some decent sized waves to the coast of Massachusetts today. On top of that it will be a perfect 10 beach day. So how does the state react? Lets just close all 9 south facing beaches. I hate this state and its ever increasing need to protect us from any apparent danger. We're not talking huge epic waves. Just something you can actually ride into shore. I was excited. Kids were excited. Time to check out and see if RI beaches are still open. Willing to bet if the legislature knew how much money they are loosing in parking revenue today, they wouldn't let the DEP close them. Lets see $15 a car times 9 full lots.

That's not too fun of Mass to do. Waves were feeling pretty epic early AM in New Jersey. Some of the larger faces were about 7ft. I will admit the rip currents were the strongest I've felt all year. Got pulled at least 50yrds in 2-3min

Do the beaches have lifeguards? There is a point where you can't realistically expect lifeguards to be able to do their jobs. Not saying it's the right answer, but I understand the thought process.

Ohh the nanny state. It was much better when children could work in my bobbin winding mill. They were happy!!!

Also, any chance that schools are starting up and lifeguards are no longer available?

"surf/swim at your own risk" is no longer an option?

This is why you should never give them control of anything.

I'm surprised the surfers didn't tell them to piss off.

Out here if the waves are bigger then 2 foot and you tried to stop the surfers the city would be shut down by them. Heck we get alerts from the city when it gets bigger then 10 foot so that we know to go out and surf.

Not much stops the surfers in Jersey and NY either. Every few years the police will hand out a few tickets to surfers after they paddle in during a hurricane. Mostly they prevent inexperienced ones from going out.

Dr Ribs Revere wrote: Not much stops the surfers in Jersey and NY either. Every few years the police will hand out a few tickets to surfers after they paddle in during a hurricane. Mostly they prevent inexperienced ones from going out.

I never got a ticket, but I remember surfing in AC when there was a hurricane offshore and we were seeing 12foot faces. WAY over my experience level, but still fun

tr8todd wrote: Yep, storm off shore will finally bring some decent sized waves to the coast of Massachusetts today. On top of that it will be a perfect 10 beach day. So how does the state react? Lets just close all 9 south facing beaches. I hate this state and its ever increasing need to protect us from any apparent danger. We're not talking huge epic waves. Just something you can actually ride into shore. I was excited. Kids were excited. Time to check out and see if RI beaches are still open. Willing to bet if the legislature knew how much money they are loosing in parking revenue today, they wouldn't let the DEP close them. Lets see $15 a car times 9 full lots.

The people's republic of Massachusetts has spoken you will conform.

Maybe your Governor wanted the beach to himself?

It is in your best interests , but all I wanted was a Pepsi

If the beaches were open someone goes out, they drown, the family says people in charge knew it was dangerous and left it open, they sue everybody they can think of for millions. Thats why your beach is closed. I wouldnt open myself up to huge liability for somebody elses good time. Most people know how to exercise common sense, but not everybody, and it only takes one. And that one will have lawyers knocking down their door telling them about the giant payday they can receive. Thats the world we live in.

gearheadmb wrote: If the beaches were open someone goes out, they drown, the family says people in charge knew it was dangerous and left it open, they sue everybody they can think of for millions. Thats why your beach is closed. I wouldnt open myself up to huge liability for somebody elses good time. Most people know how to exercise common sense, but not everybody, and it only takes one. And that one will have lawyers knocking down their door telling them about the giant payday they can receive. Thats the world we live in.

sadly, it won't be a surfer, it will be a little kid playing in the waves whose parents should have known better

gearheadmb wrote: If the beaches were open someone goes out, they drown, the family says people in charge knew it was dangerous and left it open, they sue everybody they can think of for millions. Thats why your beach is closed. I wouldnt open myself up to huge liability for somebody elses good time. Most people know how to exercise common sense, but not everybody, and it only takes one. And that one will have lawyers knocking down their door telling them about the giant payday they can receive. Thats the world we live in.

This is why there should be no control. Responsibility then falls back to the individual, where it belongs.

Try some civil disobedience... go anyway.

Sometimes the best stuff is behind this sign.

In reply to Huckleberry:

Those might as well just say "motorcycle shortcut"

Well, some people ignored the warnings yesterday and went swimming anyway in Nantucket. A dozen people got caught in the ripide and one of them drowned.

http://boston.cbslocal.com/2017/08/16/nantucket-nobadeer-beach-drowning/

Toyman01 wrote:

gearheadmb wrote: If the beaches were open someone goes out, they drown, the family says people in charge knew it was dangerous and left it open, they sue everybody they can think of for millions. Thats why your beach is closed. I wouldnt open myself up to huge liability for somebody elses good time. Most people know how to exercise common sense, but not everybody, and it only takes one. And that one will have lawyers knocking down their door telling them about the giant payday they can receive. Thats the world we live in.

This is why there should be no control. Responsibility then falls back to the individual, where it belongs.

Sorry, I do not buy it. Too many people come to the ocean for the first time and assume it is just like swimming in the lakes at home. Learning about currents, rip-currents, and how strong ocean waves can be is not something you want to do the hard way

In reply to mad_machine:

That's cool. Most people agree with you, that's why many beaches are controlled. But with that comes the ability for the controlling authority to tell you to go home, you can't swim here today. Personally, I'm OK with the risks and consequences if that's the cost of a less intrusive bureaucracy. I'm also OK with the majority not agreeing with me. I go to boat in beaches only, so their decisions don't effect me.

Will they actually stop surfers from going in the water? I get it, the don't want swimmers going in. Orange county on occasion has strongly suggested people not go in the water when it was really ripping (I remember a couple of warnings when I lived out there).

I have a feeling if you have a board and a wet suit on, no one will bother you. But I've never had to deal with MA nanny's; just California and now Ontario.

Toyman01 wrote: In reply to mad_machine: That's cool. Most people agree with you, that's why many beaches are controlled. But with that comes the ability for the controlling authority to tell you to go home, you can't swim here today. Personally, I'm OK with the risks and consequences if that's the cost of a less intrusive bureaucracy. I'm also OK with the majority not agreeing with me. I go to boat in beaches only, so their decisions don't effect me.

I grew up in Ocean City NJ. The locals rarely went to the controlled beaches. Those were for the tourists (shoobies) and families with small children. For ever beach with a lifeguard, there were about 5 or 6 without one. 40th street was a favourite for those on the southern part of the island. No, the guards never bothered walking down from 39th street to tell us to swim at the controlled beach, they knew we understood the risks and let us be.

Same with surfing during big storms, nobody ever tried to stop us going out, 9 miles of beach with just as many miles of access points made it impossible to stop anybody who wanted to go out.

In reply to Toyman01:

Is that the jet boat?

In reply to Grtechguy:

It is. It gets me to beaches no one else can get to.