Todd Maisel, NY Daily News/Todd Maisel, NY Daily News

If you're looking for beachy keen fun, Coney Island is where thousands love to make a big splash.

Surfs up! A whopping 16 million sunbathers swarmed the Big Apples 14 miles of free public beaches last summer, and the Parks Department expects nearly 20 million on the oceanside this season.

The beaches are more popular than ever, with a lot of people choosing to stay at home to avoid the high costs of gas and other forms of travel, says Parks Commissioner Adrian Benepe.

The great thing about our beaches is that theyre free and theyre accessible by mass transit.

Theres something new at each of the borough branches this year, which are open daily from 10 a.m.-6 p.m. through Labor Day weekend.

And whether you want to catch some rays or some waves, the outer boroughs, and their cousins on Long Island and the Jersey Shore, boast some the best sandy strips around to whet any appetite.

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BEST FOR: Hanging 10

ROCKAWAY BEACH, QUEENS

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Summer Guide 2012: Where to hit the beaches 

SHIP BOTTOM, N.J., June 17 (UPI) -- Beaches on New Jersey's Long Beach Island reopened Sunday, one day after they were closed because insulin syringes were found in the sand, officials said.

The Long Beach Island Health Department said in a statement that the medical waste turned up on beaches in Ship Bottom, Surf City, Harvey Cedars, Barnegat Light and North Beach Haven, The Press of Atlantic City said. No injuries were reported.

The syringes -- which appeared to be the type meant for home-use by diabetics -- were discovered by lifeguards as the tide receded on the first day they were on duty, the newspaper said.

The discovery prompted the closure of most of the island's beaches Saturday afternoon.

Health Department Director Tim Hilferty said closing the beaches temporarily was necessary to "make sure that the public's best interest is served."

The department had not determined the source of the medical waste, though Hilferty said it likely did not originate on the island. It's possible it came from sewer-overflow systems or "from the inner shorelines of the New York-New Jersey Harbor areas," the department said.

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Syringes turn up on N.J. island's beaches

Several beaches that were closed Thursday because of high bacteria counts have been deemed safe for swimming and will be open this weekend, the state Department of Conservation and Recreation said Friday. All but two of DCRs Boston and Metro Boston beaches are clean and unflagged/unposted, or opened, the department said in a statement. Wollaston Beach at Channing Street in Quincy and Shannon Beach in Winchester remain closed after tests revealed elevated levels of bacteria, the state said.

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Some area beaches closed for bacteria are cleared to reopen

NBC10.com - Katy Zachry

Long Beach Island officials closed borough beaches Saturday after lifeguards found dozens of syringes in the water. NBC 10's Katy Zachry reports.

Medical Waste Found at LBI Beaches

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Medical Waste Found on LBI Beaches

BOSTON -

Three South Shore beaches have reopened after bacteria tests came back clean on Friday.

The Quincy Health Department gave Delano Beach, Orchard Beach and Rhoda Beach clean bills of health.

Other Quincy beaches remain closed.

The residents' beach in Duxbury was shut down on Thursday for the first time in nine years after tests for bacteria counts soared to 38 times the maximum recommended for swimming, our news partners The Patriot Ledger reported.

Delano Beach in Quincy was 60 times the limit, many times higher than its worst reading ever. Orchard and Rhoda beaches were slightly over the limit. Wollaston Beach was closed for the second time since testing began last month.

Although bacteria limits are within safe limits, swimming is prohibited as a precaution.

Urban beaches are often closed after significant rain because of contamination washing into the water.

The A Street beach on the ocean side of Hull was four times the limit.

Re-testing is in progress and results are expected sometime Friday.

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3 South Shore beaches reopen after bacteria testing

KUALA TERENGGANU, (Bernama) - The Terengganu government has been asked to gazette all its beaches and islands as turtle sanctuaries to prevent the public from collecting the eggs. Universiti Malaysia Terengganu (UMT) SEATRU project leader, Dr Juanita Josep said at the same time, the government should create a law to ensure that the eggs would not be eaten.

"Not all beaches in Terengganu are gazetted where in several places, turtle eggs have been collected by fishermen and the local people," she told reporters at the World Turtles Day 2012 celebration, the first time held in Terengganu, here, today.

