Duval County beaches partially reopened

The official Opening of the Beaches was cancelled in the wake of COVID-19, but residents were more than eager to celebrate the partial reopening of Duval County beaches. City officials announced plans for a limited opening from 6 a.m. to 11 a.m. and 5 p.m. to 8 p.m. for exercise including walking, biking and surfing.
Beachgoers took to the sand at 5 p.m. Friday, April 17, for the first time since the Beaches were closed to the public. Jacksonville Mayor Lenny Curry, with input from Beaches Mayors Charlie Latham, Elaine Brown and Ellen Glasser, developed a strategy to allow for exercise. But critics of the plan said it was too soon and could contribute to spreading the virus.
Hours after Friday’s reopening, Sam Veal decided to take action and developed a concept to promote safe measures to maintaining open beaches. By the following sunrise, a series of informational signs were posted at each beach access, T-shirts were printed and aerial banners were utilized to help raise awareness about how not to spread the virus.
“It was a simple thing. What are we trying to achieve? Well, we want the beaches to be open and we want them to be safe,” Veal said. “You’ve got to take self-responsibility. You help keep the beaches open by staying six feet apart.
Veal, founder of the Springing the Blues Festival and Jax Beach Festivals, established the Coalition for Safe Open Beaches (C4SOB) to encourage beachgoers to “do your part and stay six-feet apart.” The information will also be available at www.safeopenbeaches.org, where beachgoers can pledge to adhere to the guidelines and keep the beaches open, safely.
Signs posted at the beach access points throughout Jacksonville Beach share the message of guidelines, as well as the list of permitted activities, such as walking your dogs or surfing, and emphasize prohibited items, including coolers and chairs. Aerial banners encouraging beachgoers to stay six feet  apart were flown up and down the beachfront for several hours Saturday and Sunday.
“While the city puts it on the Web site, a lot of people don’t know. They just see ‘Hey, the beaches are back open,’ but they don’t know what the rules are, so we give them something to look at when they walk to the beach,” said Veal, who plans to extend his messaging into Neptune and Atlantic Beach.
“Hopefully, people bother to read it. The mission is to help local government officials in messaging and encouraging people to follow the rules.”
Veal is hoping to enlist the help of area individuals, nonprofits and businesses to join C4SOB to assist local authorities with messaging, as well as encouraging the public on the importance of following the guidelines.
Contact safeopenbeaches@gmail.com or call 270-9301 for more information.