By MADDY VITALE
The thought of lounging on the beach in late October, in a bathing suit no less, would seem pretty unlikely.
But on Saturday, sun-splashed skies and temps hitting the high 70s, made it very likely. As a result, residents and visitors took to Ocean City’s beaches to lounge, dip their toes in the water and enjoy some beach games.
Diane Sykes, of Audubon, N.J., played in the sand with her grandchildren, Ezra, 6, and 3-year-old David Walker, of Mount Ephraim.
“We are here for a birthday celebration and the ocean is our party,” Sykes said with a laugh. “We drove down today.”
The family, which also includes the boys’ 9-year-old sister, Evelyn, couldn’t wait to get to the beach.
They settled quickly on the Ninth Street beach, where they spent much of the day.
“The water is so beautiful,” Sykes said. “I didn’t bring a bathing suit because I didn’t think it would be warm enough, but it is.”
The boys were busy creating a sandcastle with the help of their grandmother.
“We are also going to walk on the Boardwalk later,” Sykes said, noting that other family members wanted to get the most out of the warm, summer-like day.
Just one beach over, Laurie and Matt Olsen, of Manheim, Pa., and their three children, ages 13, 11 and 8, also chose Ocean City for an enjoyable, unseasonably warm day at the beach.
At noon, Laurie decided to read a good book and just chill, while her husband and the kids did some exploring on the beach at Eighth Street.
“We are here for the day. We figured we had to take advantage of this beautiful weather,” Laurie said. “I’m being lazy and reading while they are having fun on the jetty.”
While some beachgoers relaxed on the beach or walked along the water’s edge, Josh Linthicum, of Ocean City, spent some quality time surfing.
By noon, he already surfed for about three hours and it was time to head home.
“It is a gorgeous day. The water is super clear,” Linthicum said.
As a longtime surfer and Ocean City resident, he is familiar with the beaches and the surf in his hometown.
He noted that over the years, he has seen some warm days in October like the one on Saturday, but not many.
“There have been a few. Today the skies are blue. There are no clouds in the sky,” he said. “You couldn’t ask for a better day.”
