Rescues up as rip currents impreil swimmers

Rescues up as rip currents imperil swimmers
Seven Presidents' lifeguards sweep summer tourneys
BY KENNY WALTER Staff Writer

PHOTOS COURTESY OF THE MONMOUTH COUNTY PARK SYSTEM Teams of Seven Presidents Oceanfront Park lifeguards compete in the 10th annual Monmouth County Park System Invitational Surf Relays last month, placing first among the 10 teams competing.
LONG BRANCH — While it's been a profitable beach season in Long Branch, it has also been a dangerous one.

Michael "Spike" Fowler, lifeguard supervisor for the Monmouth County Park System at Seven Presidents Oceanfront Park, said last week that the 2009 season featured a record number of rescues.

"It's easily a record-breaking season," he said. "It's been a tremendous problem.

"I don't have the rescue numbers in front of me, but it's been an absolute record this season," he added.

According to Fowler, each day has been a challenge.

"We have had multiple rescues every day," Fowler said. We had six rescues today [Sept. 2]."

As hurricane season hit the Shore area, the problem was not necessarily rough waters. According to Fowler, the undertow and rip currents were the real concerns.

"The water was not that rough but the rip current is the problem," he said.

What that does is create a problem for the lifeguards because while the water is dangerous, to the naked eye it looks calm, encouraging people to go in.

"It is difficult to keep people out of the water because the water isn't that rough," he said. Fowler cited the sand replenishment program as creating the dangerous rip currents.

"The problem was the sand replenishment project a few years ago," he said. "What it did was create a sand bar that is forming these rip currents."

Another problem Fowler mentioned was the propensity of people going to the beach after hours, when lifeguards are not on duty.

"Lifeguards in general don't want afterhours bathing," Fowler said. "It is something preventable.

"You should not be going bathing when lifeguards aren't on duty," he added. "The vast majority of drownings occur on unprotected beaches."

The season was not all challenges for

Fowler, who completed his 21st season with the county and 46th year at the ocean.

"It was a great season," he said. "I'm happy to be here."

The beach year did not start well, with a rainy June, but the weather picked up the last two months and business has been booming.

"The weather in August has been nice after a dismal June," Fowler said. "We've had a record number of patrons."

That fact was echoed earlier this summer, when representatives of the recreation department spoke at a council workshop meeting.

Danny George, beach manager, and Carl Jennings, director of the Recreation Department and Human Services, delivered a presentation at the July 28 meeting, saying that revenues were at an all-time high this summer.

Popular beaches and record revenuesweren't the only good news for the beaches.

Both the men and women lifeguards won their respective lifeguard tournaments this season.

The men's tournament was held at Seven Presidents Park in early August, while the women's was held at Sandy Hook July 20.

Both teams have a long-standing tradition of winning their tournaments.

"After two postponements, we [Long Branch men's lifeguards] won it for the ninth time in 10 years," Fowler said.

"The women won first place at Sandy Hook," he added. "It's the 10th year in a row."

One misconception Fowler spoke about is that summer ends on Labor Day. According to Fowler, that was the case in the '70s and '80s, but not today.

"Labor Day was the typical last day of summer," he said. "It's not the case anymore.

"Most keep lifeguards on duty one or two weekends after Labor Day," he added.

According to Fowler, daily lifeguards on duty ended on Labor Day [Sept. 7], but lifeguards will continue to be on duty weekends until Sept. 20. There will also be no charge for beach badges after Labor Day.

Contact Kenny Walter at

kwalter@gmnews.com.


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