RYE, N.H. (WHDH) - Recent weather conditions have prompted many surfers to head out in search of waves, but officials in Rye, New Hampshire are shutting things down in an effort to flatten the coronavirus curve.
The beaches have been closed and parking restricted all along Ocean Boulevard but Police Chief Kevin Walsh said some surfers are choosing not to follow social distancing rules.
“They continue to go out in the water and have done a number of things to avoid the parking ban that’s been put in place,” Walsh said. “They tell me they’re social distancing but my response is you’re telling everybody that the closed beaches don’t mean anything because you’re there so why can’t they be there.”
The town has imposed fines for violators, including a $50 parking fine and a $62 beach trespassing fine.
Still, Walsh said some are parking in private lots or getting rides to the beach to try to circumvent the law.
Some are arguing whether the closures even apply to the water.
“The debate has been is the Atlantic Ocean actually part of the beach,” Walsh said. “It’s just sand chief, you don’t understand and that’s disappointing as well that they’re trying to make up excuses to talk around but we all we need to do.”
Larry Rocha is an avid surfer and Rye Beach Committee Member.
According to him, he saw about 10 people out in the water on a particularly good surf day.
“It’s disappointing that they can’t follow the guidelines,” he said.
Rocha said it has been tough for him to avoid the water but that he hopes others will choose to stay out too.
“You walk down the end of my driveway and look and there’s good waves and as a surfer, you want to get out there and surf but you know the beaches are closed,” he said. “The reality is we’re all trying to work through this together.”
Walsh said that since March, his department has issued more than 200 fines to people breaking the beach ban.
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