JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – The Jacksonville Fire and Rescue Department's Ocean Rescue Squad will provide lifeguard services at Little Talbot Island on Memorial Day.
The beach typically does not have lifeguards posted, and a man and a boy went missing over the weekend in the Atlantic Ocean off the island, which is located off Heckscher Drive.
Recommended Videos
Nearby Big Talbot Island State Park off State Road A1A North also does not have lifeguards on its beaches, but city-run Huguenot Memorial Park off Heckscher Drive and Kathryn Abbey Hanna Park off Wonderwood Drive do have lifeguards available.
Other local beaches with lifeguards stationed include:
- Atlantic Beach: During the summer, lifeguards staff and patrol the beach on a daily basis, providing guidance and direction relative to hazardous conditions, marine animals, and first aid. More info: AtlanticBeach.civicplus.com.
- Neptune Beach: Beginning Memorial Day through Labor Day, the weekday hours for lifeguards will be from 10 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. and on weekends from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Also, Surf Zones begin Memorial Day. More info: ci.neptune-beach.fl.us.
- Jacksonville Beach: Lifeguard staffing is weather dependent. In case of severe weather, lifeguards will continue monitoring the beach via truck patrols. More info: jacksonvillebeach.org.
Lifeguards are staffed seasonally at the following St. Johns County beaches:
- Anastasia State Park: On Anastasia Island, at St. Augustine Inlet, 1 mile east of downtown St. Augustine and directly north of St. Augustine Beach at 340-A A1A South, St. Augustine.
- Crescent Beach: On Anastasia Island just three miles south of St. Augustine Beach at 6930 A1A South, St. Augustine.
- Frank B. Butler County Park: On Anastasia Island two miles south of St. Augustine Beach at 5860 A1A South, St. Augustine
- Fort Matanzas National Monument Beach: At the southern tip of Anastasia Island, at the Matanzas Inlet 7.5 miles south of St. Augustine Beach on Highway A1A.
- Mickler's Beachfront Park: South end of Ponte Vedra Beach on Highway A1A. 1109½ Ponte Vedra Blvd., Ponte Vedra.
- St. Augustine Beach: On Anastasia Island 4 miles south of downtown St. Augustine on Highway A1A Beach Blvd in the City of St. Augustine Beach.
- Vilano Beach: 2 miles north of downtown St. Augustine, on Highway A1A just over the New Vilano Bridge at the end of Vilano Road. 2725 Anahma Drive, St. Augustine.
In St. Johns County, lifeguards are not stationed at Guana Tolomato Matanzas National Estuarine Research Reserve, North Beach, River to Sea Preserve, South Ponte Vedra Beach Recreation Area, Surfside, Usina Beach. For more information, go to sjcfl.us/Beaches/Access.
In Nassau County, Ocean Rescue staffs the beaches seven days a week through the summer from Memorial Day through Labor Day. Hours are from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. on weekdays and 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. on weekends and holidays.
One Lifeguard stand is at North End Park (located on North Fletcher), four stands are at Main Beach and two stands are at Seaside Park. Additional coverage including all Nassau Country beach territory: four stands are at Peter's Point, one at Scott Road and one stand at Burney Park. Fernandina Beach Ocean Rescue Lifeguards respond to the 12 miles of beach from Fort Clinch State Park to the southern most point of Amelia Island. For more information, go to www.fbfl.us.