MARTIN COUNTY, Fla. — As Hurricane Erin churns offshore, waves are surging along the Treasure Coast, drawing surfers to local beaches and prompting safety warnings from lifeguards.
At Jensen Beach, surf conditions steadily intensified on Tuesday. Surfers were taking full advantage of the powerful swells.
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“This is what we’ve been waiting for all Summer. There’s great swell coming in,” said surf Coach Brett Jenkins.
“Definitely one of the best days of the Summer today,” added young surfer Gabby Antenucci.
While the waves offered excitement for experienced surfers, it’s a different story for casual swimmers and beachgoers.
“It’s starting to get pretty rough. I don’t even think I would go out there today,” said Steve Whitaker, visiting the beach.
“It was nice. I went in and it was a little rough, but I’m not going back in anymore,” said Louis Rosario.
The rough waters have Martin County Ocean Rescue on high alert. Lifeguards are closely monitoring the conditions and preparing for a long week of dangerous surf.
“We’ll most likely be flying red flags for the next five to six days, depending on how long the surf sticks around,” said Ian Montgelas, Ocean Rescue Chief for Martin County.
The biggest threat this week, according to Montgelas, is rip currents, which can quickly pull swimmers away from shore.
“I would recommend that, really, only if you're going to get in the water, go about waist deep and don’t go any further,” he advised.
Forecasts show the waves will likely continue building through the week, with surf expected to reach five to eight feet by Thursday.
Despite the conditions, surfers like Gabby Antenucci say the reward is worth the challenge.
“There’s definitely a lot of paddling, but once you’re like on the wave it’s definitely relief and definitely super fun.”
Martin County Ocean Rescue advises swimmers and beach-goers to use caution and only enter the water at guarded beaches, as strong currents could be present beneath the surface.
“It’s going to look inviting, people are going to want to go in because it looks beautiful, but it’s actually not,” Montgelas warned.
If you do get caught in a rip current, experts say the most important thing is not to panic. Instead, swim parallel to the shoreline until you're out of the current, then head back to shore.
