Massachusetts
Massachusetts shuts down its beaches due to high bacteria levels in the water: Here’s the latest updates – Travel And Tour World
Monday, August 12, 2024
Reading Time: 3 minutes
The Massachusetts Department of Public Health, has deemed more than 60 beaches and water locations throughout the state closed due to high bacteria levels.
It is working in conjunction with the Department of Recreation and Conservation.
High bacteria levels close beaches
“No, I didn’t know that and I think it’s pretty gross and I won’t get in the water,” said Dorchester resident Caitlin Couture at Savin Hill Beach.
DCR calls it excessive bacteria. They conduct weekly water quality tests to count bacteria levels.
The Department of Public Health has posted signs warning people not to swim to avoid risk of illness.
Michael Campbell has lived near Savin Hill Beach for 18 years and is not surprised, which is why he’s keeping his family at the water’s edge.
“We just were telling him we’re going to wash our hands if we’re playing before we eat anything and keep our head out of the water,” said Campbell.
Trevor Hawkins is being extra careful with his dog Scout.
“Knowing that there’s high levels of bacteria in the water is definitely keeping us out and being cautious with her going in.
She doesn’t really go up past knee level and we usually rinse her off over at the showers.”
Morgan Ronzca said she wishes the no swimming signs were more noticeable.
“The only reason I know is because I work at a Boys and Girls Club,” said Ronzca.
Meanwhile, folks at the beach spent Sunday making the most of the incredible weather.
“It’s just a little frustrating when it’s really hot outside and you want to cool off but it’s still nice to get out and enjoy the breeze,” said Campbell.
The Department of Public Health said they will continue to publish and update daily a list of beach closure so the public is well aware of which locations are closed and which are safe to swim in.
What beaches were closed Sunday?
Amherst – Puffers Pond (Bacterial Exceedance)
Amherst – Stanley Street Swimming Hole (Bacterial Exceedance)
Ashby – Damon Pond Beach (Bacterial Exceedance)
Ashland – Ashland Reservoir-Main Beach (Bacterial Exceedance)
Athol – Ellis Beach (Bacterial Exceedance)
Beverly – Dane Street (Bacterial Exceedance)
Beverly – Mingo (Bacterial Exceedance)
Boston – Constitution (Bacterial Exceedance)
Boston – Malibu (Bacterial Exceedance)
Boston – Savin Hill (Bacterial Exceedance)
Boston – Tenean (Bacterial Exceedance)
Braintree – Smith Beach (Bacterial Exceedance)
Brewster – Upper Mill Pond (Harmful Cyanobacteria Bloom)
Concord – Walden Pond – Red Cross (Other)
Danvers – Sandy Beach (Bacterial Exceedance)
Dartmouth – Hidden Bay (CSO/SSO Event)
Dartmouth – Jones Town Beach North and South (CSO/SSO Event)
Dartmouth – Moses Smith Creek (Bacterial Exceedance)
Framingham – Learned Pond Beach (Bacterial Exceedance)
Grafton – Silver Lake Beach (Other)
Harwich – Sand Pond (Harmful Cyanobacteria Bloom)
Haverhill – Plugs Pond (Bacterial Exceedance)
Hingham – Hingham Town Beach (Bacterial Exceedance)
Holland – Collette Drive Beach (Bacterial Exceedance)
Hubbardston – Asnacomet Pond Beach (Bacterial Exceedance)
Lowell – Merrimac River – Bath House (Bacterial Exceedance)
Lynn – Kings (Bacterial Exceedance)
Lynn – Lynn Shore Beach (Bacterial Exceedance)
Nahant – Nahant Beach (Bacterial Exceedance)
Nantucket – Sesachacha Pond (Harmful Cyanobacteria Bloom)
Natick – Cochituate State Park Beach (Bacterial Exceedance and Harmful Cyanobacteria Bloom)
North Andover – Stevens Pond – Center (Bacterial Exceedance)
Northampton – Musante Beach (Bacterial Exceedance)
Oxford – Carbuncle Pond (Harmful Cyanobacteria Bloom)
Salem – Camp Naumkeag (Other)
Salem – Children’s Island – Back, Dock and Wally (Bacterial Exceedance)
Salem – Collins Cove (Bacterial Exceedance)
Salem – Juniper Point (Bacterial Exceedance)
Salem – Ocean Avenue (Bacterial Exceedance)
Salem – Osgood (Bacterial Exceedance)
Salem – Willow Avenue (Bacterial Exceedance)
Saugus – Pearce Lake at Breakheart Reservation (Bacterial Exceedance)
Shutesbury – Lake Wyola (Bacterial Exceedance)
Springfield – Bass Pond (Harmful Cyanobacteria Bloom)
Swampscott – Fisherman’s (Bacterial Exceedance)
Swampscott – Kings (Bacterial Exceedance)
Taunton – Watsons Pond (Bacterial Exceedance)
Templeton – Beamans Pond (Bacterial Exceedance)
Townsend – Pearl Hill Pond Beach (Bacterial Exceedance)
Truro – Longnook (Other)
Wayland – Wayland Town Beach (Harmful Cyanobacteria Bloom)
West Stockbridge – Card Pond Beach (Bacterial Exceedance)
West Tisbury – Seth’s Pond (BActerial Exceedance)
Westboro – Lake Chauncey Beach (Harmful Cyanobacteria Bloom)
Williamstown – Margaret Lindley Park (Bacterial Exceedance)
Winchendon – Lake Dennison State Park (Bacterial Exceedance)
Winchester – Shannon Beach at Upper Mystic (Bacterial Exceedance)
Winthrop – Halford (Bacterial Exceedance)
Winthrop – Winthrop Beach (Bacterial Exceedance)
Worcester – Indian Lake Public Beach (Sherburne Avenue) (Harmful Cyanobacteria Bloom)
Worcester – Lake Quinsigamond – Lake Park Beach and Regatta Point Beach (Bacterial Exceedance)
Worcester – Shore Park (Harmful Cyanobacteria Bloom)
Tags: Beach, massachusetts
Medford native Maria Menounos hosting ‘Heal Squad Day of Reset’ in Yarmouth
Medford native and celebrity Maria Menounos is hosting ‘Heal Squad Day of Reset’ at Red Jacket Beach Resort & Spa in Yarmouth.
