All eyes on high tide as Hurricane Sandy moves north

PALM BEACH, Fla. - The storm may be moving further from south Florida, but the impacts of Hurricane Sandy could be felt for days.

The lifeguards at Palm Beach were not taking any chances on Friday. They got themselves and all visitors off of the beach.

How close is too close? High tide meant high anxiety for onlookers at Palm Beach. Most snapped photographs as they watched the effects of Hurricane Sandy from a safe distance.

"It's rough but it sounds cool," said Denise Blattner, who is visiting Florida from St. Louis, Missouri. "You just have the waves coming in."

There are three main concerns along the Palm Beach County coastline. Powerful winds, beach erosion and the dangerous surf may linger through the weekend.

Blattner and her mother, Lynn, don't get to see the ocean much, especially an ocean that looked like this. "This is awesome. It really is," said Blattner. "Looks like I probably shouldn't swim in it. I might get swallowed up."

The last few lifeguard stands were hoisted up and off of Palm Beach to higher ground on Friday. That proved to be a good move. As the tide came in, it swallowed up the sand and even part of the dunes. "This is a bit rougher," she said. "But it's exciting."

Conditions along the coastline will improve but likely not until after this weekend. Until then, many of the beaches and certainly the water will be off-limits to visitors.