People duck into Shriver's Salt Water Taffy for some confections.
By MADDY VITALE
The Heckmans weren’t going to let a forecast of rains and flooding stop them from taking a planned road trip to Ocean City on Sunday.
The Reading, Pa., family strolled the Boardwalk, stopped in an arcade, bought some candies at Shriver’s Salt Water Taffy and checked out the waves and rough surf.
“We had this trip planned for two weeks,” said dad, Ian Heckman.
Heckman and his wife, Dennise, brought their daughter, Autumn, down to the resort to celebrate her 18th birthday. Autumn was joined by brother, Takoda, and her boyfriend, Donny Snyder, not to mention the two family dogs, Dixie and T-Bone.
“We’re here for the day,” said Dennise. "We're having a great time."
Autumn loves Ocean City and one of her birthday wishes was to spend the day here, no matter what the weather was like.
The Heckmans seemed to take the chilly, wet weather and winds in stride.
"I wanted to bring our dogs down to the beach," Autumn said.
It was a quick walk, because they didn't want the dogs to get cold.
“We’re going to get a bite to eat at a dog-friendly restaurant and then hit the road,” Ian said, adding that there are a couple of pet-friendly restaurants in the area.
Like the Heckmans, some others came out to make the most of the gloomy day. Some Boardwalk strollers breezed in and out of the shops and restaurants.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AU3nWmJa_Do
Ocean City Public Information Officer Doug Bergen said the resort lucked out with the storm.
“Ocean City was extremely fortunate on Sunday morning. The tidal gauge at the Bayside Center topped out at 5.75 feet, mean low water, after the National Weather Service, as of Saturday evening, had predicted 7.1 feet,” Bergen explained. “That’s a major departure to the good side, and the city experienced no widespread street flooding.”
Bergen cautioned, however, that a coastal flood advisory remains in effect until 5 p.m. Monday.
He added that the NWS had predicted a tide of 5.9 feet for 11:55 p.m. Sunday and 6.8 feet for 12:07 p.m. Monday. 
A seagull takes a chilly dip in the floodwaters on Haven Avenue near the Ninth Street corridor.
For fisherman John Richards, of Marmora, who belongs to the Ocean City Fishing Club, fishing wasn’t exactly on his mind Sunday afternoon.
He had his heart set on the perfect photos. He chose the loggia at the Music Pier to take photos of the waves crashing along the shore.
“They said the waves were supposed to hit about 15 feet," said Richards, who took up photography three years ago. "They aren’t anywhere near it. I guess because it’s not as windy as first predicted.”
Still, he was pleased with some of his shots.
“Wow, my wife would love to see this,” Richards said of a group of ducks riding the waves. “Something must be churned up in the sand.”
John Richards, of Marmora, searches for the perfect shot of the rough surf.
While some people watched the waves in amazement, others just wanted to take a quick look and then dash into Manco & Manco Pizza.
That was the case for Erin Visalli, of Ocean City.
“I wanted to pick up some pizza for my family,” she said. “The kids are in the car with my husband.”
Visalli said she didn't have any flooding problems near her Ocean City business, Relax Concierge, located at Second Street and West Avenue.
And she was happy all of the action was in the ocean.
“The waves are fierce,” Visalli said. “They’re really beautiful to see.”
Erin Visalli, of Ocean City, is on her way to pick up pizza for her family.
People duck into Shriver's Salt Water Taffy for some confections.