It was organised by UMT''s Institute of Oceanography and Environment (INOS) and Industry Network and Community Service Centre (INComS) in collaboration with the World Wildlife Fund (WWF).

Also present was Terengganu Turtle Conservation Programme leader, Rahayu Zulkifli, who represented WWF.

Dr Juanita said the main problem faced nowadays was the widespread sale of turtle eggs in Terengganu because there was no law to prevent it. She said UMT and WWF had worked at getting the state government to ban the sale of turtle eggs but it was still prevalent in the state.

"What we are trying to do now is to educate the local people not to support the sale or buy turtle eggs because turtles are threatened with extinction," she said.

Various activities were carried out in conjunction with the celebration with the theme of "Telur Penyu: Beli Jangan Makan Pun Tidak'' (Turtle Eggs: Don''t Buy Nor Eat them), including exhibitions, distribution of leaflets on turtles and meet-the-fan session with the Terengganu football team, also known as the Turtle Squad.

Meanwhile, Rahayu said the death rate of turtles in Terengganu was worrisome, with 12 to 15 dead turtles each year.

She said the turtles died mostly during the early nesting season in March because at this time the turtles migrated to Terengganu''s beaches and got caught in the fishing nets.

Meanwhile, in MELAKA, Fisheries Licensing and Resource Management Division director Johari Ramli, said the Fisheries Department would introduce the term of reference (TOR) to smoothen and strengthen turtle management and conservation in the country.

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Terengganu urged to gazette beaches as turtle sanctuaries

Home > Breaking News Swampscott beaches re-opened Originally Published on Friday, June 15, 2012 By Staff Reports / The Daily Item

SWAMPSCOTT Three beaches in Swampscott, including one that borders Lynn, have re-opened in time for the weekend after high bacteria levels closed the beaches this afternoon, according to Anne Roach, a spokeswoman for the state's department of public health.

Roach said in an email that new testing of the Swampscott beaches and one in Marblehead showed the water safe to swim in, as of 5 p.m. Friday. The department had closed the beaches Friday afternoon because of a high-bacteria count after Wednesday's rain.

The newly Swampscott opened beaches are: Preston's beach, near Bluff Avenue and Atlantic Avenue, Fisherman's beach, off of Puritan Road and Route 129, and King's beach, on the border of Swampscott and Lynn.

Stramski beach in Marblehead, located on Salem Harbor, is also re-opened, according to the state's deaprtment of public health website.

There are no closure notices for King's beach in Lynn city limits, nor for beaches in Nahant.

Stay tuned to the Daily Item for updates. And view a list of parking, rates and hours for all Lynn and North Shore beaches.

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Swampscott beaches re-opened

BOSTON -- State environmental officials have closed 10 South Shore beaches to swimmers after testing showed elevated bacteria counts in the water due to recent heavy rains.

A spokeswoman for the Department of Conservation and Recreation says the beaches in Quincy, Duxbury, Hull and Marshfield will be tested again on Friday.

In Duxbury, Residents Beach had 30 times the recommended level of bacteria according to a Save the Harbor/Save the Bay spokesman.

Beaches are tested on a regular basis during warm weather months to ensure the water is safe for swimming. High levels of bacteria in the water are not uncommon after heavy rain.

More than an inch of rainfall was recorded in the past 10 days.

Bacteria in the water can cause upset stomachs, diarrhea, rashes, or earaches.

Copyright 2012 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

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10 Massachusetts beaches closed to swimming

BOSTON (AP) - State environmental officials have closed 10 South Shore beaches to swimmers after testing showed elevated bacteria counts in the water due to recent heavy rains.

A spokeswoman for the Department of Conservation and Recreation says the beaches in Quincy, Duxbury, Hull and Marshfield will be tested again on Friday.

In Duxbury, Residents Beach had 30 times the recommended level of bacteria according to a Save the Harbor/Save the Bay spokesman.

Beaches are tested on a regular basis during warm weather months to ensure the water is safe for swimming. High levels of bacteria in the water are not uncommon after heavy rain.

More than an inch of rainfall was recorded in the past 10 days.

Bacteria in the water can cause upset stomachs, diarrhea, rashes, or earaches.

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10 MA beaches closed to swimming

BOSTONState environmental officials have closed 10 South Shore beaches to swimmers after testing showed elevated bacteria counts in the water due to recent heavy rains.

