Bethany Beach

Welcome to Bethany Beach

The Bethany Beach Patrol is a United States Lifesaving Association Advanced Certified Agency that serves the residents and visitors of the Town of Bethany Beach. The 40-50 member beach patrol provides rescue services including ocean rescue, First Responder care, and general public service. The beach patrol, with the assistance of the police department, enforces all Town rules and regulations regarding the beach. Lifeguards patrol the beaches full time from Memorial Day Saturday until Labor Day Monday and weekends throughout September.

Safety Tips

The Beach is a fun and exciting place for all ages. To make sure that you and your family enjoy the sun, surf, and sand, please keep in mind some of the following safety tips:

• Stay hydrated by drinking plenty of water before and during your stay on the beach.
• Use at least SPF 15 sunscreen to avoid sunburn.
• Please take notice of the rules / information signs located at all of the beach entrances and on the back of every lifeguard stand.
• Swim in front of a lifeguard stand.
• Know the water conditions for the day by reviewing the information on the back of the lifeguard stands or by asking your nearest lifeguard.
• Have fun, be courteous to those around you, and help keep our beaches clean by depositing your trash in the cans available at all beach entrances.

Beach Rules

Some of the more common rules & regulations that are enforced by the beach patrol during lifeguard hours are:

• No fishing or surfing
• No kites
• No boats of any type, including inflatable vessels and kayaks
• No skim boarding
• No alcoholic beverages or glass containers
• No canopies or tents
• No dogs
• No digging of deep and large holes in the sand
• Please keep ball playing to the back of the beach; however, ball playing and tossing of objects may be restricted by lifeguards and code enforcement depending on the conditions of the day

Rip Currents

The United States Lifesaving Associations (USLA) has found that some 80 percent of rescues by USLA affiliated lifeguards at ocean beaches are caused by rip currents. This is true of Bethany Beach. These currents are formed by surf and gravity. Once surf pushes water up the slope of the beach, gravity pulls it back. This can create concentrated rivers of water moving offshore. Some people mistakenly call this an undertow, but there is no undercurrent, just an offshore current.

If caught in a rip current...

If you are caught in a rip current, don't fight it by trying to swim directly to shore. Instead, swim parallel to shore until you feel the current relax, then swim to shore. Most rip currents are narrow, and a short swim parallel to shore will bring you to safety. The following guidelines are useful when trying to escape a rip current:

• Remain calm to conserve energy and think clearly.
• Never fight against the current.
• Think of the rip current like a treadmill that cannot be turned off. Your attempt to get out is like stepping to the side of the moving belt of the treadmill.
• Swim out of the current in a direction following the shoreline. When out of the current, swim at an angle - away from the current - towards shore.
• If you are unable to swim out of the rip current, float or calmly tread water. When out of the current, swim towards shore.
• If you are still unable to reach shore, draw attention to yourself by waving your arm and yelling for help.

Shore Break

Another water condition to be aware of is shore break. Shore break occurs when the waves crash in shallow water close to the shoreline. To protect your head, neck and back, remember the following tips:

• Avoid diving under the waves in shallow water.
• Avoid standing with your back to the waves.
• Avoid bodysurfing or body boarding straight into the beach or “over the falls.” Instead, ride the shoulder of the wave parallel to the shoreline.
• When in doubt, don’t dive or ride, play it safe.

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