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Life’s (not) a beach

Just a few people walked the beach around noontime at Ontario Beach Park
Alex Crichton
Just a few people walked the beach around noontime at Ontario Beach Park

Some Memorial Day beach goers are shocked to see how much beach at Ontario Beach Park has now disappeared under the high water levels on Lake Ontario.

"Absolutely crazy.  I've never seen anything like it. Absolutely insane," said Sam Lanzafame of Rochester came down to the beach for a walk on the pier with Katie Dalke, also of Rochester.

Lanfzafame says  it's not all bad news.

"It's pretty sad, seeing all the beach erosion, but what I do like is seeing all the people still out here enjoying it.  Which is really nice to see."

It was a sparse crowd, and Dalke would like to bring her children down to the beach, but not when it looks like this.

Wooden posts that are normally used to string up nets for volleyball are now several feet into Lake Ontario.
Wooden posts that are normally used to string up nets for volleyball are now several feet into Lake Ontario.

"I've been down here since I was a little kid and it definitely is shocking to see there's very little beach now.  And you can pretty much dip your toe in off the pier and get wet," she said.

Another beachgoer on Memorial Day, "Jim" from Rochester, said he brought his family there for one reason.

"To see the devastation.  I don't know.  I don't think people are going to be happy around here," he said.

At least there is some beach at Ontario Beach Park.

Across the river at Durand Eastman, most of the beach there is underwater.

This is about all the beach that's left at Durand Eastman Park
This is about all the beach that's left at Durand Eastman Park