Swimming Bans In Place At Jersey Shore Beaches As Erin Churns Up Dangerous Waves

JERSEY SHORE, NJ — At least four beaches along the Jersey Shore have banned swimming because of dangerous surf conditions and the impact of Hurricane Erin.

Swimming bans were in place Monday in Belmar in Monmouth County, Bay Head in Ocean County and Wildwood in Cape May County because of the conditions, as well as at Island Beach State Park, which also closed access for mobile sport fishing vehicles as of 4 p.m.

"We will reevaluate conditions in the morning," state officials said on the Island Beach State Park Facebook page. Swimming, boogey boarding and surfing also have been banned in the state park.

"You can still walk on the beach for fishing access," state park officials said.

The Bay Head Improvement Association, which manages the borough's beaches, posted on its Facebook page that the beach is closed because of Erin and the impact of a nor'easter that has slid up the coast.

Erin, which was a Category 4 as of the 5 p.m. update by the National Weather Service on Monday, is expected to produce life-threatening surf and rip currents along most of the East Coast over the next several days, the weather service said.

"Many of you must have heard of the recent drownings in Belmar and Seaside Heights. We ask all of you to show good judgement and not go in the water during these unsafe conditions," the Bay Head association said. "This, of course, is of utmost importance after our closing time at 5:25 pm or at any other times when the beach is unguarded."

In Wildwood, the police department said swimming is banned and emphasized that the ban includes after hours. "The Wildwood Beach Patrol advises everyone to stay out of the water and to heed all warnings," the police department said.

Brigantine City Beach Patrol said it was removing beach access mats and the lifefguard stands ahead of the hurricane, which is about 1,000 miles offshore, and swimming restrictions are in place because of swells are producing 8- to 12-foot waves, one of the city's lifeguards said in a video update Monday evening. Watch it here.

Red flags were flying in Belmar on Monday, NJ.com reported, days after a 13-year-old girl drowned therewhile swimming after hours.

In Seaside Heights, where a 31-year-old Trenton man drowned a week ago, Mayor Anthony Vaz said the borough was evaluating the conditions and would make a decision soon. Vaz had said the borough will close beach access gates right after the lifeguards go off-duty there to try to prevent further tragedies.