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Memorial Day usually brings large crowds to Presque Isle, but cold rain and strong winds kept most families away from the beach today.
What is typically one of the park’s busiest holidays looked nearly unrecognizable. Parking lots that normally fill up before noon were mostly empty, and only a handful of visitors ventured out in the rough weather.
Despite the lighter crowds, park rangers say their focus on safety does not change.
They warn anyone visiting the shoreline to stay back from crashing waves, avoid slick rocks and piers, and watch for debris being pushed in by strong winds.
Rangers say hazardous conditions like these are common and can quickly become dangerous, even when visitor numbers are low.
“Safety concerns are always present here, even in the off-season,” said James Reim, a DCNR ranger at Presque Isle. “As the weather improves and traffic increases, so do those risks. We stay on top of it as best we can.”
Rangers emphasize that safety does not take a holiday, even when the crowds do.
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