Stay Out Of The Water: Jersey Shore Beach Towns Fight To Keep Swimmers Out Of Danger

OCEAN COUNTY, NJ — People who go into the ocean this weekend in Seaside Heights and in Toms River after being told to stay out of the water may face tickets and possible fines as towns try to prevent people from the dangerous surf conditions stirred up by Hurricane Lee.

Toms River Police Chief Mitchell Little issued an executive order banning swimming at Ortley Beach and at the North Beaches in Toms River on Friday until the red flag warnings are lifted. Violators could receive disorderly persons tickets, which carries a fine of up to $1,000 or 6 months in jail.

Little, who issued the order in his role as the township's emergency management coordinator, said it expires when the red flag warning expires.

That order follows statements by Seaside Heights Mayor Anthony Vaz on Thursday that borough police may issue tickets as the borough tries to keep people out of the water because of the dangerous conditions, according to reports by NJ.com and the Asbury Park Press.

Vaz told NJ.com the borough will be making announcements on the boardwalk all weekend that swimming is banned because of the high risk of rip currents and rough surf.

"If there is disrespect, like staying in the ocean or if they go back in later on when they think nobody's around, we will issue tickets," Vaz told the Asbury Park Press.

On Friday, a radio transmission captured Seaside Heights Police Chief Tom Boyd telling the borough's code enforcement staff he did not want people "even dipping one toe" in the ocean. (Listen to it here.)

Vaz's comments reflect the exasperation that has been expressed across social media by law enforcement, first responders and residents alike after dozens of ocean rescues over the last two weeks and at least four deaths over Labor Day weekend.

In the last two weeks, the incidents have included a surfer running in to keep people afloat after getting caught in rough surf. Lifeguards forming a human chain to pull people out of the water. A boogie boarder and lifeguards rescuing a swimmer in distress. Police officers pulling a man from a rip current.

With another sunny, warm weekend on tap, officials are at their wit's end trying to get people to stay out of the water and out of danger.

"Labor Day weekend was just a disaster," Toms River Mayor Maurice "Mo" Hill said Wednesday night at the Township Council meeting. Hill made a request that the township post red flags on Ortley Beach for the weekend, which are supposed to be a sign to people that the ocean is too dangerous for swimming. Toms River has had its share of rescues, including one in July in Chadwick Beach where a dozen teens were caught in a rip current.

Signs warning of rip currents are posted at many beaches along the Jersey Shore. Weather forecasts have emphasized the dangers, and there have been multiple social media statements by a variety of authorities and by regular citizens seeking to educate people. None of that has convinced people to stay out of the ocean.

Point Pleasant Beach police on Wednesday urged people to stay out of the ocean there after a 40-year-old man had to be rescued Tuesday, saying, "This is the second incident in the last 10 days where officers had to enter the ocean and pull swimmers in distress out of the surf. … Strong rip currents are expected to continue for the foreseeable future. Please be safe and do not swim in unguarded areas."

While the borough’s Maryland Avenue beach will be accessible for people who want to sit on the sand or walk, there will be no lifeguards present, Mayor Paul Kanitra has said. It will be the only ocean beach accessible in Point Pleasant Beach, as Jenkinson’s has locked all the access gates along the beaches it owns. Read more: Jenkinson's Locks Gates In Point Pleasant Beach, Bars Access

Lavallette officials posted a warning on the borough’s website saying swimming is not permitted this weekend due to the hazards expected from Hurricane Lee. In 2021, in the wake of more than two weeks of ocean rescues and some deaths, the borough posted message signs saying “NO WATER ENTRY DANGEROUS RIP CURRENT” to deter people from going in the ocean.

In Seaside Park there have been rescues almost daily since late August, and one swimmer was missing for four days before his body was recovered. Authorities there are not planning to deny access to the beach or the water, and they are not considering tickets, the police department said.

The borough is urging people to stay out of the ocean, however.

“Everyone should STAY OUT OF THE OCEAN!!” Seaside Park Volunteer Fire Company officials wrote on the company’s Facebook page. “Do not risk your life and those that might be called upon to save you. Numerous people have drowned at the Jersey shore this summer. They never thought it could happen to them.”

“How do we prevent this from happening in the future??” wrote Gregory Andrus of Portraits of the Jersey Shore, who has been a vocal supporter of the shore’s lifeguard community and has been using his platform to try to spread awareness of the dangers and convince people to stay out of the water.

That message took on more urgency for him after he and another man rescued an unconscious swimmer at Island Beach State Park over Labor Day weekend. He believes more needs to be done to educate people all over the state about the risks involved with swimming in the ocean.

“I am convinced that the more aware people are of the dangers of the ocean, the more they will respect it, the less people will be in it in the first place when lifeguards are off duty,” Andrus wrote.

Andrus expressed support for Seaside Heights’ announcement of the potential for ticketing people who go in the ocean, and said he also said he supports the idea of fining people who put first responders at risk by going in the ocean despite being told to stay out.

“Hopefully that would deter people from going in unguarded water in the future,” Andrus wrote.

“I don’t know if we have the power to issue tickets” to people who go in the water at Ortley Beach, Hill said, but said Toms River lifeguards will be able to kick people off the beach if they ignore orders to stay out of the water.

“I don’t want anyone to drown this late in the season,” Hill said. “People have to exercise common sense.”