This article was produced in partnership with UCLA's Laboratory for Environmental Narrative Strategies (LENS), an incubator for new research and collaboration on storytelling, communications, and media in the service of environmental conservation and equity.

Representation, noun: 1) the action of speaking or acting on behalf of someone or the state of being so represented; 2) the description or portrayal of someone or something in a particular way.

...people want to see people like themselves in public places in order to feel welcome there. You might say they want to feel represented.

Representation is a powerful concept in politics and art. Though it operates in different ways, representation does similar work in both, publicly making a presence known, visible, heard. In this way, the art of representation may at times be as important and powerful as the politics. Often, they go hand in hand, though they speak in very different registers.

Ive been thinking about the meaning of representation while staring out at the ocean, as blank a canvas as nature presents anywhere for us to impose meaning upon. Its early in the morning. The sun is about to rise. The beach is empty. Soon, the people will begin to trickle in and the drama of representation will begin.

Who and what will be represented here today? That, as we all know, depends on where youre standing.

Installation view of Depart Foundations Sea Sick in Paradise | Jeff McLane, Courtesy of Depart Foundation.

Ive often said in the past, including here on KCET, that people want to see people like themselves in public places in order to feel welcome there. You might say they want to feel represented. I still believe this is true, and a variety of solid research, good history, and strong voices supports this claim, which underwrites important efforts to make parks, museums, libraries, and other public institutions accessible to all, including our public beaches and coastline in California.

But a year spent looking out at the sea, conducting research on the coast, and collaborating on an art exhibition on surfing have led me to revise my thinking about representation. Two data points from surveys conducted over the past year stand out. The first was when 94 percent of Californians told a survey conducted by a colleague that all Californians are welcome at the beach. The second came when we asked visitors at 11 beaches in Southern California to rank the importance of different attributes of beaches and seeing people like themselves at the beach came in dead last.

Now, you may say that the first belief is wishful thinking, and the second may reveal that people dont want to disclose their cliquishness to strangers. And I would agree, to some degree. But the overwhelming response to both questions demands to be represented. It echoes anecdotal evidence that I heard while interviewing people on the beach who told us that they come to see the world all the different people at the beach, as well as my own delight in seeing the great diversity of Californians and visitors from around the world on the coast in the northern and southern reaches of the state.

Installation view of Depart Foundations Sea Sick in Paradise | Jeff McLane, Courtesy of Depart Foundation.

Some people go as far as to say that the beach is one of our greatest small-d democratic spaces, and I tend to agree. We romanticize that, to be sure, especially when we assume that taking off most of our clothes somehow makes us more equal. But it is true, I think, that we meet on somewhat more egalitarian terms when we are stripped of many signifiers of class, wealth, and power. Not all, of course.

For as we all know from our own visits to the coast, beaches look very different when we see who is represented there, as the results from our beach surveys confirm. Dockweiler, my favorite, under the flight path of planes taking off from LAX, does not represent itself in the same way as Doheney in Orange County. The two graphs below represent beachgoers at 11 Southern California beaches based on our random sample. The beaches are arranged on the graph from north to south, just as they would be on a map, starting in Ventura, moving south through Port Hueneme in Oxnard, to Zuma in Malibu, through Santa Monica and Los Angeles, to Orange County.

As with the U.S. Census, survey respondents could check more than one box for their ethnic identity or none if they preferred, so the totals in the first graph do not add up to 100 percent.

This next graph shows the household income of visitors at the same set of beaches.

This next graph shows the household income of visitors at the same set of beaches.

It turns out that beachgoers at Santa Monica Beach represent the demographics of California fairly closely, while also drawing visitors from other states and countries. So it makes a good comparison. A little farther south, Dockweiler State Beach attracts more Latinos, African Americans, and families with lower household incomes than Santa Monica Beach, while much farther south, Doheney State Beach in Dana Point in Orange County attracts more white visitors from families with higher household incomes. These patterns are likely the result of a complex combination of factors, including self-sorting, or people choosing beaches where they feel comfortable; availability of amenities, such as the fire rings at Dockweiler; historical patterns of visitation and discrimination; and the proximity of different communities to each of the beaches.

Two pieces of art in Sea Sick in Paradise, the exhibit we collaborated on with the Depart Foundation in Malibu this summer, represent these differencesin different ways.

Jeff Hos mural Black and White, created for the exhibit, explicitly represents the localism, which everyone knows sometimes turns aggressive, even violent, in the lineup at surf breaks. Ho is a legendary surfboard shaper and skateboarder, godfather of Dogtown and the Z-boys of Venice.

But what work is this piece doing on a gallery wall? Representing, to be sure. In a straightforward way? That seems unlikely. Ironically? Critically? Historically? As a piece of art, on a white gallery wall, the representation may be open to other interpretations than it would be as a warning on a seawall. It provokes thought and reflection about access and who gets to represent themselves on the coast.

Installation view of Depart Foundations Sea Sick in Paradise | Jeff McLane, Courtesy of Depart Foundation.

Cristine Blancos painting Sharks, on the other hand, represents a different assertion: that she and her friends belong on the coast and in the lineup in the break visible offshore, just as the artists work with the organization Brown Girl Surf asserts as well.

Sharks May 2017 | Cristine Blanco

As Brown Girl Surfs co-founder and executive director, Mira Manickam-Shirley, once told me, the organization, which brings girls and women of color to the coast to experience surfing for the first time, helps them see that the ocean is not someone elses place. Its theirs. And they have a way to access it, to see themselves reflected there, and enjoy it.

Art, even representational art like Blancos, is rarely simply literal. It represents in more different ways to different audiences than any interpretation I might impose on it from my own point of view, even knowing that the car is modeled on her dads car, because she told me so in a public conversation we had about access and diversity and representation on the coast. So there is a personal history being reclaimed here by the sea, too.

Installation view of Depart Foundations Sea Sick in Paradise | Jeff McLane, Courtesy of Depart Foundation.

