The Long Lake Town Beach opened on Wednesday, June 17th with guidelines in place for Summer 2020.  The beach is open daily 10am – 6pm. 

Due to Covid-19 there are new directives and rules that will be in place for 2020 and we want to make sure everyone is aware of the changes.

FOR 2020 – COVID 19

Currently the maximum capacity of the beach is reduced by 50% which is 73 beach patrons. 

Everyone wanting to set up blankets/space – will check in with designated Beach Safety Monitor and work with Safety Monitor to do Contact Tracing & check Symptoms and log in.  All bathers must check in to maintain an accurate head-count. Contact tracing is respecfully requested and it is up to inviduals to participate voluntarily in the beach contact tracing program.  

All family units/groups that check in and seek a place to set up on the  sandy beach will be spaced out 10 feet apart. The Lifeguard/Beach Safety Monitor will measure any groups arriving to ensure the spacing between blankets/groups.

Each group will have a max of 10 patrons.  If members of your family unit/household/group want to socialize with another group and are less than six feet apart, the rule is to please wear a mask if socializing with someone not in your group, especially less than 6 feet apart.

Swimming – There will be capacity limits on the swim docks and in swim area, currently it is at max 10 per big swim dock and maximum 3 per each side dock. We are going to ask all bathers not in the same ‘family unit/group’ to do their best to stay six feet apart.

Swimmers will NOT have to wear masks when swimming. Lifeguards will NOT be wearing masks while actively monitoring and guarding the water – but when less than 6 feet apart from a member of the public, masks will have to be worn by all.

Please distance yourself from the Lifeguard Stand – 6 feet.

If you do have an injury, cut, or medical concern, please go to the lifeguard stand. Do not leave wounds untended. All guards are Waterfront Safety Trained/CPR and Red Cross First Aid Certified. Please wear a mask near the lifeguards or one will be provided to you.

Bathroom – please visit the bathroom with your group only.  Please avoid sharing bathroom with members of the public outside your group to limit your exposure. Wear a mask while in the bathroom.  

Water Fountain – there will be a foot pedal installed at the fountain to minimize the high contact touching of the water fountain.

There will be sanitizer at waters edge for bathers to sanitize hands before and after entering water. Bathers may also use the beach bathroom and wash hands with warm water/soap for 20 seconds per CDC recommendations.

There will be a roped area marking the beach/sandy area to hold the 73 capacity of the “beach patrons” this way guards and Beach Safety Monitor won’t count people on the grassy area/by gazebo as part of the “beach count” for capacity. As bathers move in and out of the sandy beach area they will be counted – so if the beach is crowded please note that the capacity is 73.

Please note the only allowable swimming and or wading is in the designated beach area only. If visitors to the beach are outside the designated swim area and are in the water, swimming or wading, the lifeguards are authorzied to ask bathers/patrons/visitors to move into the designated bathing area and or to stay out of the water. 

We please ask for your patience will we navigate these new rules. These are from the New York State Department of Health, American Red Cross and Re-Open New York Phased Reopening Plan and through the Hamilton County Department of Public Health.

The mini-trampoline is currently closed until further notice for repairs. 

There is currently no frisbee, beach volleyball, football on the beach or pick up sports permitted on the beach. There is no tying of multiple boats, vessels for group on the water.

Large gatherings and picnics are not allowed. No sharing of food outside your family unit.

Please note: All employees will be checked daily for Covid-19 symptoms and there will be a symptom log maintained at the beach.

The NYS Beach Covid-19 Safety Plan will be on file with the lifeguards.

There are no swimming lessons scheduled for summer 2020.

BEACH

If you are feeling sick, please do not come to the beach. 

Symptoms of Covid-19 are:

Fever, Chills, Cough, difficulty breathing, fatigue, muscle aches, headache, loss of smell/taste, sore throat, congestion/runny nose, respiratory symptoms, nausea, diarrhea.  If you are experience any of these symptoms please stay home. 

General Rule:

The Town of Long Lake does not allow Personal Floatation Devices of any kind at the Long Lake Town Beach.
 
Why not? 
 
Long Lake Beach has two designated areas for swimming. A shallow section for inexperienced swimmers, just learning how to swim and a deep end.  Only strong swimmers who comfortably pass a test are permitted to swim in the deep end and to the swim dock.

-Life jackets provide a false sense of security by allowing a non-swimmer to enter an area that is too deep causing panic and possibly disaster.

-Without the flotation device(s) the attending adult will stay with the child.

-Inflatable devices are easily punctured or torn by teeth, fingernails and foreign objects.

-A non-swimmer would have a difficult, if not hazardous, situation attempting to regain buoyancy in deep water after slipping off, or out of, the flotation device(s).

-Use of Floatation Devices places a burden on the lifeguard, distracting from his/her guarding duties, to inspect and make sure that all straps and other devices are secure on the person entering the water.

-If one individual is allowed a flotation device, then everyone must be permitted to use one, and not everyone has “approved” equipment.

-According to the U.S Coast Guard, life vests should be worn to prevent drowning, but can be useless if not worn properly. 
 
-Children panic when they fall into the water suddenly. This causes them to move their arms and legs violently, making it hard to float safely in a PFD (personal flotation device).

-While a PFD will keep a child afloat, it may not keep a struggling child face-up. 
 
For questions or concerns regarding the Town of Long Lake’s Floatation Device policy please contact the Long Lake Town Supervisor at 518-624-3001

For ADA Accomodations please see the attending lifeguards or contact the Long Lake Town Supervisor. 

Curious where the re-opening rules came from?  They are directives developed and released by NYS. 

Here’s a link https://www.governor.ny.gov/sites/governor.ny.gov/files/atoms/files/NYSGuidenceBeachesLakesSummaryGuidance.pdf