Middletown Beaches Closed As Surfers Hit Big Waves

Sachuest Point, one of Middletown's most vulnerable areas to floods, saw a smooth evacuation on Saturday, with all beaches and facilities closed to all traffic through Sunday in preparation for

The last of the residents removed their trailers and RVs by the noontime deadline. All that was left by noon on Saturday was a handful of tall potted green tomato plants that had been carefully cultivated over the summer, along with about 20 overturned picnic tables.

The camp's main office was sealed up with plywood boards across its windows.

As the waited for the last few cars to vacate the Surfers' End parking lot, Department of Public Works (DPW) crews continued to remove the last of the beach equipment and use heavy machinery to move huge concrete road barricades.

About a dozen surfers waited to catch the perfect wave about 300 feet offshore as big swells from Hurricane Irene's storm surge arrived. Dozens of onlookers and photographers gathered on the cliff at Purgatory Chasm to watch the action.

With the parking lots closed, more surfers continued to walk into the area from higher ground.

Chief Ronald Doire said any surfers entering the water do so at their own risk.

See images from Second Beach this afternoon in the image gallery at above right.