Los Angeles is reopening beaches but won’t allow sunbathing or gathering

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Last Friday, California went into early Stage II of reopening, which allowed businesses such as florists, clothing, book, music and sporting goods stores to reopen for curbside pick-ups. There are still restrictions in place, like the fact that malls cannot reopen so really, only mall anchor stores or those with street front entrances can open in Stage II. In addition, counties will make the decision to open or not, based on their COVID-19 numbers or how well they think people will adhere to the guidelines. But the big question on many Californians minds, and the reason a lot of residents are supposedly protesting the Safer AT Home ordinances, is what about our beaches? After all, we pay through the nose to live near the shoreline and if we can walk around the streets, why can’t we walk on the sand? Well, starting today, we can, at least here in So Cal. If we play by the rules – and by “rules” we basically mean: keep moving.

Los Angeles County beaches, which have been closed for more than six weeks, should reopen Wednesday with some restrictions on activities and other rules in place, officials said Monday.

Manhattan, Redondo and other county beaches will reopen on May 13 for active recreation only, the Department of Beaches and Harbors said on Twitter. Permitted activities will include running, walking, swimming and surfing. Group sports like volleyball are prohibited.

More languid activities, including picnicking and sunbathing, and their accessories — canopies, coolers and the like — will continue to be prohibited.

Face coverings will be mandatory for anyone on the sand, but not for people in the water. People will be required to practice social distancing by staying at least six feet away from other groups, the department said.

[From Los Angeles Times]

I have no idea how this is going to go. My guess is we should be fine until the weekend, then it will really test our mettle. Working in favor of the restrictions is that May Grey has kicked in. May Grey/June Gloom in Southern California means cooler weather and many overcast days that make the beach less favorable for sunbathers. Great for surfing, body-surfing and walks, though. I may eat these words come Sunday, but I think we can do it. It has been so hard to have the open spaces closed, I think most of us are willing to take turns so we can at least have access to them. This is the kind of sacrificing we should be talking about, alternating trips to the shore with our neighbors, not whether it should be grandma or grandpa thrown into the volcano so Karen can get her split ends trimmed. I’ve been driving along the shore about 3-4 times a week just to see it. I open the window and smell the salt in the air. Sometimes I park in the hills so I can watch the waves crash into the sand. I want them open, especially since our Stay At Home orders have been extended until July. And I want them open bad enough that I am willing to keep my distance, so they remain open.

Although I am still a huge advocate for CA Gov. Newsom and LA Mayor Garcettis’s measures, my only complaint is that city and county public works websites should have up-to-date opening/closure information. I searched everywhere about my local dog parks – their websites, blogs, social media – and found nothing. Fortunately, I thought to drive to our usual park alone, without my dogs, to verify because it is, in fact, very closed. If I’d taken them after a two-month absence, only to turn around and leave without getting out, my dogs would never speak to me again. Same thing with the nearest dog beach – nothing says it’s closed but I just called and they are. Even after my pups double-dog promised to not sit still for a minute if they could just see their friends. *Big Dog Sigh*

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29 Responses to “Los Angeles is reopening beaches but won’t allow sunbathing or gathering”

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  1. Becks1 says:

    I think the reopening is going to be tricky everywhere. Here in MD, our beaches opened up last weekend, but no chairs or blankets are allowed, and the restaurants etc at the local beach town are still closed, so I don’t think the tourists have hit it up yet.

    We are supposedly going to enter Stage 1 of reopening on Friday and I just know people will eff it up, because it seems so vague what it actually “is.” Smaller nonessential businesses will be allowed to open, like the local bookstore, and small outdoor religious gatherings, and I “think” we will be allowed to see friends again with proper social distancing? But I’m not sure.

    • Erinn says:

      We had a few things open up last week in Nova Scotia too – provincial trails and parks. They had essentially canceled the lake/river fishing season but ended up allowing it (I do think it was partially a bone being thrown since they announced some federal firearm bans) and I actually have seen people keeping at least 6 feet away from each other which I hadn’t expected them to do. It’s great for a lot of people though because there’s a big dedicated group who go Kiack fishing and that’s where they make a good chunk of income. I think that’s actually the Mi’kmaq word for the fish – they’re called alewife elsewhere (found all the way down to North Carolina).