A spokeswoman for the Department of Conservation and Recreation says the beaches in Quincy, Duxbury, Hull and Marshfield will be tested again on Friday.

In Duxbury, Residents Beach had 30 times the recommended level of bacteria according to a Save the Harbor/Save the Bay spokesman.

Beaches are tested on a regular basis during warm weather months to ensure the water is safe for swimming. High levels of bacteria in the water are not uncommon after heavy rain.

More than an inch of rainfall was recorded in the past 10 days.

Bacteria in the water can cause upset stomachs, diarrhea, rashes, or earaches.

Copyright 2012 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

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10 Mass. beaches closed to swimming

BOSTON (CBS/AP) State environmental officials have closed 9 South Shore beaches to swimmers after testing showed elevated bacteria counts in the water due to recent heavy rains.

Wollaston Beach in Quincy. (Photo by Carl Stevens)

A spokeswoman for the Department of Conservation and Recreation says the beaches in Quincy, Duxbury and Marshfield will be tested again on Friday.

WBZ NewsRadio 1030s Carl Stevens reports

In Duxbury, Residents Beach had 30 times the recommended level of bacteria according to a Save the Harbor/Save the Bay spokesman.

Beaches are tested on a regular basis during warm weather months to ensure the water is safe for swimming.

High levels of bacteria in the water are not uncommon after heavy rain.

More than an inch of rainfall was recorded in the past 10 days.

Bacteria in the water can cause upset stomachs, diarrhea, rashes, or earaches.

Here is the complete list:

Read more from the original source:

9 South Shore Beaches Closed To Swimming

MYRTLE BEACH Beaches have reopened after beachgoers were stranded on the sand for about two hours Thursday afternoon when four people said they were bitten by sharks.

The bites were reported over a 10-minute span between 72nd Avenue North and 82nd Avenue North, but police have not confirmed if a shark is to blame, and experts say its unusual to have so many bites on the Grand Strand in the early afternoon. Swimming wasnt allowed as a precaution while Myrtle Beach police investigated.

Myrtle Beach police took photos of the injuries and are planning to send them to the University of Florida for a research team to review them to determine what kind of marine animal was involved, Capt. David Knipes said Friday.

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A lifeguard on duty was more certain about what caused the bites, even though he didnt see anything in the ocean.

Nobody saw them, said lifeguard Denny Starr. Even the guys that got bit didnt see it. Theyre definitely shark bites. One guys foot was opened up. The other had a full mouth print around his leg.

Starr was on duty around 76th Avenue North around 1:20 p.m. when the bites were reported and didnt see the other injuries.

Three people were taken by EMS to Grand Strand Regional Medical Center. The fourth drove himself.

Its not likely the same animal bit all four people, according to marine science professor and local shark expert Dan Abel. Without seeing pictures of the bite marks he couldnt say for sure what kind of shark it may have been, but said black tip sharks are most probable in this instance.

The likelihood of anything else being around and biting is not real high, Abel said. ... it was probably black tip sharks inshore feeding and mistaking people.

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Grand Strand beaches reopen after suspected shark bites

As temperatures continue to rise this summer, Missourians can escape the heat by visiting one of Missouri State Parks 17 open swimming beaches for a day of fun in the water.

Once again, weekly water sampling showed that all state parks beaches met their weekly water quality standards as set by the Missouri Department of Natural Resources, and will be open and welcoming visitors.

From Watkins Mill State Park near Kansas City to Finger Lakes State Park in the middle of the state to Lake Wappapello State Park in the southeast area to many places in between including the Lake of the Ozarks, Missouri State Parks provide refreshing aquatic opportunities that are a convenient drive for most Missourians.

The beaches at Lewis and Clark State Park in Buchanan County remains closed for continuing repairs related to last years flooding, and Trail of Tears State Park in Cape Girardeau County remains closed while staff complete work on the lakes dam.

The department samples the water at all designated beaches in the state park system weekly during the recreational season to determine suitability for swimming. The sample test results indicate a snap shot of the water quality taken at the beaches at a specific time; however, a single sample does not provide an overall sense of the water quality in the lake where the beach is located.

Visitors to Missouri State Parks are able to sign up to receive free electronic notices about the status of state park beaches by visiting the departments website at http://bit.ly/HlSnaG. In addition, visitors may continue to check the state park beach status on the departments website at http://bit.ly/MoStateParksBeachStatus as well as mostateparks.com.