I learned from these conversations and this art that representations of our diversity are not always already present in public spaces, but they can be created, whether by Jeff Ho and the Z-boys or by Cristine Blanco and Brown Girl Surf. Sometimes that might entail defending turf, and other times it necessitates crashing the lineup, asserting your own right to be represented.

So Ive had to modify my view that people want to see people like themselves in public places in order to feel welcome there. The view from the coast has convinced me that people also have to believe in their own right to represent themselves in public and find ways to represent themselves in public places in order to become part of the public represented there. And this is where art meets politics. I know, this is an old story, and a particularly American story, but it is still being made anew every day on the coast of California.

Top Image:Installation view of Depart Foundations Sea Sick in Paradise | Jeff McLane, Courtesy of Depart Foundation

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'Sea Sick' Investigates the Right to be Represented On the Beach - Link TV

Animals spotted on the city''s beaches have been positively identified as foxes, not coyotes, city officials said Monday.

Previously reports said coyotes were seen between 39th and 49th streets.

Coyotes are not native to South Jersey, but have a growing population in western Atlantic County. Foxes are a part of the local eco-system and are native to New Jersey's barrier islands, officials said in a press release from the city.

According to a press release, animal control believe the foxes spotted on Sea Isle's beaches and dunes are a mother and pup. Animal control also believes the animals may also have mange, a skin disease caused by mites . Traps have been set to capture the mother and pup to bring them to an animal rehabilitation center for treatment.

The city reminded the public not to interact with the animals, including not feeding the foxes, staying off the dunes and avoiding the traps.

Any local sightings of foxes can be reported to Sea Isle City Police Departments Dispatch Office at (609) 263-4311.

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Sea Isle clarifies foxes, not coyotes, spotted on beaches - Press of Atlantic City

Verily

10 Secluded Shores to Explore Instead of Hanging Out at a Crowded Beach Verily Summer's end is near, and many of us are trying to squeeze every last minute out of sunny days before school or a busy work season kicks back in. But if you're worn out from crowded beaches and listening to other people's music, why not skip the beach ...

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10 Secluded Shores to Explore Instead of Hanging Out at a Crowded Beach - Verily

The beaches will remain closed until the state Department of Health clears the area for swimming.

As of Friday, swim beaches on Keuka Lake Indian Pines, Red Jacket, and the Keuka Lake State Park swimming areas are closed due to the presence of blue green algae.

While conditions can change based on wind and weather, the beaches will remain closed until the state Department of Health clears the area for swimming.

Earlier this summer, the Sandy Bottom swim beach on Honeoye Lake in Ontario County was also closed due to blue green algae.

According to public health officials: Blue-green algae occur naturally in bodies of water in low numbers. During prolonged hot weather algae can become abundant, discoloring water and forming scums-particularly in warm, shallow areas. Some blue-green algae produce toxins. These pose health risks to people and animals if exposed in large enough quantities. Symptoms of toxin exposure may include allergic reactions or eye, skin, nose, and throat irritation. Ingesting large amounts of water containing blue-green algae toxins has resulted in liver and nervous system damage in laboratory animals, pets, livestock and people.

People, pets and livestock should avoid contact with water that has scums on the surface or is discolored-blue-green, yellow, brown or red. If contact does occur, wash with soap and water or rinse thoroughly with clean water. Swimming, bathing or showering with water not visibly affected by a blue-green algae bloom is not expected to cause health effects. If symptoms of toxin exposure develop, stop using the water and seek medical attention.

Individuals should not drink untreated surface water. Home boiling, disinfecting (chlorine or UV), and filtering do not remove algal toxins. When using surface water to wash dishes, rinse with bottled water. In addition to toxins, untreated surface water may contain bacteria, parasites or viruses known to cause illness.

For more information, including information in Spanish, go to:

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Blue green algae closes swim beaches on Keuka Lake - MPNnow.com

A heatwave coupled with aggravated humidity pushed many in the concrete jungle of Istanbul to find a calm shelter yesterday. As temperatures rose to 35 degrees Celsius (95 degrees Fahrenheit), anyone with a car and free time flocked to the city's beaches near the Marmara and Black Sea.

ile beach on the Istanbul shore of the Black Sea was so popular among locals that getting to the previously serene beach proved disastrous for many stuck in traffic amid the suffocating heat, only struggle to find an empty spot on the overcrowded beach upon arrival.

Meteorologists warn against unusually high temperatures and suffocating humidity, with 35-degree temperatures to become a norm throughout the week, saying citizens should avoid direct exposure to the sun that could lead to sunstroke. The new weather pattern comes only two weeks after a string of unprecedented rainstorms that drenched the city.

The General Directorate of Meteorology said the temperatures, already above the seasonal norms, will soar in the first 10 days of August, with a felt temperature as high as 40 degrees Celsius in the afternoon hours coupled wit

h a considerable decrease in wind speed.

Experts warn that the heatwave may impact both those with chronic illnesses and healthy individuals. They say that lack of green spaces in cities has led to a decrease in oxygen levels and therefore, to chronic fatigue, a risk in the heatwaves. Long exposures to sun and inaction, especially during long hours spent in traffic jams, pose a threat to healthy persons.

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Heatwave makes Istanbul beaches wildly popular - Daily Sabah

Nearly a dozen beaches across Hong Kong were closed to the public on Sunday morning after congealed palm oil washed up on them, having spilled into the sea when two boats crashed in mainland waters.

Local residents noticed clumps of oil on the sand, and beach workers took precautions to contain the mess.

A similar substance was also spotted in Victoria Harbour.

Hung Shing Yeh Beach and Lo So Shing Beach on Lamma Island, as well as Lantau Islands Pui O Beach, and Tong Fuk Beach were all affected. So were both Upper and Lower Ceung Sha Beach.

Beaches at Repulse Bay, Middle Bay, South Bay and Chung Hom Kok were also shut.

