How to stay safe at the beach on Labor Day

KURE BEACH, NC (WWAY) — For many people, Labor Day will be the last chance to enjoy a day at the beach.

However, many of the beaches in the Cape Fear are also feeling the effects of Idalia days after it hit.

In Kure Beach, all of the lifeguard stands were taken down before the storm.

Lifeguards will continue to patrol the beaches on ATVs, on the lookout for any rip currents forming.

Despite that, there hasn’t been a noticeable increase in the number of water rescues due to red flags keeping people out of the water.

Assistant head lifeguard Bellamy Tyson said if you do go in the water, it’s important to know what to look out for.

“I would say swim near a lifeguard,” Tyson said. “I would say, look at the water, know your limits. Don’t swim in a rip current. If you’re looking for a rip current, you see waves crashing at a diagonal, at an angle coming in. You see, like a, almost a different coloration in the water because the sand is getting picked up.”

The lifeguard stands will remain down and will not be used for the rest of this season as Labor Day usually signals the end of the summer season.