Rehoboth Beach Patrol opens 102nd season with bell ringing
Rehoboth Beach Patrol started its 102nd season protecting the city’s beachgoers with the third annual ringing of the bell ceremony May 27.
As he’s done the previous two years, Mayor Stan Mills had the honor of ringing the opening bell. The beach patrol keeps people safe and lifeguards serve as frontline representatives of the city, he said.
Strong easterly winds had waters churning and rip tides forming. Before the bell ringing took place, while guards were getting their morning workouts in, a save needed to be made on a boogie boarder and a small dolphin got stranded, said Capt. Jeff Giles. “That’s why it’s going to be knee-deep water use today,” he said.
Rehoboth Beach Patrol headquarters is located on the Boardwalk at Baltimore Avenue, just north of Rehoboth Avenue. The headquarters houses an emergency medical unit and the administrative offices.
RBP operates seasonally from the Saturday of Memorial Day weekend until three weeks after Labor Day. Guards are on duty 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., weekdays, and 10 a.m. to 5:30 p.m., weekends and holidays. The entire two-mile area of beach within the corporate city limits is guarded.
Beach wheelchairs are available daily on a first-come, first-served basis. There are five wheelchairs each at the shacks on Maryland and Laurel avenues.
Except in designated areas, smoking on the beach in Rehoboth is prohibited. As of 2017, no tents or canopies are allowed on the beach during the summer season.
For more information on Rehoboth Beach Patrol, 1 Baltimore Ave., email rehobothbeachpatrol@cityofrehoboth.com, go to rehobothbeachpatrol.com or call 302-227-2280.