Hong Kong environmental group calls for stricter air quality targets citing recent pollution figures

The Leisure and Cultural Services Department hoisted the red flag at all 10 beaches, warning people not to go in the water. Parts of Cheung Chau were also reportedly affected.

A spokesman for the department said the closures came after white, oily substances were found in the waters and a white granular substance washed up on beaches.

Beach staff immediately deployed oil-absorbent felts and strips to prevent the spread of the oil, and the relevant government departments have been notified to clean up the oil and monitor the water quality of the affected beaches, the spokesman said.

A Marine Department spokesman confirmed two ships collided somewhere in the Pearl River estuary, in mainland waters, on Thursday and said that had caused some of the vessels cargo, palm oil, to leak into the sea.

Chinas airpocalypse a product of climate change, not just pollution, researchers say

Lamma resident Sheila McClelland spotted the oil clumps floating in the water and lying on the beach as she was on her way to work and said she noticed a faintly chemical odour as she inspected the solid lumps.

I pressed it with my foot and it was solid. It was a bit like playdough but not as nice, she said. Ive lived here for a couple of decades and Ive seen many forms of pollution and unpleasant stuff from oil, syringes and of course the [2012] pellet spill. But nothing like this.

In July 2012, seven containers fell from cargo ship Yong Xin Jie 1 when Typhoon Vicente hit the city. Six were loaded with 150 tonnes of plastic pellets, which washed up on Hong Kong beaches, sparking concern for marine life.

Lamma resident Stanley Chan Kam-wai, a conservation manager for the Eco-Education and Resources Centre, said cleaning up Sundays spill could be as difficult as, if not more difficult than, cleaning up the mess from the 2012 incident.

Some of the oil is starting to congeal so once you press on it, it just disintegrates into powder like snow, he said. Im very concerned about how the government will clean this up.

He said by late afternoon the smell was starting to turn rancid like the odours in alleyways behind fried snack shops.

The concern, he said, was that while most government beaches were being cleaned, the oil on non-government-run beaches would be left to rot.

Other Lamma residents on Sunday posted pictures of the substance on Facebook.

At first glance it looked like blocks of styrofoam or cooked rice, said one long-time Lamma resident, who spotted the stuff on Power Station Beach on Sunday morning. It had a sort of bubbly consistency. It was along the high-tide line covering, Id say, about two-thirds of the beach. [Ive]never seen it before.

Palm oil is an edible vegetable oil from the fruit pulp of oil palm trees. Because of its versatility and low cost, it is used in many food products from fried food and margarine to ice cream, as well as in consumer products such as lipstick, shampoo and detergent.

Gary Stokes of the Sea Shepherd Conservation Society said palm oil could absorb toxins in the water, making it more hazardous than in its raw form. People think just because its palm oil its safe but in large, highly concentrated amounts, it cant be good for anyone, he said.

Stokes said children and beach-goers were seen playing with the oily clumps on the shore on Sunday. Government public communications over these kinds of accidents have definitely got to be worked on. I know its the weekend, but thats when most people visit the beach, he said.

The Environmental Protection Department said it had sent a boat to help in the clean up.

Spills from shipping are fairly common in Hong Kong.

Last May, a 50-metre-long slick was spotted floating off Tsing Yi following a collision between an oil tanker and a mainland-registered cargo vessel.

About 493 confirmed oil spills were recorded between 2005 and 2014, according to the Marine Department, 135 of which were caused by shipping accidents or refuelling. The causes of the rest were unknown.

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Hong Kong beaches closed after palm oil spill - South China Morning Post

Rip currents are to blame for most of the 59 deaths that have occurred in the surf zone along the nation's beaches so far this year.

POINT PLEASANT BEACH, N.J. Rip currents have caused several deaths at U.S. beaches this summer, prompting warnings from lifeguards and weather forecasters for swimmers to be aware and keep themselves safe.

Six people died between June and July due to rip currents in New Jersey, including a 24-year-old Slovakian woman in the U.S. to work a summer job on the shore.

And rip currents are to blame for most of the 59 deaths that have occurred in the surf zone along the nations beaches so far this year. Now, scientists are hoping swimmers pay closer attention to the narrow currents that pull them away from the shore, as rip currents have claimed 735 lives in the U.S. since 2002.

There were 40 rip current deaths nationwide by the end of July compared with 58 in all of 2016, data from the National Weather Service shows. Florida leads the nation with 11 so far this year. New Jersey and Texas had six and North Carolina had five.

What usually happens is a wave can knock them off their feet and start to pull on them, said Atlantic City Beach patrol Lt. John Ammerman. They dont relax and float with it. They generally panic and have trouble.

The desperation they create was illustrated in a video showing strangers on Panama City Beach in July forming an 80-person human chain to help rescue members of a family who had been pulled too far from shore.

Waves, tides and the shape of the ocean floor contribute to rip currents. But jetties, groins and piers create hot boxes where swimmers are especially at risk, said Greg Dusek, who studies tides and currents for the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.

The New Jersey shore is dotted with these structures, and it is where six people died between June and July, including Zuzana Oravcova of Slovakia, who went for a swim in Point Pleasant Beach on July 30 but was swept away.

Two cousins, Emily Gonzalez-Perez, 12, and Mitzi Hernandez, 13, were pulled to sea and drowned when they went swimming at an unguarded beach in Belmar. Ramon Quinn, 15, died trying to rescue Kaliyah Hand, 16, who also drowned, off an Atlantic City beach.

He was a hero, till the end, even as he tried to save his friend, Quinns obituary read.

An Ohio teen died after he was caught in a rip current off Fripp Island in South Carolina in June. Eric Clark was swimming with friends when he disappeared. And Jevoney White, 19, drowned in July off Smith Point Beach on Long Island after he was caught in a rip current.

Rip currents often form where sand bars are near the shore, Dusek said, and they are easier to see from an elevated position.

You can spot them in areas where waves arent breaking, or where theres foam or muddy water being pulled offshore, he said.