      But not beaches yet. Which – it’s freezing. We literally had snow this weekend. It’s unseasonably cold, so it’s not a big loss. But I do miss beach walks really bad. We live about a 10 to 15 minute drive from a big provincial beach and it’s SO good for walking.

      I’m still waiting for people to mess it up. Our provincial covid cases have been under 5 for the last few days, but I’m thinking we might see a spike in a week or two. They’re still saying that they want to see it down to basically nothing for at least 14-28 days before doing any major shifts. And other provinces are talking about loosening up on travel, but so far we aren’t (thankfully!).

  2. K says:

    I live year round at “the jersey shore.” No plan in place yet. We are the most densely populated state and during the summer millions and millions of people pack the beaches from NY, NYC, PA and surrounding areas.

    • lucy2 says:

      I do too, and my local area has some plans in place. Rental ban ends June 1st, beaches are open with restrictions, and they’re working to get restaurants to space out their seating and limit capacity, but so far nothing is open beyond take out.
      I’m very concerned about all the people coming, especially from NYC and north Jersey though, and don’t think I’ll be hanging out around the beach anytime soon. I think we’re going to get another surge in cases, and it’s not going to be good. I’m hoping to work from home and avoid people as much as possible.

      • pottymouth pup says:

        I can guarantee you that a lot of the folks from the Philly suburbs who liken what we’re going through to being under house arrest/concentration camps are already making it clear that they plan to travel from their homes in hot spots out to not only neighboring counties but also down the shore as soon as other places loosen regulations. I have seen enough postings on my local nextdoor threads with those people stating they are sick and tired of “being punished,” “lied to” & “held captive” because our mortalities rates are higher than other red areas of the state due to all the elderly folks in nursing homes getting sick, and they double down with comments to the effect that anyone who wants to avoid catching something from them if they’re spreading it, should just stay in their own house all the time. Luckily most people don’t feel that way, but there are enough people who are perfectly fine with other people paying the price (and you know these will be the first people to pitch a fit if one of their kids gets sick too)

      • lucy2 says:

        Yup, it’s not going to be good. I’m staying home as much as possible.
        I really feel for those who work essential jobs around here, and those who rely on the summer season for their income. I just hope there aren’t too many a-holes refusing to wear masks, starting problems, etc.

  3. Other Renee says:

    I live ten minutes from the beach and have no desire to go there even to walk til there’s a vaccine in place. What is the big freaking deal about the beach? It’s an absurd place to (omg am I really gonna say this?) draw a line in the sand! Does anyone really believe that anyone will be safe there? It will just take one infected moron passing you by within inches to get you sick. I go out once a week to shop for food. I take daily walks in a neighborhood where people are respectful about maintaining distance. I adore restaurants but haven’t eaten anything In two months that I haven’t prepared. I have raging asthma and dry cough allergies this year and yes I am paranoid. My husband and I got tested this weekend and are negative. I’d like to keep it that way.

    • K says:

      To each his own, I suppose. The beach is my favorite place in the world. As a surfer and water bug from day 1 – it’s hard to imagine no beach or ocean.

      • Other Renee says:

        K, I too love walking on the beach. I just don’t think it’s worth endangering my life or the lives of others over. I’ll wait.

      • Prayer Warrior says:

        I’m the opposite…I love the forests, but because so many of the paths are narrow have been avoiding walks in the forest. The beach allows good distancing opportunities a crowded (one other person and their dog) forest path can not.
        I have balance issues, so carry a walking stick that is 4′[ long. When I feel threatened, I hold it horizontally at my hip and say..you need to be 2 feet away from the end of my stick..which I use because my personal spacial perception is bad and I might get too close to you by accident…blaming myself seems to reduce the assholian responses……

    • Kkat says:

      I’m in southern california and we plan on going to the beach to swim this summer.
      the beach we go to tends to have a low population. As in: when it’s crowded there is still 50 feet between where people are sitting. So pretty low exposure risk.
      Plus my family is getting over Covid 19 now so we are low risk for getting and giving it.
      We got it starting March 23rd and are still recovering, it takes forever to get over it!

  4. jessamine says:

    I live in a coastal town in southern Maine and our beaches closed pretty early to deter the massive influx of MA and NY’ers trying to “escape” the virus. Parts of the area are just starting to reopen and we are already swarmed with summer people and tourists clearly not respecting the “2 week quarantine” mandate posted at every entrance to the state and homegrown anti-maskers. It’s a mess.

