Northeast Winds Kicking Surf Up, Keeping OCBP Busy

The steady northeast winds that have been keeping the surf rough over the past few days are expected to continue on Friday.

With a sunny day in the forecast for Friday and water temperatures in the high 60s, the Ocean City Beach Patrol may be busy again keeping swimmers out of trouble.

The lifeguards at Ninth Street rescued four people who were in distress near the Ninth Street jetty on Thursday, according to OCBP Operations Chief Tom Mullineaux.

The rescue involved four OCBP guards who went into the water with torpedo buoys. All the swimmers were taken from the water safely. One OCBP guard was transported for medical attention as a precautionary measure after the rescue, Mullineaux said.

The east-northeast swell is expected to continue Friday with sustained winds of 15 to 20 knots and gusts up to 30 knots. The marine forecast calls for seas of four to six feet. The same swell is expected to diminish slowly through the weekend.

The ocean water temperature on Thursday evening was 67 degrees. The National Weather Service calls for a sunny day with a high near 74 degrees.