Swimmers who get caught in rip currents are urged to stay calm and try to swim parallel to the shore to get out of its grip or float until getting a lifeguards attention.

Most rip current fatalities occur during the evening after the beach patrols have gone home for day, said National Weather Service meteorologist Lance Franck.

Scientists are studying whether replenishment adds to the problem and NOAA is working to improve its method of forecasting rip currents.

Were validating a new forecast model that predicts the probability of the hazard every few kilometers up to five days ahead. Dusek said. However, that likely will not be operational for a few years.

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Rip currents deadliest element claiming lives on US beaches - The Northwest Florida Daily News

An increase in visitors to Southold beaches this summer and in the past few years has prompted the Southold Town Board to consider altering the town code regulations on beach parking and raising fees related to beach use.

Town Councilman Bob Ghosio said he has noticed the number of complaints get higher this summer regarding the lack of parking at local beaches and more traffic heading to the beach.

Its becoming a summertime problem and we need to address it, said Ghosio. It has gotten worse and worse in the last few summers, and from what I can tell . . . we saw a lot more traffic this summer and a lot more parking problems than we have in the past.

One proposal, according to Ghosio, would create new shapes for beach stickers that would help beach workers and town officers who patrol beaches more quickly identify who should and should not be using beaches.

Board members discussed the issue at their Aug. 1 meeting, including possibly raising some of the towns beach parking permit costs.

Our permit costs are very low [compared with other towns]and we need to revise those, Southold Supervisor Scott Russell said Friday.

Some of the fee increases the board is discussing include raising daily passes for beach use from $25 to $35 for nonresidents and from $40 to $75 for people leasing property in town for the duration of the lease. The board also is considering increasing seasonal beach passes for people staying at hotels from $40 to $100, and doubling nonresident seasonal beach passes from $150 to $300.

While there has been discussion about raising the beach pass fee from $10 to $15 for year-round residents, Russell said he felt the board would not support that.

Town Councilman Jim Dinizio said he wanted to wait until he had more information on the issue before offering his opinion, but noted he had heard of New Suffolk Beachs parking problems during the summer and wanted to find a way to alleviate that.

Russell added he preferred taking the idea of resident beach stickers off the table.

Local residents pay not just a sticker fee, but they do pay taxes and maintain beaches each year, so I would like to see that taken off the discussion to focus more on nonresident permits and nonresident beach access, said Russell. Those are fees that need to go up.

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Southold considers fee increase, code change as beach usage rises - Newsday

While thousands of residents and visitors continue to take to Gloucesters beaches this summer, the city and a national nonprofit health group have formed a partnership to help beachgoers and others prevent melanoma, or skin cancer.

IMPACT Melanoma, formerly known as the Melanoma Foundation of New England, has provided four sunscreen dispensers to the Gloucester Health Department for public use as part of the nonprofits Practice Safe Skin program. The program is being funded through a grant from the Wal-Mart Foundation, according to an announcement from the city.

Skin cancer is the most commonly diagnosed cancer in the United States, yet most cases can be prevented, said Gloucester public health nurse Kelley Ries, The Gloucester Health Department, with support from the mayors office, is excited to partner with IMPACT Melanoma to provide residents and visitors with awareness, education and accessible sun protection measures.

In collaboration with the citys Department of Public Works, the sunscreen dispensers have been installed at Good Harbor Beach at both entrances the footbridge and at Witham Street and at Wingaersheek Beach, where visitors will find them at the main entrance and at Boardwalk 2.

Additionally, the Gloucester Health Department and IMPACT Melanoma will host a free sun safety beach day at Good Harbor Beach on Tuesday, Aug. 8, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. IMPACT Melanoma will provide educational materials and give-a-ways and offer a facial scan to help understand the damaging effects of the sun.

The specially designed dispensers are being installed across the country in all 50 states and are a part of IMPACT Melanomas Practice Safe Skin, a program that offers sunscreen as an effective preventive measure to help avoid sun over-exposure year round. Each sunscreen dispenser is equipped with four 1000 mL bags of SPF-30 sunscreen, broad spectrum UVA/UVB aquatic and marine safe.

The sunscreen is appropriate for people ages 6 months and up.

Boost for Pathways

A million-dollar roundtable is steering some its money to a Gloucester-based early-childhood learning and health program.

Pathways for Children, based on Emerson Avenue, has landed $10,000 grant from the Million Dollar Round Table Foundation to support its Pathways Moves program.

The foundation is the philanthropic arm of the the Premier Association of Financial Professionals, which aims to build strong families and communities around the globe and awards nearly $1 million in grants to more than 100 charitable organizations worldwide.

Pathways Moves is a component of Pathways School Age Care program, which which provides academic, social, emotional and recreational activities after school, during school vacations, and in the summer. Pathways Moves is designed to encourage students to develop an appreciation for physical activity and to understand the important role it plays in living a healthy and happy life, according to Sue Todd, Pathways president and CEO. The program allows kids to participate in wall climbing, yoga, Zumba, and other physical activities as well as nutrition education.

We are so grateful to the MDRT Foundation for supporting Pathways Moves, Todd said in a prepared statement. This grant not only encourages children to participate in fun, healthy activities, it also establishes an understanding of the importance of a healthy lifestyle at a young age, which the children will carry with them throughout their lives..

The Manship legacy

Flatrocks Gallery in Lanesville is holding a free public gallery talk with Gloucester painter David Curtis and sculpture historian Rebecca Reynolds about the Manship family Saturday, Aug. 5, from 4 to 6 p.m.

The gallerys current exhibition, The Manships, features the work of Paul Manship, a noted American 20th century sculptor whose most public work may be the 1934 bronze fountain statue of Prometheus at Rockefeller Center in New York City, and that of his son and daughter-in-law, John Manship and Margaret Cassidy, also accomplished artists.

This gallery show is also a celebration of a new nonprofit organization, which has a mission to preserve the Manship home and studio, which is nestled between two quarries on more than 15 acres in Lanesville. The initiative is called the Manship Artists Residency + Studios (MARS).

