Hammonasset Beach State Park busy with visitors Labor Day weekend

As Labor Day weekend marks the unofficial end of summer, families spent the last holiday weekend of the season at Hammonasset Beach State Park on Saturday.

Beaches along the East Coast, from Florida to Maine, have warnings about the water quality because of elevated levels of bacteria with fecal waste, the Associated Press said.

Connecticut’s environmental agency, known as DEEP, tested the water this week. The last bacteria test result from Aug. 27 showed that Hammonasset, Rocky Neck, Sherwood Island and Silver Sands State Parks are all open and safe to swim at.

Adrian and his parents from Ludlow, Massachusetts, were at Hammonasset for the day.

“I just got out of the ocean right over there so I’m just chillin’,” Adrian said. “It feels nice, it’s very cold on the surface but once you get a little deeper it gets a little warmer.”

State beaches are open all year round but for some, this could be last weekend for swimming. After Labor Day, DEEP does not monitor swim areas for water quality according to the state’s official parks website.

Businesses along the shoreline are seeing traffic wind down as the summer comes to a close.

At Pizza Works Too in Madison, a steady stream of customers came in Saturday night. Geoffrey Rider, a staff member, said the summer has been slower than usual but that’s when he can connect with customers.

“I like to get to know people and you just build a rapport,” he said. “They come in when it’s slower, you end up having a conversation for ten minutes about life.”