Photo: Jupiter Tide
By Jupiter Tide Staff
The ocean is putting on a show this week, but it's not a swimming week.
The National Weather Service in Miami says breaking waves of 8 to 13 feet, dangerous rip currents and coastal flooding around high tide will continue along coastal Palm Beach County until 8 p.m. Wednesday, Oct. 28. Forecasters say inexperienced swimmers should stay out of the water and warn that rip currents "can sweep even the best swimmers away from shore."
What's closed right now
Juno Beach Pier: closed until further notice after surf damage, according to Loggerhead Marinelife Center, which manages it.
Juno Beach access points JB-2, JB-3, JB-4 and JB-6: closed by the Town of Juno Beach. The town says JB-3 has severe stair damage, JB-4 has sand erosion and a steep drop-off, and JB-6 has erosion that exposed an unsafe old walkway.
Jupiter dune crossovers 48, 49 and 50 and the Civic Center beach crossover: temporarily closed by the Town of Jupiter because of erosion.
Erosion can leave steep sand cliffs, called scarps, that can collapse. Stay off closed paths and don't climb over the dunes to get around them. The Town of Jupiter says walking on dunes causes more erosion.
Talking to kids about rip currents
Use the weather service's simple rule. If you're caught in a rip current:
Relax and float.
Don't swim against the current.
Swim parallel to the shoreline if you can.
If you can't get out, face the shore and call or wave for help.
Always swim near a lifeguard. Calm water doesn't mean safe water: the weather service says rip currents often form on calm, sunny days, so check the beach flags and ask the lifeguard before kids go in.
Watching the waves, safely
Kids love big surf. If you go look, stay well back from the water's edge and off closed accesses, jetties and seawalls. Remember that high tide brings the biggest wash. NOAA predicts high tides at the Jupiter Inlet at about 10 a.m. and 10 p.m. Tuesday and about 10:45 a.m. and 10:50 p.m. Wednesday, and the wind may push water higher than predicted. More in our coastal flood story: https://www.jupitertide.com/p/jupiter-coastal-flood-warning-king-tides
Looking for something else to do? Loggerhead Marinelife Center in Juno Beach is free and open daily from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., but its outdoor sea turtle hospital closes when there's lightning.
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