Honored veteran

The flag at the Veterans Center will fly this week in honor of Vietnam War veteran Alfred C. Ballarin (Nov. 16, 1948-Aug. 6, 1974.

He joined the U.S. Navy on April 19, 1967, and served as a fireman with the mine countermeasure support ship USS Catskill (MCS-1). He was discharged on Sept. 13, 1968.

Ballarin was awarded the National Defense Service Medal.

The flag was requested to fly in his honor by his cousin Thomas Parisi.

Anyone wishing to fly a flag in honor of a deceased veteran may call the Office of Veterans Services at 978-281-9740.

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Talk of the Times: Sunscreen dispensers go up at beaches | Local ... - Gloucester Daily Times

A 73-year-old Florida man has been banned from several Florida beaches after a parent complained about business cards he was handing out that read, Sugardaddy seeking his sugarbaby. (TripAdvisor Image)

(FOX NEWS) A 73-year-old Florida man has been banned from several Florida beaches after a parent complained about business cards he was handing out that read, Sugardaddy seeking his sugarbaby.

Volusia County Beach Safety Capt. Tammy Maris confirmed Saturday that Richard Basaraba has been told to stay off all the countys beaches and walkovers for six months for violating an ordinance that prohibits soliciting on the beach.

Basaraba told The Daytona Beach News-Journal hes devastated by what he considers an overreaction by officials.

He said he wasnt trying to entice anyone into doing anything illegal when he handed a business card out to a group of girls on Daytona Beach on Saturday.

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Daytona Man, 73, Banned From Beaches After Passing Out Cards 'Sugardaddy Seeking His Sugarbaby' - SpaceCoastDaily.com

MARGATE Hannah Bychick was having a slow Saturday on Argyle Avenue.

Bychick works as a beach-tag attendant just feet from the remains of what was a nine-block lake on Margates beach, a product of flooding during rainstorms last weekend and man-made dunes built under the direction of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers.

The dunes are part of a $63.3 million project to place 3.8 million cubic yards of sand onto 8 miles of beach on Absecon Island from Atlantic City to Longport.

But that flooding which has since been pumped back toward the ocean has left a muddy eyesore for residents and visitors, and Bychick said shes seeing it in the lack of people walking onto her block of the beach.

MARGATE Shirley Frankel, a city resident for the past 50 years, cant look at the ocean fr

As of 11 a.m., she said, she could count on her hand how many people have walked through the mud to the beach.

Its literally like four people, said Bychick, of Margate. People usually walk up and leave because its really gross.

Most people were avoiding the area altogether. A few managed to walk around the former lake to get to the ocean. Many people gathered at the end of the Ventnor Boardwalk, which ends at the Margate border, to get a look at the piece of land no one is walking on.

All Margate beaches were reopened this weekend for the first time since the flooding, with the exception of Huntington Avenue, which is hosting heavy equipment from the beach fill contractor, Weeks Marine of Cranford, Union County.

MARGATE Atlantic County Superior Court Judge Julio Mendez on Thursday issued a restraining

On Thursday, Atlantic County Superior Court Judge Julio Mendez issued a restraining order to temporarily stop the dune project in the city for one week. Officials from the city, Army Corps and state Department of Environmental Protection are to meet on the issue, and the DEP and Army Corps have until Wednesday to file briefs on short- and long-term solutions to the drainage problems.

All parties are to return to Mendezs courtroom Friday for another hearing.

Meanwhile, Nicholas Russo, mayor of neighboring Longport, issued a statement late Friday saying it is yet unclear whether beach work will be diverted to Ventnor or Longport but that he would prefer it not start in Longport until after the summer, as was previously scheduled.

If that is not the case, the Borough of Longport will prepare contingency plans that all scheduled activities occur in a safe and meaningful manner, Russo wrote.

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Crowds avoid Margate beaches where flooding occurred - Press of Atlantic City

Rip currents are to blame for most of the 59 deaths that have occurred in the surf zone along the nation's beaches so far this year.

POINT PLEASANT BEACH, N.J. Rip currents have caused several deaths at U.S. beaches this summer, prompting warnings from lifeguards and weather forecasters for swimmers to be aware and keep themselves safe.

Six people died between June and July due to rip currents in New Jersey, including a 24-year-old Slovakian woman in the U.S. to work a summer job on the shore.

And rip currents are to blame for most of the 59 deaths that have occurred in the surf zone along the nations beaches so far this year. Now, scientists are hoping swimmers pay closer attention to the narrow currents that pull them away from the shore, as rip currents have claimed 735 lives in the U.S. since 2002.

There were 40 rip current deaths nationwide by the end of July compared with 58 in all of 2016, data from the National Weather Service shows. Florida leads the nation with 11 so far this year. New Jersey and Texas had six and North Carolina had five.

What usually happens is a wave can knock them off their feet and start to pull on them, said Atlantic City Beach patrol Lt. John Ammerman. They dont relax and float with it. They generally panic and have trouble.

The desperation they create was illustrated in a video showing strangers on Panama City Beach in July forming an 80-person human chain to help rescue members of a family who had been pulled too far from shore.

Waves, tides and the shape of the ocean floor contribute to rip currents. But jetties, groins and piers create hot boxes where swimmers are especially at risk, said Greg Dusek, who studies tides and currents for the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.

The New Jersey shore is dotted with these structures, and it is where six people died between June and July, including Zuzana Oravcova of Slovakia, who went for a swim in Point Pleasant Beach on July 30 but was swept away.

Two cousins, Emily Gonzalez-Perez, 12, and Mitzi Hernandez, 13, were pulled to sea and drowned when they went swimming at an unguarded beach in Belmar. Ramon Quinn, 15, died trying to rescue Kaliyah Hand, 16, who also drowned, off an Atlantic City beach.

He was a hero, till the end, even as he tried to save his friend, Quinns obituary read.

