NSBNews.net video and photos by Sera Frederick / South Carolina resident Christy Myllykangas and her son Owen enjoy the swollen waves on New Smyrna Beach from Hurricane Irene.
NEW SMYRNA BEACH -- Mayor Adam Barringer laughed when asked what he thought of Hurricane Irene and all of the media hype: "It was the big nothing."
Irene stirred up the waves and was responsible for destroying some turtle nests on the beach, but otherwise had little impact over the last 48 hours. And with Irene lumbering up the Atlantic seaboard with New York City in its sights, motor vehicles are allowed back on the beach today with beach goers having to be careful of a dangerous situation in the wake of the pounding surf with the hurricane's passing: rip currents.
The surf is settling down, but swimmers need to be vigilant of rip currents, channels of fast-moving water that can pull even the most seasoned swimmers away from shore. They’re caused when pounding surf breaks up sandbars and creates new channels in the sand.
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Irene may be gone, but isolated thunderstorms and hot weather continues through the weekend.
Scott Petersohn, deputy chief of Volusia County’s Beach Safety Division, said the rip current threat will linger until at least Labor Day. He urges beach goers to use extreme caution in the water and to swim in front of a lifeguard.
The Volusia County Beach Patrol offers these tips to swimmers who are caught in a rip current:
● Remain calm and don’t fight the current. Swim parallel to the shore until you’re out of the current and then swim to shore.
● If you’re unable to swim out of the current, float or tread water. If you can’t reach shore, draw attention to yourself by waving or yelling for help.
● If you see someone in trouble, don't become a victim too. Throw the person something that floats. Then get help from a lifeguard or call 9-1-1.
Volusia County lifeguards rescued 1,403 swimmers from rip currents in 2010 and about 750 so far this year.
Surfers on New Smyrna Beach take advantage of the rolling waves Friday caused by Hurricane Irene while these pretty dogs from Ottawa, Canada enjoy the gentle breeze in the canopy near the Flagler Avenue ramp. Details on the day at the beach are highlighted in NSBNews.net's exclusive video coverage above.
Irene destroys seven sea turtle nests
Ten Volusia County employees and volunteers combed 36 miles of beach Friday to check 300 sea turtle nests buried in the sand.
"They discovered that seven nests had been washed out to sea and observed that most of the nests had been 'washed over,' meaning they were covered with water at some point but were not severely damaged," county spokeswoman Pat Kuehn said. "The workers had to re-establish the barriers around 27 nests."
The barriers are made of wooden stakes and ropes with signs advising people that turtle nests should not be disturbed.
Sea Turtle Habitat Program Manager Jennifer Winters said most of the nests in Volusia County contain loggerhead eggs, with several nests laid by leatherbacks and green turtles. The average nest contains about 100 eggs. This is the height of sea turtle nesting season, which runs from May 1 through Oct. 31.
Female sea turtles leave the ocean at night to lay eggs in the dry sand between May and August. After covering their nests, they return to the sea. Two months later, nearly 100 hatchlings emerge and crawl to the ocean.
Residents and visitors should continue to observe lighting restrictions to ensure sea turtle hatchlings reach the water safely. Restrictions include shielding exterior lights and closing blinds or curtains to reduce the amount of light reaching the beach. This artificial light disorients baby sea turtles and reduces their chance of survival.
Further, beach walkers should cover their flashlights with red film or use a red LED light to be less disruptive to hatchlings trying to reach the water’s edge.