Missouri's state parks and historic sites offer something to suit everyone's taste - outdoor adventure, great scenery and a bit of history. With Missouri's 86 state parks and historic sites, the possibilities are boundless. For more information about Missouri State Parks, a division of the Missouri Department of Natural Resources, visit mostateparks.com.

For more information, call 573-751-1010.

Original post:

Lake of the Ozarks' beaches open for use

Taking a swim in the great Dnipro River, with a view of the golden domes of Orthodox Church is one of the sublime pleasures of Kyiv and the hardy who brave its beaches and less than pristine waters.

This year, inspectors have given their stamp of approval to the water and sand at many of the citys beaches, but municipal authorities have expressed concerns about foreign visitors exposing themselves to danger if they decide to swim with a bellyful of cheap Ukrainian alcohol.

But for the confident and adventurous souls, here are some of the most popular spots in the city to enjoy the sun, swim or at least paddle in the ancient Dnipro River.

Central Beach on Trukhaniv Island

This is one of the citys most popular beach destinations. You can get there by crossing the Pedestrian Bridge from centrally located Poshtova. A good chunk of the beach will become a camping site for Swedish fans, but a section on the left of the bridge will remain accessible to anyone.

Dovbychka, or the Nudist Beach

This place is the best reachable by bicycle or a long 45-minute walk through the depths of Trukhaniv Island. The beach has no infrastructure to offer; beachgoers are expected to ditch swimsuits on arrival.

Hydropark, a heaving heaven

Hydropark is a convenient island reachable by the metro stop by the same name. It is full of beaches, cafes and other amusement park activities. Among the beaches: Youth Beach, Childrens Beach and Venice Beach that is favored by bodybuilders for its free workout gear. There are public and private beaches. This is one of the most popular and accessible places for tourists unfamiliar with the river.

Extreme Sports at Chortoriy in Peoples Friendship Park

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Top Kyiv beaches for fun in the sun

High bacteria counts close South Shore beaches

Seven beaches in Quincy, including Wollaston, and one each in Hull, Marshfield and Duxbury have been closed for health reasons.

The residents' beach in Duxbury was shut down on Thursday for the first time in nine years of testing when bacteria counts soared to 38 times the maximum recommended for swimming, our news partners The Patriot Ledger reported.

Delano Beach in Quincy was 60 times the limit, many times higher than its worst reading ever. Orchard and Rhoda beaches were slightly over the limit.

Wollaston Beach was closed for the second time since testing began last month. Although bacteria limits are within safe limits, swimming is prohibited as a precaution.

Urban beaches are often closed after significant rain because of contamination washing into the water.

The A Street beach on the ocean side of Hull was four times the limit.

Re-testing is in progress and results are expected on Friday.

Green Harbor Beach in Marshfield was also closed on Wednesday, but its bacteria levels were not available.

Testing has not yet begun on beaches in Hingham, Scituate and Kingston. Plymouth Beach is the only one in Plymouth that is being tested.

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High bacteria counts close South Shore beaches

Seven beaches in Quincy, including Wollaston, and one each in Hull, Marshfield and Duxbury have been closed for health reasons.

The residents' beach in Duxbury was shut down on Thursday for the first time in nine years of testing when bacteria counts soared to 38 times the maximum recommended for swimming.

Delano Beach in Quincy was 60 times the limit., many times higher than its worst reading ever. Orchard and Rhoda beaches were slightly over the limit.

Wollaston Beach was closed for the second time since testing began last month. Although bacteria limits are within safe limits, swimming is prohibited as a precaution.

Urban beaches are often closed after significant rain because of contamination washing into the water.

The A Street beach on the ocean side of Hull was four times the limit.

Re-testing is in progress and results are expected on Friday.

Green Harbor Beach in Marshfield was also closed on Wednesday, but its bacteria levels were not available.

Testing has not yet begun on beaches in Hingham, Scituate and Kingston, Plymouth Beach is the only one in Plymouth that is being tested.

See water quality test results for each community. Call 617-376-1288.

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10 beaches in Quincy, Hull and Duxbury closed

By Jessica Bartlett, Town Correspondent

Seven Quincy beaches have been closed due to high bacteria counts in the water.