An Ohio teen died after he was caught in a rip current off Fripp Island in South Carolina in June. Eric Clark was swimming with friends when he disappeared. And Jevoney White, 19, drowned in July off Smith Point Beach on Long Island after he was caught in a rip current.

Rip currents often form where sand bars are near the shore, Dusek said, and they are easier to see from an elevated position.

You can spot them in areas where waves arent breaking, or where theres foam or muddy water being pulled offshore, he said.

Swimmers who get caught in rip currents are urged to stay calm and try to swim parallel to the shore to get out of its grip or float until getting a lifeguards attention.

Most rip current fatalities occur during the evening after the beach patrols have gone home for day, said National Weather Service meteorologist Lance Franck.

Scientists are studying whether replenishment adds to the problem and NOAA is working to improve its method of forecasting rip currents.

Were validating a new forecast model that predicts the probability of the hazard every few kilometers up to five days ahead. Dusek said. However, that likely will not be operational for a few years.

Read more here:

Rip currents deadliest element claiming lives on US beaches - Destin Log

Carol Kozma Journal Staff Writer CarolKozma

A couple of weeks ago, Michelle Folco headed to the beach at East Matunuck. But when she got there at 9 a.m., she was turned away. The lot was full.

It was a little upsetting because I had to pay 20 dollars to park," in a different lot, even though she had paid for a season parking pass for the state's beach lots, she said.

Since then, Folco has not had any other issues finding a spot. But she said when she headed to the beach last weekend, she left early from Pawtucket to make sure she could park her car.

Attendance at the beach is calculated by multiplying the number of cars that use the state beaches parking lots by 3.2. There are probably more visitors, Paquette said, as some people park in other lots when the states lots are full and others who live nearby or rent a vacation house walk.

In general, each attendance has been rising over the past several years, with a high of about 1.2 million people in 2016 at the seven state beaches for which the state keeps records. As of July 18 this year, 506,378 people had visited the states beaches.

But from the 2012 season to the 2013 season, there was a sharp drop from 1,044,224 to 862,259.

At the time Robert Paquette, chief of the Rhode Island State Parks, attributed the decline to extensive rain in May and June of that year. Paquette said he did not believe that the state's doubling of beach parking fees two years earlier had affected attendance significantly; the fees were cut in half again in 2016.

In an interview this year, Paquette once again said that weather was the most significant factor in the filled parking lots:

We have these spikes and downturns because of weather, Paquette said.

There are about 9,000 parking spots at the states beaches. With more accurate forecasts easily available on smartphones, it's easy for beach goers to look ahead for the sunniest and clearest day.

When the forecast points to a busy weekend, the state plans ahead too.

We reschedule some lifeguards to come in earlier, Paquette said, adding that state workers also coordinate with ProPark, the parking lots contractor, to open lots at the busier beaches by 8 a.m., rather than 9.On busy days, lots sometimes fill up in less than two hours, Paquette said.

One day this summer, Bruce Hoch of Seekonk was at Scarborough State Beach with his grandson. He takes him to the ocean at least once a week.

"He loves the water," Hoch said.

They'll visit Scarborough, East Matunuck or Horseneck in Westport.

But Scarborough is where they come most often. Hoch said he doesn't have any issues with parking.

"I generally come down here fairly early in the morning," he said, around 10 or 10:30.

That same day, Gianna Alberti and Kathryn Wheeler came together to Scarborough from Burrillville.

They were at the beach even before it opened, waiting in line a half hour until 9 a.m. for the parking gates to open, to make the most out of their beach day.

"The weekends are the worst," Wheeler said of finding a parking spot.

ckozma@providencejournal.com

On Twitter: @CarolKozma

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Rise in beach attendance presents parking challenges - The Providence Journal

A surfer reported seeing a shark close to shore in San Clemente, prompting officials to shut down the water until 3 p.m. Saturday, August 5.

The sightings happened at about 11 a.m., when a surfer saw the fin several times anywhere from 40 to 100 yards from shore off Linda Lane Beach.

The shark was estimated to be about 10- to 11 foot, according to lifeguards.

He said he surfs San O all the time so hes seen them before, it seemed pretty reliable, said San Clemente lifeguard Ian Burton.

The stretch of beach closed spanned from a mile north of the pier to a mile south of the pier.

San Clemente beaches were busy with shark sightings earlier in the year, especially after a woman was bit while out in the water at nearby San Onofre State Beach, with regular sightings at the pier and North Beach.

Sightings have cooled in the past month, with the last sighting at San Clemente city beach reported June 27.

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Beach reopened after shark sighting by surfer shuts down San Clemente waters - OCRegister

The Associated Press , WKYC 8:06 PM. EDT August 04, 2017

Rip currents. (Photo: Getty Images/Thinkstock)

POINT PLEASANT BEACH, N.J - Rip currents have caused several deaths at the New Jersey shore this summer, prompting warnings from lifeguards and weather forecasters for swimmers to be aware and keep themselves safe.

Six people died between June and July due to rip currents in New Jersey, and rip currents have killed at least 40 people along U.S. beaches so far this year.

Preliminary data from the National Weather Service show Florida leads the nation this year with 11 deaths. New Jersey and Texas had six and North Carolina had five rip current deaths by the end of July.

Forecasters say the narrow bands generated by waves, wind and the ocean floor have claimed 735 lives since 2002.

Beachgoers shouldn't swim on unguarded beaches and, if caught in a current, swim parallel to shore.

---

Follow the Channel 3 Weather Team on Twitter @wkycweather and on Facebook

2017 Associated Press

Originally posted here:

Rip currents claiming lives of swimmers along US beaches - WKYC-TV

Rip currents are to blame for most of the 59 deaths that have occurred in the surf zone along the nations beaches so far this year.

POINT PLEASANT BEACH, N.J. Rip currents have caused several deaths at U.S. beaches this summer, prompting warnings from lifeguards and weather forecasters for swimmers to be aware and keep themselves safe.

