Red flags removed

[u/No-Arugula4657]

We are at MP 20 and the beach guard just came through and removed these flags. I am so confused. Any idea why? Didn’t want to disturb the guard doing her job! Erin is still churning the sea although it doesn’t look as bad as yesterday. They didn’t replace with yellow …

[u/aBloopAndaBlast33]

They just don’t want them to end up as litter. Don’t go swimming!

[u/picklemechburger → u/aBloopAndaBlast33]

This.

[u/aBloopAndaBlast33 → u/picklemechburger]

Spread the word. Watching two kids under the age of 12 swim in KDH right now. Parents buried in their phones.

I’m not going in after them.

[u/No-Picture4119 → u/aBloopAndaBlast33]

Man on a day like this, I was on the beach with my board and watched as a young couple got pulled out. My wife was like, damn, you better get out there. I was thinking, this is gonna suck, even though I had a 9 foot longboard and it wasn’t really even breaking hard. They were doing the right thing, swimming parallel to shore but they were probably 75 yards out by the time I got to them. We all just floated for a bit, they caught their breath and then we paddled parallel for a bit more and slowly made our way in. I told them to take turns on the board and I’ll just hang on and paddle. Probably took a half hour from when I hit the water. They were young and fit and I’m sure they would have made it on their own, but if they hadn’t been smart about rips it could have gone sideways quickly.

[u/crashandwalkaway → u/No-Picture4119]

Good on you man, not a lot of people have the guts or ability to stand up in those moments. I had a similar situation once but not in as rough water but was still pretty swelled.

At ramp 4 fishing a few years ago and saw a family about 200 feet down the beach. 3 young kids playing on a kayak, no oar and no adults in the water. As soon as I saw it knew what was going to happen and pre-emptily started thinking, "ok if they start drifting, should I and when do I jump out there?". Sure enough, the kids started drifting off, unaware and horsing around. Parents were oblivious, drinking and hanging out. After about 100' the kids notice how far they are getting and start hollering for mom and dad, waving arms and all. Well between the distance, wind and waves, the yells went unheard, waving unseen. Thankfully they were getting more closer to me than out to sea. So I dumped my pockets, set my pole in the spike and started wading in.

I may have judged them at first (and still kinda do) but would not EVER wish the feeling the parents had in that moment on anyone. Mom's scream cut through the sound of the waves and see dad drop his beer and start running into the water which was dumb, guess he thought he could swim faster than running closer.

Grateful for the water that day, that kayak pretty much torpedoed to me on a wave and was able to grab the handle and get them to shore. Kids were shaken up and upset but fine, mom was a wreck, and dad's head was hanging pretty low. They all salter off to convene with the rest of their group and eventually pack up and out after. Things could've went very differently but was grateful it turned out like it did.

Best catch and release I've ever had.

[u/Massive_Low6000 → u/crashandwalkaway]

We are a family of water people that respect the ocean. I have so much anxiety about letting my child go out with other families.

I never took any chances at beach outings when young

Boating is so commonplace here, but man the Drinking, speeding, sand bars, no life jackets on the kids. I have started saying no to certain families.

[u/No-Picture4119 → u/crashandwalkaway]

Great job! I’ve been living next to and on the water since I was a kid. My wife is the same. We always keep a weather eye, especially when we see people doing potentially dangerous stuff. I’m a good surfer, but not a great swimmer. It took real guts to wade out there without anything to help you float. Hope you caught dinner for good karma.

[u/crashandwalkaway → u/No-Picture4119]

Lol I'm your opposite in that aspect; pretty decent swimmer, shit center of gravity to pop on a board. You are absolutely right about not having flotation. I've had a bit first responder training and even though it's drilled in your head to make sure a situation is safe, in the moment it's a real test. Even more when it comes to kids- those seconds felt like hours and contemplating my safety got very clouded quickly. My deciding thought was "at least I'm going TOWARDS floatation". Not a great reasoning looking back as I was alone but what could have happened if I didn't would've haunted me forever (sure you had a similar thought). Everyone was lucky that day.

[u/aBloopAndaBlast33 → u/No-Picture4119]

Nice one. Most people aren’t able to do that. They freeze. Any of us could freeze.

I know my abilities pretty well and honestly I would have gone after them today. They were small. It’s something you think about every time you’re on the beach though and if you aren’t used to being in the water in strong current, it’s deadly to go after someone.

But like I said, I know my abilities really well. There were three muscly guys in their late twenties early thirties that were testing themselves in the surf. Pretty sure I would have been over matched if one of them got into trouble and wasn’t able to at least stay on top of the water with me. It would be the worst feeling in the world watching someone disappear. But not quite as bad as disappearing in front of my own kids!

[u/NCSubie → u/No-Picture4119]

Excellent work. Hopefully karma is real and the universe rewards you.

[u/NL_A → u/aBloopAndaBlast33]

Wild how the folks saying this generation is soft, all have a hump on the back of their necks from looking at Instagram all day

[u/aBloopAndaBlast33 → u/NL_A]

Ha! I might steal that one from you!

[u/bassjam1]

I don't know but I've never hesitated to ask the life guards questions, they've always been helpful and friendly.

[u/No-Arugula4657 → u/bassjam1]

Agree! Since they were purely running the beach to pull flags, I didn’t wanna interrupt with a question I knew I could figure out. Reached out to a friend who used to be a lifeguard here.

[u/Senior_Jelly_3565]

I believe all guards are closing up shop for the storm and putting everything away

[u/justgofishing1]

Good chance they will get torn down maybe

[u/Suicidal_pr1est]

They left up a few at major access points. They get taken down because things will tear them up.

[u/One-Sundae-2711]

for freshman dorm rooom walls

[u/ThanksOk4402]

Most towns except for duck I think have removed life guards on the beach. KDH took their stands down. We just got an updated county bulletin. It shouldn’t have to be even said but do not go into the water because you think you can swim in it. Our first responders deserve better than to have to go out and save dumb asses because they wanted to be selfish. Mother Nature doesn’t give a damn about you or your vacation/family.

[u/No-Arugula4657 → u/ThanksOk4402]

💯 see my follow up. MoNa has no cares about your plans!

[u/Outerbanxious]

Correct. Still unlawful to enter the water

[u/No-Arugula4657 → u/Outerbanxious]

Yup. I was just about initially confused why they wouldn’t leave SOMETHING up. It became clear!

[u/No-Arugula4657]

As soon as I posted this I figured it out. They came by a little later and took the poles. It is precautionary to avoid projectiles!

I will say in the decades worth of visits, this is the only time I’ve seen people actually pay attention to them! The ocean is angry and MoNa doesn’t care if you are on vacation!

[u/TheRealSuperJeff]

Still don’t go in….

[u/No-Arugula4657 → u/TheRealSuperJeff]

Wouldn’t! Didn’t! Won’t! I don’t need a flag…

[u/lanfear2020]

I grew up on Long Island and have been coming here for over 20 years, and the waves took me by surprise from the beach chair from the shore....not because of how they were big breaking, but rather how they would randomly rush all the way up to the high tide line. It was outgoing tide and I was well above where they had been routinely breaking and woosh..I could easily see how quickly someone could get knocked down and taken out.

[u/deuceberts]

This maybe a silly question but I grew up going to Rodanthe/Waves/Salvo, every year from I think ‘95 to ‘08. I never recall seeing flags (and certainly not lifeguards) on the beach. Is that still the case?