Local

St. Johns County 4th of July weekend beach protocols

St. Johns County — July Fourth is one of the busiest times of the year for St. Johns County’s beaches.

St. Johns County Fire Rescue, St. Johns County Marine Rescue, the St. Johns County Sheriff’s Office, and the St. Augustine Beach Police Department have announced that they will work together from Saturday, July 2, through Monday, July 4, to ensure the safety of both residents and tourists.

The following rules will be enforced:

Alcohol and fireworks are strictly prohibited on all of St. Johns County beaches.

Vehicles are permitted to drive on the beach between 8 a.m. to 7:30 p.m. Beach passes are required for vehicle access and can be purchased – cash only – at any beach access ramp.

Vehicular traffic must remain in the designated driving lanes identified by the orange cones. Speed must remain at no more than 10 miles per hour. All vehicles must stop at every beach ramps to yield to pedestrians. Due to soft sand conditions, only 4 x 4 vehicles are allowed on some beaches. Beach driving conditions are expected to change at each access ramp throughout the day.

Parking Rules:

· Parking is allowed on the west side of the driving lane between the cones and the dunes.

· Vehicles can only parallel park on Vilano Beach on the east side of the driving lane.

· Vehicles may not enter the beach at the Fort Matanzas Ramp.

Porpoise Point will be open to vehicular access for the fireworks show on July 4th which begin at 9:30 p.m. All vehicles must exit the beach at the end of the display.

SJC Marine Rescue and Beach Warning Flags:

Lifeguards will be on duty at various locations from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. throughout the 4th of July weekend, weather permitting. In addition, Marine Rescue personnel will patrol the beaches regularly.

Visitors should remain aware of the warning flags that note current water and surf conditions.

· Yellow flags: medium hazard level that could include strong currents and surf.

· Red flags: high hazard with stronger currents and more dangerous surf conditions.

· Purple flags: dangerous marine life in the area.

Beach goers are advised to always exercise caution when swimming in the ocean.

In a recent press release released by St. Johns County rip currents are described as strong, fast-moving currents of water that move seaward from the shore. These foamy, choppy surface waters appear brown from sand that’s churning and rushing out to the sea. If caught in a rip current, swimmers are advised to remain calm and swim parallel with the shoreline until out of the current’s pull, and then swim toward shore. Strong swimmers are not recommended to go beyond knee level in the water.

Fourth of July Weekend Shuttle Service:

St. Johns County is offering free shuttle service to Mickler’s Landing Beachfront Park and the St. Johns County Ocean and Fishing Pier from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., Saturday, July 2, through Monday, July 4, weather permitting. The Mickler’s Landing Beachfront Park shuttle will transport beach visitors between the Ponte Vedra Concert Hall, 1050 A1A N., and Mickler’s Landing Beachfront Park, which provides direct access to the beach.

The St. Johns County Ocean and Fishing Pier shuttle will transport beach visitors between St. Augustine Beach City Hall, 2200 A1A South, and the Pier parking lot, which provides direct access to Pier amenities and the beach. The shuttles will run every 20 minutes, with the final shuttles departing at 4 p.m.

Lucia Viti

Lucia Viti

Lucia Viti is a seasoned journalist, photojournalist, and published author and works as a reporter for WOKV News. Lucia is a graduate of the University of West Virginia with a Bachelor of Science Degree in Journalism.

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