Six people died between June and July due to rip currents in New Jersey, including a 24-year-old Slovakian woman in the U.S. to work a summer job on the shore.

And rip currents are to blame for most of the 59 deaths that have occurred in the surf zone along the nations beaches so far this year. Now, scientists are hoping swimmers pay closer attention to the narrow currents that pull them away from the shore, as rip currents have claimed 735 lives in the U.S. since 2002.

There were 40 rip current deaths nationwide by the end of July compared with 58 in all of 2016, data from the National Weather Service shows . Florida leads the nation with 11 so far this year. New Jersey and Texas had six and North Carolina had five.

What usually happens is a wave can knock them off their feet and start to pull on them, said Atlantic City Beach patrol Lt. John Ammerman. They dont relax and float with it. They generally panic and have trouble.

The desperation they create was illustrated in a video showing strangers on Panama City Beach in July forming an 80-person human chain to help rescue members of a family who had been pulled too far from shore.

Waves, tides and the shape of the ocean floor contribute to rip currents. But jetties, groins and piers create hot boxes where swimmers are especially at risk, said Greg Dusek, who studies tides and currents for the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.

The New Jersey shore is dotted with these structures, and it is where six people died between June and July, including Zuzana Oravcova of Slovakia, who went for a swim in Point Pleasant Beach on July 30 but was swept away.

Two cousins, Emily Gonzalez-Perez, 12, and Mitzi Hernandez, 13, were pulled to sea and drowned when they went swimming at an unguarded beach in Belmar. Ramon Quinn, 15, died trying to rescue Kaliyah Hand, 16, who also drowned, off an Atlantic City beach.

He was a hero, till the end, even as he tried to save his friend, Quinns obituary read.

An Ohio teen died after he was caught in a rip current off Fripp Island in South Carolina in June. Eric Clark was swimming with friends when he disappeared. And Jevoney White, 19, drowned in July off Smith Point Beach on Long Island after he was caught in a rip current.

Rip currents often form where sand bars are near the shore, Dusek said, and they are easier to see from an elevated position.

You can spot them in areas where waves arent breaking, or where theres foam or muddy water being pulled offshore, he said.

Swimmers who get caught in rip currents are urged to stay calm and try to swim parallel to the shore to get out of its grip or float until getting a lifeguards attention.

Most rip current fatalities occur during the evening after the beach patrols have gone home for day, said National Weather Service meteorologist Lance Franck.

Scientists are studying whether replenishment adds to the problem and NOAA is working to improve its method of forecasting rip currents.

Were validating a new forecast model that predicts the probability of the hazard every few kilometers up to five days ahead. Dusek said. However, that likely will not be operational for a few years.

See the original post:

Rip currents claim lives of swimmers along US beaches - The News Herald

A total solar eclipse on Aug. 11, 1999, shows the sun's corona and several prominences erupting from its surface. (Photo: Luc Viatour / CC BY-SA 3.0)

NEWPORT, Ore. The City of Newport is expecting to clean up a mess after the solar eclipse on August 21.

Newport is asking local non-profit organizations to participate in a post-eclipse beach clean-up. The city says it will be an opportunity for non-profits to raise funds.

Local non-profit organizations can earn up to $10 per volunteer hour, the Newport Police Department said in a Facebook post. Each organization can raise a maximum of $1,000 for participating.

Oregon State Parks and Recreation and SOLVE are coordinating the cleanup.

The cleanup will be held on Saturday, August 26 from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. at six beach sites: Ernest Bloch/Lucky Gap Trail Beach, Agate Beach, Nye Beach, Yaquina Bay State Park, South Beach State Park day use area, and Lost Creek.

Officials say the assignments will be made on a first-come-first-served basis. Local non-profits must appoint two beach captains per site. The captains must attend a training on August 11 at Newport City Hall.

Individuals who want to participate should register at solveoregon.org/newport-eclipse-cleanups

Anyone with questions can contact Peggy Hawker at 541-574-0613 or at p.hawker@newportoregon.gov.

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Newport expects messy beaches after eclipse, looks for volunteers to clean up - KATU

The state of South Carolina is home to many great beaches along its Atlantic shoreline. Myrtle Beach takes the cake as one of the longest and cleanest stretches of open beachfront in the south. Areas such as Charleston and Hilton Head also have their own great South Carolina beaches. Beaches in South Carolina are busiest between the months of June and September, when the weather is warm and folks pack themselves into cars and head for the shore for vacations. Many families and larger groups traveling together find great deals on accommodation by renting South Carolina beach rentals for their stay rather than hotel rooms.

South Carolina beaches in Myrtle Beach are among some of the most widely visited in the state. The coastline here is known as the Grand Strand and stretches for over 280 miles. The beaches in South Carolina in Myrtle Beach have a festival, family-oriented feel. This is one of the most popular towns in the country for family vacations, and as such the beach is usually full in the summer of families and children. The Myrtle Beach Amusement Park is also found here in town and is a major favorite among children. Parents tend to enjoy trips to Myrtle Beach resorts as an alternative to more expensive resort areas such as Disney World.

In Hilton Head, South Carolina beaches are thought by many to be the most beautiful in the state and among the best in the world. Hilton Head is an island just off of the coast of the mainland, and all of the beaches here are public, meaning that they are open free of charge to any who would like to use them. Even the Hilton Head resorts do not have any exclusive rights to the beaches. One of the most popular beaches in South Carolina in Hilton Head is Coligny Beach, a public access site which has showers, toilets and changing rooms. There is also a playground here, and as such this beach is generally full during the summer. Folks looking for a somewhat quieter beach experience might try heading north of Coligny to Folly Field Beach, which also has showers but is generally not as busy as some of the other beaches in Hilton Head.

