Beach Info  & Water Safety 2008

Carol Hastie- Water Safety Director

Beach Info:

 

        Swim Lanes @ Clubhouse 

Our lifeguards perform a variety of tasks on our beaches. They are badge checkers, perform first aid when needed, sell day badges, and are responsible for keeping our beaches clean and safe. Every morning the beach is raked, the swimming area is checked to be safe, the docks and ladders are checked and any playground equipment is also checked for any loose nails and rough edges. Sometimes they need to get stray dogs off the beach and other times there are other animals, such as raccoons, to get off the beach.

Most importantly, the lifeguards watch the swimmers and help, if needed, to keep them safe. Every summer our lifeguards go into the water to assist children who wandered out over their heads and didn't realize it. Of course the number of incidences of this nature is much less than those that occur at our state beaches. It is still nonetheless, an important assist. Since our beaches opened this past Memorial Day we have had 10 assists of this type, half were in deep water and half were in shallow water. Shallow water assists are common due to the uneven terrain at the bottom of the swimming area. Our guards are instructed to go to the dock if there is a swimmer there. This practice saves time to assist tired swimmers or those in need of an assist before it becomes a tragic accident.

Since the guards are primarily concerned for your safety, some swimming areas may be closed due to a lack of coverage. Usually it is only for a short time, such as 30 minutes or so. It usually occurs because the lifeguards are having their 30-minute lunch break, there is something unsafe at the dock, or swim lessons are going on. Sometimes, to our members, it looks as if there are plenty of guards and there is no reason the area should be closed. If there are only two guards on a beach and the water is very busy, the guards are instructed to close the dock. On the larger beaches, we try to have one guard "free" to take care of all the extra jobs we are required to perform. Remember, please be patient. The dock will open after a short period of time.

Please listen to your lifeguards, they are there for your safety! 

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Beach Testing Results

The fecal coliform testing results below continue to indicate that the Club’s beaches are all well within the safe level as set by the State of New Jersey for bathing beaches.  Testing is performed weekly, and a copy of the results is on file with the Vernon Township Health Department.

                                                               

                                      Swim Lesson Definitions - http://www.hlcc.org/swimlessons.pdf

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Attention All Parents of little swimmers:

Due to regulations from the NJ State Board of Health, all children in diapers must wear plastic pants on top of their diapers, this includes Little swimmers and swimpers.

Disposable Swimpants are now available in the diaper aisle in the grocery store.  The trim, unisex style can be worn alone or under swimsuits.  Keep in mind; however, that the swim diaper must be covered by plastic if using the swimming pants with the plastic pant overlay and remind folks not to rinse a baby’s bottom or soiled diaper in our lakes either.  We all must work to keep our lakes as clean and beautiful as possible. Everyone must help. 

Keeping our lakes clean and healthy is a priority.

BEACH VISITORS:

Please make sure when you pick a spot in the sand that all of your belongings (this includes; chairs, blankets, coolers, umbrellas etc.) are NOT in front of the lifeguard stand.

CIGARETTE SMOKERS:

Please clear your cigarette butts from the sand at the beaches.  It is not the responsibility of our Maintenance Staff or the lifeguards to pick up after you.  Please help keep our beaches clean!!!

DOG OWNERS TAKE NOTE:

Please take note that dogs are prohibited on the beaches both during the day and on off hours.  Many have been spotted and we would like to keep our beaches as nice and clean as possible.  Thank you.

Flotation Devices?

All swimmers (toddler through seniors) may use flotation devices such as swimmies, rafts, tubes etc as long as while they are using these devices they stay where they can STAND.   Thank you.

HL Water Safety Directors

Smoking on the Beach!

For those of you who smoke cigarettes on the beach, please put your butts in the garbage, not in the sand.

Also, be considerate and mindful of other beach goers and the smoke.

Please listen to the lifeguards. Each beach has a designated area for swimming. This is the area the lifeguards maintain. The area on the other side of the lane markers may not be safe for swimming or walking in the water.