They reached the beach by car, skateboard and barefoot. They carried frisbees, cameras, and surfboards. They wore running shorts, yoga pants, and wetsuits.
That was the most stark difference this week, aside from a moment in time in March that seems hard to conjure now, before beaches closed and face masks seemed like extreme and perhaps even ineffective protection against the coronavirus.
No more. Masks are now required on Los Angeles County beaches, which reopened on Wednesday, to join counterparts in other states that have allowed a somewhat limited return to famous stretches of sand.
“You get some side eyes if you don’t wear a mask,” said Tom Ventura, who sported a pale blue face covered in white polka dots as he cooled down after his morning run Thursday in Santa Monica.
Along the California coast and in states known for silky sands, warm waters and plenty of sun, the surf has improved along with a new set of rules published at the time of the coronavirus pandemic.
Beach lovers in Los Angeles County should be active – walking, running, or swimming. Do not sunbathe. Picnics are not allowed. Not volleyball. Parking lots, docks and a popular 22-mile (35.4-kilometer) bike path linking the beaches of Santa Monica, Venice, Manhattan, and Torrance are also closed.
Similar rules exist throughout the state, as well as in Florida and Hawaii, although masks are not required on many beaches. Tanning and even picnics are allowed in some places, although people are generally told to only spend time with family members and not gather in large groups.
While South Florida, Miami, and Hollywood beaches remain closed, Pinellas County’s beaches on the Gulf of Mexico allow chairs and towels on the sand, but limit groups to no more than 10 people. The signs urge people who do not live together to stay 6 feet (1.8 meters) apart.
On the east coast, New Jersey Gov. Phil Murphy issued guidance Thursday to coastal city officials on reopening beaches, directing them to set occupancy limits and space requirements. Popular tourist spots like Point Pleasant and Seaside Heights, home to the “Jersey Shore” fame, opened on Friday. New York Governor Andrew Cuomo also announced that the beaches will open with limits in time for Memorial Day weekend.
In Greece, with an early heat wave hitting the country over the weekend, more than 500 organized beaches, where you can rent umbrellas and sunbeds, opened on Saturday morning, with strict social distancing measures. The free public beaches opened a few weeks ago. Authorities issued warnings when crowds formed, but trips to the beach generally appeared to follow health guidelines.
Beaches were closed in many places as stay-at-home orders tightened after people, who were allowed to exercise, seized the opportunity to escape confinement and flocked to shore. good weeks Public health officials were concerned that large concentrations could allow the virus to spread.
“We have to start reopening America slowly and intelligently. We can’t just keep everyone locked up for 12 months, “Noymer said.” If we can’t run on the beach, how the hell can we go to a restaurant or a movie? “
A day after Los Angeles reopened on Thursday, turnout was lower than the day before.
“Yesterday was like the first card to get out of jail,” said Peter Moore, who wore a white hospital-style mask and was walking with his wife and dog. “If they open the parking lots, we’ll see if there are people sitting one on top of the other.
Mlak Sahli, a student from Saudi Arabia studying public health, said it felt liberating to return despite being chased by a police officer and a friend for sitting on the beach.
A small group of surfers could see something strange when a pod of about 20 dolphins emerged and swam past, Peter Lockwood said.
Lockwood said he was not worried about catching the virus from the water.
“No way. There was so much air moving there and nobody wants to be that close,” he said. “Everyone wants their own wave.”
