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NCSO Marine Unit rescues a man of a sinking vessel over the weekend. Submitted photo
The Independence Day weekend was a busy one for local emergency responders on the beaches of Amelia Island, with more than two dozen rescues of swimmers by lifeguards.
Lt. Haynes Cavender oversees the Fernandina Beach Fire Department’s Ocean Rescue Division. He said that from Friday, June 30 through Tuesday, July 4, his department performed 27 rescues, that is when lifeguards had to go into the water and use a floatation device to pull the person from the water.
Cavender said most of those rescued were visitors to the island, and entered the water despite posted red flag conditions due to rip currents.
Most of the rescues by FBFD were between Seaside Park and Peters Point, Cavender said, as there is a sand bar visible there. He said swimmers go to the sand bar, and rip currents pull them under.
The Nassau County Sheriff’s Office Marine Unit kicked off the weekend with a rescue two miles off the shores of Fort Clinch. Deputies spotted a sinking vessel and immediately started a search for any survivors. They found a man nearly a half mile away, who said he had been swimming for nearly an hour and a half.
“This boat was not equipped with a whistle,” NCSO representatives said, “and while we are thankful he is okay, we want to stress the importance of having these life-saving tools aboard your boat.”
NCSO would also like to stress the importance of staying near a sinking vessel in order to make rescue easier.
On Tuesday, NCSO deputies also spotted a swimmer off Amelia Island State Park who was unable to make it back to shore. Red flags were raised for most of the weekend, warning swimmers of strong rip tides.
Cavender said city beaches usually have an average of 22 lifeguards on the beach each day, from 10 a.m. until 6 p.m., although those hours were extended over the holiday weekend, when there were an estimated 20,000 people on the city’s beaches.
“We tell people that, during red flag conditions, they should not go in the water past their knees,” Cavender said. Ocean Rescue has a website that gives information about beach conditions, safebeachday.com/fernandina-city and county beach conditions can be found at safebeachday.com/fernandina-nassau
Visitors to the city’s site can sign up for text messages with beach conditions.