  5. Ohpioneer says:

    We in Ohio are in phase 1 of reopening. Manufacturing that is non essential was allowed to reopen last week ( with mask/ distance rules in place). On Tuesday stand alone retail businesses opened (mask/ distance/ number of customers at one time rules in place). Friday restaurants can have patio dining ( lol it’s Ohio it snowed two days ago) and barber shops/hair salons can open ( strict rules for masks/ number of customers/cleaning/ appointments only/ wait in car rules in place). My hair salon is a single stylist (with one customer at a time all the time so no change there), mask required, wait in car until she texts you to come in, hand washing before service required so I feel safe having my roots touched up & my ends trimmed. My son will continue to do our grocery shopping and I sure don’t intend to do any nonessential shopping. I am approaching this with caution.

  6. Also Ali says:

    Newsome is opening up the state but the counties, like LA county who said its shelter in place is being extended through July, can make their own decisions.

    Are people in LA county going to stay home if people in Ventura county can start going to stores, get back to work and do things like take their dog to the groomer?

    People in Florida are sunbathing on the beach, back dining in restaurants and getting hair cuts all without masks.

    Is this still a pandemic or not?

  7. SamC says:

    I live in a coastal Rhode Island town and we started phase one reopening May 9, with an order to wear masks even outside May 8. Same as the Maine poster, locals are adhering to the rules but the influx of NY and CT plates parked in town was crazy, as was their lack of social distancing and arguing with shop owners about masks. They also seem to think their dogs poop was going to magically disappear or we have poop fairies come through to clean every night, but that’s another rant.

  8. KellyRyan says:

    I’m at the southern most end of Kern County within 15 miles of LA County and close to Ventura. My news source for this area is both Kern and LA. It was announced this morning The Rose Bowl will be open for the walking loop, another good area for exercise. Living in the mountains, Las Padres National Forest, all of our walking, hiking trails are open. I’m in firm approval of opening gradually.

    • Mara says:

      That sounds lovely, from someone stuck in dull suburbs, take advantage of mountain hiking for me

  9. Noodle says:

    I’m in Orange County, CA and I was so excited for the early phase 2 reopening last week. Come to find out, the stores are open ONLY for curbside pickup. You can’t actually go into the stores. You can’t actually see what you might want to buy. You can only guess, then meet an employee by a curb to pick it up. I am not a huge shopper by any means, but man, I am dying to go to Home Goods and just walk around to feel some sense of normalcy. I don’t actually want to buy anything; I just want not to feel like the sky is falling every moment of the day.

    • ME says:

      It’ll probably be 2022 before that happens…sorry.

      • Noodle says:

        @me, nooooooooo!!! And I am sheltering in place and being smart and avoiding people and protestors (I’m in Huntington Beach where so many of the out-of-town MAGA folks love to parade down Main St), but I dream of walking Home Goods or Nordstrom Rack for normalcy. I’m home with three kiddos, and I work FT and took on a PT gig while my husband is out on disability. It’s so mundane to dream of walking a store aisle, yet, here I am.

    • Prayer Warrior says:

      Many of our grocery stores have created one-way aisles, so all human traffic is being routed in the same direction, allowing for better distancing opportunities. But when I bent down to get my peanut butter, one man just couldn’t wait less that 1.5 seconds and came too close to pass me. I muttered, but did not speak out because I’m just exhausted taking abuse from the self-entitled.

  10. ME says:

    I really believe the morons that are out and about don’t watch the news. They don’t see the people sick and dying from this virus. Is the beach worth your life? Is a hair cut or manicure worth your life ??!!

    • Noodle says:

      @me, unfortunately many of them are thinking of themselves and not others. I’m quarantining because my best friend and mom are immune-compromised. If I get it I’ll (probably) be fine; they won’t, and I don’t think I could forgive myself if one of the died because of me. A haircut or manicure isn’t worth it to me.

