Many dream of returning to the sea.
Photo: Mariela Lombard / El Diario NY
Returning to the tradition interrupted last year by the pandemic, this The long weekend of “Memorial Day”, the last of the month of May, represents the punctual start of summer on the public beaches of NYC.
Public outdoor pools must wait until June 26, and those that are in closed spaces have no plans to open, for now, due to the latent risks of the coronavirus.
The public natural spas managed by the Parks Department of the city will open to swim from today Saturday until September 12. Capacity will not be limited this year as it was last summer during the height of social distancing.
The only factor against, in theory, is the weather. After last night’s downpour today there is a high probability of precipitation (69%) and cloudiness (99%), The day and the night. Also on Sunday and Monday holidays are outlined with over 55% possibility of rain.
Taking advantage of a possible massive presence, “We are going to combine the enjoyment of this season with the reopening of the beaches with the vaccination effort by taking our buses with mobile vaccination units to Coney Island, Brighton Beach, Rockaway and Orchard Beach”Mayor Bill de Blasio announced Tuesday.
Bathers do not need to wear masks on the beach or in the sand, but they do need to wear masks when using the bathrooms and other enclosed public areas. In theory, officials recommend that people maintain “social distancing precautions.”
“The heat of summer has arrived, and with the return of swimming on our beaches, another step in our collective return to normality ”, Parks Commissioner Mitchell Silver said in a statement. “We want everyone to enjoy our eight public beaches this season, but we must do so safely.”
Lifeguards will be on duty at the eight beaches every day from 10 am to 6 pm until Sunday, September 12. The Parks Department said that Swimming is “unsafe and strictly prohibited” outside of those hours. In fact, officers can issue citations to people who enter the sea outside of lifeguard hours.
They also remember that almost every year there are people who die by drowning on the city beaches, especially young people and especially in Rockaway Beach and Coney Island, where dangerous rip currents can be unpredictable, Fox News recalled.
The Health Department also monitors the quality of the water on the beaches. You can view the reports on the Beach Water Quality portal.
The eight city-owned beaches, located in four of the five districts, have 14 miles of shoreline. They are: Orchard (The Bronx); Manhattan Beach, Coney Island, Brighton (Brooklyn); Rockaway, the only one in the city open to surfing (Queens); and Midland, South Beach Cedar Grove and Wolfe’s Pond (Staten Island).
The location and access rules for public swimming pools in the five boroughs can be reviewed here. Generally they will operate from 10 am to 7 pm, with a daily closing to clean from 3 to 4 pm, from June 26 to September 12. In addition, they will offer free swimming lessons.
Now recreational option that already returned this summer is Governors Island, boarding a ferry in Lower Manhattan, with free access this year will be free for seniors, children, military, any inhabitant of public housing buildings (NYCHA) and who owns the IDNYC card. Nor will anyone be charged on Saturdays and Sundays before noon. More information about activities and ferry schedules here.
Weather updates can be found here and on the National Weather Service (NWS) NY website.