Looking for a beach where fellow beachgoers have good manners?
Travel website Exoticca conducted a survey and found the beach with the best beach etiquette in each state, including Massachusetts, so you can know the place where Bay Staters treat both the beach and each other with the most respect.
“We surveyed 3,011 Americans to find out where beachgoers are seen as having the best etiquette, and the results say quite a lot about what people actually want from a beach vacation,” Exoticca said.
In Massachusetts, voters said to head to the North Shore.
Crane Beach — Ipswich, Massachusetts
The extremely popular Crane Beach in the North Shore town of Ipswich was voted the best for beach etiquette by Exoticca’s readers.
Exoticca said that the places that scored the highest in positive beach etiquette were places where people focused on the clarity of the water and the beautiful scenery rather than external distractions like seaside restaurants or shops on the boardwalk, where “everyone around seems to understand that nobody wants the place spoiled.”
Crane Beach is known for its white sand and conservation. It’s one of the nesting places for piping plovers, according to The Trustees.
“To protect threatened shorebirds during your visit, we ask that you avoid the fenced nesting areas and the wrack, the line of washed-up organic debris where the birds feed and hide,” the Trustees said.
Despite having 350,000 people visit annually, according to the Trustees, Crane Beach still achieved the top spot of beach etiquette.
How to visit Crane Beach
Barring going on Martin Luther King Jr. Day or on Veterans’ Day for families with veterans, visitors do have to buy tickets for vehicle entry and parking. Tickets are cheaper if visitors arrive via motorcycle, biking, or walking.
“Strict rules apply: no drop-offs, re-entry for nonmembers, or outside food delivery; dogs and horses are not allowed April 1–September 30,” the ticket selection webpage said.
Rin Velasco is a trending reporter. She can be reached at rvelasco@usatodayco.com.
Massachusetts
Mass stranding of bottlenose dolphins off Cape Cod said to be largest in Massachusetts history
Rescuers were working to save around 30 bottlenose dolphins that got stranded off the coast of Cape Cod early Monday morning. It is the largest known stranding of bottlenose dolphins off Massachusetts, according to the International Fund for Animal Welfare (IFAW).
The dolphins had become stranded between First Light and Ellis Landing in Brewster at about 5:30 a.m. when they came in with the tide. A woman noticed the animals and reported it. The IFAW quickly responded to the area, but five to six of the marine mammals died before help arrived.
The IFAW worked throughout the day on Monday to get the mammals away from the shoreline before the next low tide at 5:13 p.m. They said late Monday afternoon that they were still successfully being steered away.
“Our team remains in the area to monitor and herd the animals away from shore,” an IFAW spokesperson said. “We know these events can sometimes repeat in the coming hours and days, but we remain hopeful.”
The organization said it had seen an uptick in bottlenose dolphins becoming stranded off Cape Cod in the last few years.
“Bottlenose dolphins are typically an offshore species,” the spokesperson said.
They asked that anyone who encounters a stranded or distressed marine mammal not get close and never drag or push the animal back into the water.
“Similar to a person involved in a car accident, dolphins can become injured and exhausted during a stranding event,” the IFAW said.
Instead, they recommend calling their IFAW stranding hotline at 508-743-9548.
A man has died following an apparent drowning at a pond in Randolph, Massachusetts, on Sunday.
The Randolph police and fire departments received a 911 call at around 4 p.m. for a swimmer in distress in the water on Pond Street, according to the Norfolk County District Attorney’s Office..
Firefighters located the man a short time later, officials added, and he was taken by ambulance to an area hospital where he was pronounced dead.
The Kingston Fire Department had said just before 4 p.m. that their dive team was activated for a missing swimmer in Randolph, but that the activation was canceled after the swimmer was located.
Further information is not being released at this time, including the man’s name.
Massachusetts State Police detectives and the Randolph Police Department are investigating.
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