  11. Prayer Warrior says:

    Last Friday I got out of the shower. My hair cutting gal was on my patio. I had already set up a well-sanitized work station for her, with face masks & gloves for us and alcohol swabs for her tools (I use them to clean my tools at work so as to not spread viruses or disease or pests or bacteria from one plant to another). She cut my hair, used my cleaned toilet, washed her hands, and left. She was here for maybe 20 minutes, tops. For me, it was a medical relief, because oddly, I am allergic to my own hair, and if it gets around my face, chest or neck, I get itchy hives. We both felt safe, and have self-isolated again to be sure neither made the other ill. We’re both good, and I’m very, very grateful to her because the hives were starting to travel around the rest of my body, but had we not felt safe, being itchy is not as bad as being dead. But we both took precautions, we were outside not in a salon, and we had both been very pro-actively isolating. I think this kind of thing will become everyone’s “new normal”…..

    • Amelie says:

      You’re allergic to your own hair?? How is your entire scalp not covered in hives then? I would imagine someone being allergic to their own hair to have to be completely bald. What kind of products do you use in it? Crazy but I’m glad your hairstylist was able to provide you some relief.

    • Reece says:

      Are you sure it isn’t anything you use in your hair? I would imagine you would be covered in hives because we all have hair everywhere. Or your say you work with plants so maybe one of them or something your use while working with them? Or the environment around you? Or idk, keratin, it’s the main protein in hair and nails?
      Just brainstorming because that has to one of the worst allergies I’ve heard of.

  12. Amelie says:

    It sounds like CA is going the way of Florida for the beaches, Florida has also reopened a lot of beaches but no sunbathing or picnicking allowed either. However I’m also reading some Florida beaches have closed again because they became overcrowded so that’ll probably happen in other parts of the country. Stores are also reopening down there, my aunt has a retail job at the mall and said her store would be reopening soon.

    I am near the epicenter of the pandemic living right on the NY/CT border. They are starting to reopen parks in this area of CT but the benches are taped off, no sunbathing or ball playing allowed and people are to stick to the walking paths. As for NY beaches, most of those are on Long Island like the Rockaways in Queens, Jones Beach, Robert Moses, Fire Island, etc. I would’t be surprised if those beaches remain closed for most of the summer. If NY beaches remain closed, the influx of people from NY and PA will flock to the Jersey Shore which means NJ will most likely end up closing their beaches too. There’s no way NJ can keep its beaches open if NY keeps its beaches closed.

    Luckily our family has a boat so… if we really want to go swimming we can always go out into the Long Island Sound, drop anchor, and swim around. The virus isn’t going to survive in saltwater after all.

    My biggest thing though is hiking. There’s a lot of hiking in the Hudson Valley and a lot of popular places are still closed (like the super popular Breakneck Ridge near Cold Spring). My family went out to Rockefeller State Park last weekend which is open, a place we had never been, and pretty much everyone was wearing a mask and social distancing, apart from the runners (*shakes fist*). The place was so big though that we could find paths off the main trails that were practically empty and were able to enjoy being out in nature which was great.

  13. Reece says:

    I’m glad that we can go and walk around. That was what I’ve been missing.
    Personally, I hate sunbathing anyway. We live in CA what do you need to fry your skin for when it happens naturally. I digress.

  14. Anna says:

    Illinois is taking the phases slowly but people are acting like the pandemic is over where I live (which unfortunately is not true since we are in the highest risk categories). I’m afraid to leave my apartment because people are being so reckless; it’s more nerve-wracking to take the elevator to leave the building for a walk or bike ride than to actually be outside, even on a nice day with lots of people out and about. I almost feel like I should wear a hazmat suit to leave and enter the building. I notice that, not speaking for any other location but here in this building complex, it’s southeast asian (usually Indian), black youth, and white people including elders, that are not wearing masks. Strange but consistently these very specific groups in this area which is largely Black with universities and hospitals that have very international staff and students. Every other demographic across race, age, gender, nationality, are wearing masks. Though one thing I’ve noticed a lot is all kinds of people wearing masks around their chins. Like, there is no use then, is there? It’s just chin decoration. (And not talking here about the beard covers) It’s very frustrating because what can you do or say? I don’t want to infringe on people’s freedoms but I also want to stay health and alive. And there seems to be so much misinformation. The reason you wear a mask is to protect other people from you as a potential carrier as well as to protect yourself. But it seems like people just don’t care or don’t think they can spread the virus. It’s so confusing to me how people can see signs everywhere and notices from the governor and mayor, and still are like, no, that doesn’t apply to me. I just don’t get it.