Although the resort towns are popular places for beaches, Charleston is also just a 30 minute drive from miles of coastline. Two of the most popular are the Isle of Palms and Sullivans Head beaches, a major destination for beachcombers from Charlestons urban center. South Carolina beach rentals abound here and are available for rent throughout most of the summer. Windsurfing is also great from Sullivans Head in particular, and this is also a good place to launch a jet ski. Kiawah Island is also a popular spot from Charleston and in particular, Beachwalker County Park is a favorite. The park is located just to the east of US Highway 17 in Charleston. To find the best deals on South Carolina beach rentals, be sure to book at least a few months in advance. Beach rentals do fill up in the summer, so booking early is also essential for getting a good spot.

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South Carolina Beaches, Beaches in South Carolina, South ...

August 4, 2017 10:52 AM

ST. CLAIR SHORES (WWJ) The forecast calls for a beautiful weekend but take note before you head to the beach.

Officials at the Metroparksadministrative office announced the closure ofLake St. Clair Metropark Beach last week,aftertests conductedat the popular beach (also known as Metro Beach), off Metro Parkway inHarrison Township, found high levels of e. coli bacteria.

Further testing this week found e. coli levels were still too high.

The rest of the park remains open during regular hoursbut the water and beach area areoff-limits. Lake St. Clair Metropark has a swimming pool and water slides for those who wanttocool off.

St. Clair Shores Memorial Park Beach, at Veterans Memorial Park off Jefferson Ave., is also closed after testing this week found the same issue. The park does have a swimming pool, water slide (paid admission required) and a splash pad which remain open.

Macomb County health officials say e. coli bacteria sometimes gets into the water from improper waste connections to storm sewers, sewer overflows and storm runoff which cold present a healthriskto swimmersand thosewho come in contact with lake water close to the shore.

Its unclear at this time when the two beaches will reopen.

In addition, theKensington Metropark Splash n Blast is temporarily closed, according to a tweet. This is not connected to the problems with bacteria. (Check Twitter for updates).

Check which Macomb County beaches are open and which are closed anytimeat this link. Get Metroparks maps, hours and more informationatmetroparks.com.

Headed Up North or elsewhere in the state? Check for all Michigan beach closures HERE.

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2 Macomb County Beaches Closed This Weekend Due To E. Coli - CBS Detroit

MARGATE The Board of Commissioners will continue an executive session at 10 a.m. this morning that was started following last nights lengthy public meeting. The commissioners met in closed session last night to discuss a strategy going into court-ordered negotiations with the NJ DEP and U.S. Army Corps of Engineers scheduled for 11 a.m. Friday morning.

All beaches, except for Huntington Avenue will be opened and staffed by lifeguards over the weekend.

Commissioner John Amodeo said Thursdays executive session started at 6:30 p.m. and lasted more than an hour before it was continued to Friday morning. It was held after 2 1/2 hours of public testimony at the regular commission meeting that started at 4 p.m.

It will be more of a strategy and goal setting meeting, Amodeo said in a telephone interview early Friday morning. We need to see what we can get accomplished. I dont think our goal will ever be met, but we can consider a best-case scenario.

At Thursdays meeting, the board appropriated $100,000 for expenses it might incur in the city's latest battle to get the state and federal government to fix ponding and drainage problems created by the dune building project. Amodeo said it was merely an appropriation for expenses, which could include engineering studies and expert fees should an extended court battle ensue. The board also approved a contract with attorney Jordan M. Rand of Klehr Harrison Harvey Branzburg, LLP of Philadelphia not to exceed $25,000.

The contractor building the dune across all of Absecon Island, Weeks Marine, Inc. of Cranford excavated several feet of sand to lower the beach and create a drainage basin between the dune and existing bulkhead, which resulted in several feet of water collecting behind the dune rendering much of the beach inaccessible. The area was supposed to percolate within 24-36 hours, but water stagnated as beach access was cut off. As much as 2-feet of water festered for days until Weeks Marine was ordered by the NJ DEP to pump the water into the ocean.

As a precaution and to protect swimmers, Commissioner of Public Safety John Amodeo closed the beach from the citys border with Ventnor at Fredericksburg Avenue to Gladstone Avenue where fetid pools of water were pumped into the ocean. Most of the standing water has been pumped away, but wet spots remain.

Amodeo reopened those beaches for the weekend after all ocean water quality tests proved bacterial levels are in the acceptable range.

We had our beach raker out there and will have all the lifeguard stations manned for the weekend, Amodeo said. Water quality tests show we are in good shape.

The latest results from Atlantic County Water Quality Program, which tests ocean water in three spots in all Atlantic County shore towns every Monday, show water quality in Margate for the week of July 31 was in the excellent range, with a reading of 6. A bacteria count above 104 would require beaches be closed to swimmers.

The beach at Huntington Avenue behind the Margate Library and Bloom Pavilion will remain closed because it is being used as a staging area for Weeks Marines heavy equipment during a 7-day work stoppage period ordered by Superior Court Judge Julio Mendez Thursday afternoon.

There are still workers on site, Amodeo said. If it rains over the weekend, they will have to pump out the water. They own the job and are responsible for everything that happens there until the job is done.

Mendez called the ponding problems that developed behind the newly built dune following a 5-inch rainstorm horrendous, and ordered the parties to meet every day to hammer out a solution before their next court-ordered appearance before Mendez 1:30 p.m. Friday, Aug. 11.

He said the city and its residents and businesses are suffering irreparable harm and the situation must be rectified.

The defendants have until noon Wednesday, Aug. 9 to file briefs on short and longterm solutions to all the drainage problems, Mendez said.

The judge is expecting a resolution, Amodeo said. If its not, then he will rule as he sees fit.

Amodeo said the commissioners would discuss a strategy going into negotiations, which could be contentious.

They want us to share costs. We didnt ask for these dunes. It was a state mandate from Gov. Chris Christie. It was forced on us. Why should we have to pay for anything? If its a state mandate, then all expenses should be paid for by the DEP, Amodeo said.

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Margate beaches reopen for the weekend as commissioners go into negotiations with NJ DEP and Army Corps of ... - Shore News Today