Alcohol's dehydrating, disorienting effects affect judgement
Reminder: it is illegal and unsafe to drink on beach
KRISTIN JOSON n Contributing Writer
(June 19, 2009) The beach might seem like the perfect place to drink alcoholic beverages, but it isn't the safest place to do so.
Compounded by the heat, the dehydrating and disorienting effects of alcohol and the impaired judgment, you can understand why Ocean City
does not allow alcohol on its beaches. Alcohol depletes your body of the vital fluids it needs to keep you up and running throughout the day, and it can also give swimmers a false sense of confidence when it comes to ocean swimming.
Almost every guard has more than one story about rescuing a swimmer who drank too much alcohol. A normal person who has a healthy understanding of the ocean and his own swimming ability might not usually head out very far; but after a few drinks, he finds himself feeling braver. He'll take risks that he usually would not and end up hurting himself in any number of ways — from riding a wave into the shallow water and injuring himself, or swimming out farther than he should.
Years ago, a young man who was in town celebrating his high school graduation had one too many drinks and took a headfirst dive into two inches of water. He is now paralyzed from the neck down.
We hope you will have a wonderful time on your vacation in Ocean City, but we also want you to remember to drink when and where it is safe, fun and legal to do so.
n Captain's Note: Although the mission of the beach patrol is to keep you safe on our beaches and in the ocean, our concern for your safety extends west of the dune line. It is a sobering fact that almost all serious accidents, injuries and incidents that occur in Ocean City are the result of alcohol intoxication. Pedestrian strikes, falls from balconies, assaults and fights and other injury-causing events would be greatly reduced if alcohol were removed from the equation.
In addition to Maryland's underage drinking laws, Ocean City has its own laws and ordinances. Those that relate to alcohol are: consuming alcohol in public by anyone is prohibited; carrying an open container of alcohol is a violation (this includes beach areas, sidewalks and the Boardwalk); and using false identification is a criminal offense that can result in a fine and/or loss of license (plain-clothes police officers will enforce this law).
