Janet Rice submits-

This photo was taken after 6PM last weekend. Although there is a huge crowd (many of them small children) at Good Harbor Beach there are no lifeguards!.
Over the past few years cars have been, in ever increasing numbers, streaming into the Good Harbor Beach parking lot after the City stops collecting fees and staying until it gets dark.
This is not an unusual sight on a good day. Does this also happen at our other beaches as well? It makes me wonder if it’s time for the City to reassess it’s beach safety policies before something tragic occurs.
What have other people observed and what do you think?

Response:

What I think is that people need to take some personal responsibility, stop expecting the government to wipe their ass all the time and use common sense.    When it’s dark out I could trip and fall walking down my street, should I expect a police escort holding a flashlight for me?  If the water is rough and you’re not a particularly strong swimmer, how about not going in?  How about the parents of the small children go in the water with them, look after them or tell them not to go in the water if it’s too rough?  When I go to beaches in Florida you walk for miles and miles of beach and not see lifeguards.  That’s my take.