Welcome

Since 1911, the Cape May Beach Patrol has served the beaches of Cape May.  Though much has changed in the past 100 years, the principles and goals of our organization have not — keeping you safe!

  • Our hours are 10:00 AM to 5:00 PM.

  • We provide an emergency response team until dusk, responding to 911 calls for water rescues. Additionally, a number of guards are outfitted with pagers to respond to calls 24 hours a day, anywhere on Cape Island.

  • We protect every beach in Cape May City proper, from “The Cove” to “Poverty Beach,” which is roughly a 2.5-mile stretch.

  • During peak season, nearly 60 guards staff 25 stands overseeing tens of thousands of bathers. Guards respond to hundreds of water and medical emergencies and provide other public services.

  • Each day, 3-5 Lieutenants work supervising, training, and responding to medical and other emergencies. Each lieutenant is an NJ Department of Health certified EMT. Additionally, many other guards have chosen to train to the EMT level or higher on their own. Further EMS service is provided by the Cape May Fire Department.

  • Please explore our website and utilize the resources, including Beach Policies, watch our YouTube safety channel, learn about Employment or view a map of our stands and permitted activity.

Scroll Down for Safety Information

Safety

The beach is a place we all naturally associate with relaxation and enjoyment. It is important, however, to remain mindful of the dangers mother nature can present, both in the water and on the sand. By following some basic guidelines and listening to the lifeguards, you can ensure a safe and pleasurable time at the beach.

In The Water

Learn To Swim. This is the single most important aspect of preventive water safety. Teach children to swim at an early age.

Never Swim Alone.  Have a friend or family member in the water, or at least on the beach within sight.

Swim Near a Lifeguard.  The overwhelming majority of drownings occur on unguarded beaches or after guards have gone off-duty.  Statistics gathered by the United States Lifesaving Association indicate that the chance of drowning at an unguarded beach is nearly five times the risk of drowning at a USLA guarded beach.

Protect Your Neck.  Serious, lifelong injuries, including paraplegia, occur every year due to diving headfirst into unknown water and striking the bottom. People in Cape May have been seriously injured by diving headfirst, improperly riding waves, and entering surf beyond their skill level. Bodysurfing and bodyboarding can result in a severe neck injury when the swimmer’s head strikes the bottom. Check for depth and obstructions before diving, then go in feet first the first time.  Use caution while bodysurfing, always extending a hand ahead of you or carefully distributing weight on your board.

Understand Rip Currents. 
Rip currents are the leading cause of beach drownings and the most common cause of rescues. A rip current is a quickly moving offshore current.  Whereas regular currents run parallel with the incoming and outgoing tide, rip currents are less predictable and flow perpendicular to the tidal currents.  A trained lifeguard can spot a rip current and assess its strength from the beach quickly.  They are usually identified by agitated, murky water, distinct from the rest of the ocean.  They often exist permanently near ocean structures such as jetties.  If caught in a riptide:

  • Remain calm. If there is a lifeguard on duty, wave your arms, signaling your distress. If no lifeguard is on duty, generate attention to other beachgoers. They should immediately call 911.

  • Do not attempt to swim against a strong current. If you cannot touch the ground to walk in, swim parallel to the beach out of the rip current and then directly to shore. (shown in the diagram to the right)

During A Storm

Take Thunderstorms Seriously.  Lightning bolts can reach miles beyond the edge of a storm.   Although the chance of being struck by lightning is minimal, being in the wrong place at the wrong time will greatly increase that chance — being in an open area or near a body of water is surely the wrong place to be.

Lifeguard Headquarters monitors the weather in addition to using a special electronic storm detection system.  If it is determined an electrical storm may hit the beach, lifeguards will be alerted by radio, and they will immediately whistle on the beaches by pointing back to the entrances.

NEVER UNDERESTIMATE THE SPEED OF AN IMPENDING STORM

Exit the beach immediately and seek shelter, such as your vehicle.  The beaches will remain closed until the storm has passed. No one is permitted on the beach until they officially reopen.  Beach status may be monitored on Twitter at @CMBeachPatrol, and feel free to check our Weather & Tides page.

On The Sand

Apply Sunscreen Early:   The use of sunscreen will reduce the chance of sunburns and more severe skin problems.  Fair-skinned individuals are more susceptible to the sun than those with a darker complexion.

Drink Water, Avoid Alcohol:  It is easy to become dehydrated in the summer heat.  Drink water before you feel thirsty.  Failure to keep hydrated can quickly bring on heat exhaustion and eventually even lead to heatstroke.  Alcohol will exacerbate dehydration.  If you or someone in your party feels dizzy, faint, or disoriented, see a lifeguard immediately.

Respect Wildlife:  You may encounter wildlife in the water and on the beach.  Keep a safe distance from any animals you come across. If stung by a jellyfish, a solution of vinegar and water will alleviate any pain. If you have hives or breathing difficulty, see a lifeguard immediately. Do not feed the seagulls, as our food is extremely bad for their health.

Hole Safety:  Holes must not be dug past the waist level of the shortest person around the hole.  They must be filled in before leaving.

Avoid the Rocks: The rocks are extremely dangerous. They are slippery and surrounded by rough waters. That is why there is NO climbing or standing permitted on the rocks. The Lifeguards enforce this rule on all beaches for your safety.

Flags

Obey Posted Signs and Flags:  Read the signs when you first arrive and please follow their direction. Flags may be flown by lifeguards to advise of conditions and boundaries that change from time to time.

Additionally, Cape May uses a series of numbered signs at the reverse side of each beach entrance, visible from the water.  If you find yourself in an emergency, you may use this number to identify the 911 dispatcher, who will relay this to Firefighters and Beach Patrol Members responding to your call.

Cape May uses the following conditional flag system:

Green – Low Hazard
(Enjoy the water)

Yellow – Caution
(Take caution & ask your Lifeguard)

Purple – Sea Pests 
(Jellyfish, etc.)

Red – High Hazard
(Typically no bathing, sometimes surfing)

Red – No Swim Symbol
(Swim boundary) /
(No swimming here)

Double Red 
(No Swimming)

These are some informative videos made by the CMBP to show proper Body Surfing and Boogie Boarding techniques that will aid in avoiding injuries while out in the water.

Make sure to check out our Beach Policies Here