Wildwood Closes Beach, Boardwalk

Starting at midnight on April 8th, the beaches, boardwalk, bike path and sea wall in North Wildwood and Wildwood will close.

According to the Cape May County Herald, the ban prohibits "sunbathing, sitting in chairs, lying on blankets, organized sports, and grouping of people on the beach" until May 1st. The towns also list exceptions to the ban including "walking, jogging, biking, fishing, surfing, and metal detecting".

I actually like this version of the ban rather than the complete closure of the beaches that we've seen in other towns. I obviously support banning "groups" and "organized sports", because those go against the definition of "social distancing"...but it's good to allow people to walk and bike and just get outdoors for a bit. One of the biggest problems right now seems to be the contradictions between state and local officials when it comes to what is closed, and what "social distancing" means. Sometimes we're told to stay indoors or in our own backyard, other times we're told to go for a walk or jog around the neighborhood. State parks are still open, while Ocean County Parks are not.

The new rules for the Wildwoods may still have some loopholes ("Can I bring a chair to sit in while I fish? Can I have a towel or blanket on the sand to sit on after I surf?") they at least allow people to fight off cabin fever for a bit. I think the biggest key is to stay responsible, and not ruin it for everyone. Don't try to have a beach party, don't bring a cooler out and have a picnic - just get some exercise, get some fresh air, and stay away from the other people on the beach.

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