Beaches are tested on a regular basis throughout the summer months in order to ensure the water is safe for swimming. Yet after recent rain, several beaches in the area contained bacteria counts much too high for safe swimming, the city of Quincy announced.

According to data from the Bureau of Environmental Health from data collected Wednesday, beaches on Delano Avenue, Orchard Street, and Rhoda Street, and four Wollaston beaches along Channing, Milton, and Sachem streets and Rice Road, are all closed pending further testing.

Typically, beaches are tested for bacteria named enterococci, an indicator of contamination. Although enterococci are found in intestines, they are typically found in fecal matter as well.

High levels of enterococci at the beach indicate the waters may also contain other disease-causing microbes that are present in sewage but are more difficult to detect, said the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institutions website.

As a result, beaches are closed if they that receive readings higher than 104 colony forming units per 100 milliliters of water.

At Delano Beach, testing was the highest it has been in the last five years, with 6,015 CFU/100ml.

Orchard had a reading of 135 CFU/100 ml, Rhoda had 171 CFU/100 ml.

Although the four beaches along Wollaston had lower counts, recent weather has prompted officials to close the beaches as a precautionary measure.

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Seven Quincy beaches with high bacteria counts closed to swimming

Nathan Tinkler's move to Singapore could see him save millions of tax dollars, but only if he overhauls his business strategy. And it won't change the tax outlook for any Whitehaven profits. 14 Jun 2012 3:38 PM

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No beaches, no tax where Tinkler’s going

One of two beaches at Minneapolis' Lake Harriet is closed this week because of high bacteria levels.

Weekly bacteria testing of the city's beaches showed higher-than-normal levels of E. coli Lake Harriet's southeast beach on Monday, June 11, said Dawn Sommers, spokeswoman for the Minneapolis Park and Recreation Board.

"Typically, our beaches do very well," Sommers said. "This beach, for as long as anybody can remember, has never closed for bacteria levels. And a beach on the other side of the lake is well within state levels."

Sommers said bacteria in Minnesota waters is common due to decaying matter and animals.

Beaches are closed as a precaution when bacteria levels hit a certain point to prevent possible illness.

Boating and kayaking on Lake Harriet should not be a problem, Sommers said, and the north beach remains open. The southeast beach should be open by next week, she said.

None of the 12 other beaches the board monitors are closed.

Testing results and other information are posted on the board's website.

Elizabeth Mohr can be reached at 651-228-5162. Follow her at twitter.com/LizMohr.

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Minneapolis: Lake Harriet beach closed because of bacteria

This was the first sea turtle nest found on Anna Maria Island this year, on May 4 at Bean Point. It is due to hatch on June 28, although predictingwhen baby sea turtles will emerge from the ground and take to the sea is not an exact science. MARC R. MASFERRER/Bradenton Herald.

ANNA MARIA ISLAND -- Beachgoers may have noticed an influx of new building in the past few weeks, totaling 116 new structures as of Wednesday, thanks to some unconventional local developers.

According to statistics from the Anna Maria Island Turtle Watch, Manatee beaches are now home to 116 new sea turtle nests this season alone, an unprecedented amount for the area throughout its recorded history. Usually by now in the season, there are about 50 nests.

Last summer, there were a total of 145 nests, and nesting is expected to continue through at least mid-July.

"You know, we really haven't heard anything," said Will Scott, a 35-year-old Manatee resident and avid beachgoer. "You just come out to the beach one day, there they are."

Suzi Fox, turtle watch director and longtime wild

life conservationist, believes the spike in nesting turtles may simply have resulted from human conservation efforts.

"We believe we may be seeing the return of all the juvenile turtles who benefitted from the adoption of TEDs (Turtle Excluding Devices) in the nets of fishermen around 20 years ago," Fox said.

The other theory proposed by Fox is that their "head start" programs are starting to see some returns. These programs, which ran from 1987 through 1990, involved gathering baby turtles as they hatched and relocating them to conservation facilities where they were kept and raised for the first year of their lives before being returned to the sea.

Considering it takes a loggerhead turtle about 30 years to reach maturity, it's not too far-fetched to believe that this may very well be a timely manifestation of the benefits of human involvement in sea turtle conservation.

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Manatee beaches see spike in sea turtle nesting