Despite resurgence worries, people flock to the beach
Memorial Day weekend draws crowds seaside, despite pandemic
A crowd lined up Saturday outside the entrance of Coconuts On The Beach in Cocoa Beach, waiting to get in as the restaurant appeared packed. There was no line at Beach Shack Bar across the courtyard, however, and instead donned a board that read, “Closed. Can’t get corona here.”
Other than that, there was no other clue that a pandemic remains at the forefront of the global conversation. At the beach, almost no one was wearing a mask and with umbrellas and beach towels set up one next to another, there was no social distancing.
It’s been almost a month since Brevard County reopened its beaches with limited restrictions on visitors, which virtually went out the window as locals and tourists alike showed up to kick off Memorial Day weekend.
By 2 p.m., a lifeguard, who did not give his name, said there were dozens of rescues made in the area. With the red flag indicating “high hazard” waters, it appeared many beachgoers were taken by rip currents before they were returned to safety.
But many were more concerned by health officials’ worries of a resurgence of the novel coronavirus as Florida and other states begin reopening businesses and loosening restrictions on leisurely activities. The ability to go out after weeks of staying indoors, however, didn’t stop them from spending the day on the water.
“My kids wanted to come out. They already spent weeks without going anywhere,” Giuliana Trinidad said as her son worked on filling his sand ditch with sea water. “I just thought more people would be respecting social distancing. It’s like nothing ever happened.”
It was Trinidad’s family’s first time going to the beach since stay-at-home orders were lifted by Gov. Ron DeSantis earlier this month. Like many others at Cocoa Beach, it was an opportunity to tackle the waters on boogie boards or lie in the sun to a concert of blaring radios.
Some had returned to the beach several times before Saturday, like William Gurney and Alesia Arslan, a couple who had gone to New Smyrna Beach as recently as last weekend. This time, worried that their children might inadvertently be exposed to COVID-19, they went alone.
“It was a little scary at first. No one’s even trying to socially distance,” said Arslan after seeing how many people were at the beach. “Give it another three weeks or so. We’ll probably get locked down again.”
The couple were standing in line waiting to get in at Coconuts On The Beach before they made their way to the water.
There, they said customers were ignoring markers where people had to stand six feet apart. It would have made little difference even if they had, as customers often left the patio area the same way they came in.
Despite their concerns, Gurney said he understands the need to leave the house after so long. And with the 90-degree heat, he’s not convinced the virus would spread as much as it would elsewhere.
“We’ve all been cooped up for six weeks,” he said. “Even though it’s a lot here, I feel a lot safer here than at a mall.
Some experts believe there will be less chance of transmitting the novel coronavirus in hot, humid areas during the summer months, but it’s difficult to know for sure. For some beachgoers worried about catching the virus when they return home, the weeks of staying at home made them familiar with what to do.
“If you’re gonna get sick, you’re gonna get sick,” Trinidad said. “In the meantime, I’m going to take my precautions.”