Believe it or not, it’s June.
The dog days of summer are still ahead, but it’s been just warm enough to stretch out on the sand on sunny days. Memorial Day weekend 2023 is already on the books.
Restaurants and shops at the beach had a busy weekend, a preview of the season that’s coming. With summertime visible on the horizon now, it’s full speed ahead at the Delaware beaches.
The News Journal/Delaware Online offers this guide each week, with up-to-date information about parking, events, sand replenishment and everything else visitors (and maybe a few locals) to the Delaware beaches need to know.
Don’t forget your sunscreen.
June bugs
With June comes June bugs.
No, not the beetles. At the Delaware beaches, “June bugs” is a colloquialism for the newly graduated high school seniors who come to party.
“Oh, they’re here in full force,” said Dewey Beach Police Lt. Cliff Dempsey. “We’re inundated with them.”
Since June bugs are too young to get into bars, they loiter in large groups, according to Dempsey, and police end up herding them from street corner to parking lot to street corner all night long. That sometimes leads to underage drinking, drug possession or resisting arrest charges, he said.
“Before social media they seemed to hang more school to school,” Dempsey said. “Now … they connect through social media.”
That’s led to larger groups on the streets, so it’s wise to drive defensively – and slowly – at the beach.
Weather
The weather at the Delaware beaches this weekend is expected to be mostly sunny with temperatures around 70 degrees. Sunday may be a few degrees cooler, according to the National Weather Service.
Beachgoers might prefer it be a little warmer, but it’s pretty ideal spring weather.
As the iconic Miss Rhode Island put it in “Miss Congeniality”: “It’s not too hot, not too cold. All you need is a light jacket.”
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Parking
Parking at the Delaware beaches might be the most annoying thing you have to deal with on your vacation. Make it easier by downloading the ParkMobile app and entering all your information now.
Plan to spend some time looking for parking and to have to walk a block or two (or three or four) to get to the beach. The earlier in the day you can arrive, the easier parking will be.
Costs and rules for parking differ in each town, so be sure to follow the instructions on nearby signs.
Or, you could avoid all that and utilize the Department of Transportation’s Park and Ride program, which allows you to park in one of two lots off Coastal Highway and ride the bus to the beach for $4 a day.
Beach replenishment
The Delaware beaches are currently undergoing replenishment by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, with sand being dredged from offshore and piped onto the beaches.
Work began in April and is already finished in Rehoboth Beach. Now, dredging is occurring in Dewey Beach and Fenwick Island. Portions of these beaches may be closed as work continues.
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Army Corps of Engineers spokesman Stephen Rochette said he anticipates work will be complete in Dewey Beach this week or early next. Following completion in Dewey and Fenwick, work will begin in Bethany and South Bethany.
The schedule is subject to change due to weather, sea conditions and mechanical issues. More information is available here.
Things to do
The Mid-Atlantic Sea Glass and Coastal Arts Festival will take place at the Lewes Historical Society campus Saturday and Sunday from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.
In addition to plenty of gorgeous sea glass and sea glass creations for sale, the festival offers children’s activities. Admission is $10 for adults. Children 12 and under are free.
Bethany Beach’s Annual Seaside Craft Show, featuring over 100 artists, will take place Saturday from 10 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. on the boardwalk. Entry is free.
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On Saturday at Holt’s Landing State Park in Dagsboro, the Delaware Center For the Inland Bays and CheSUPeake will host “Stand Up For the Bays: Paddle Race and Fest.” There will be paddle races for all ages starting at 9 a.m., and after the races, from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m., there will be food and drink vendors and live music.
Lewes, Rehoboth Beach and Bethany Beach all offer free live music on varying days of the week. Dewey Beach offers weekly community bonfires and movies on the beach.
Surf-fishing changes
The Delaware Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Control launched a new surf-fishing reservation system this year. You can still walk onto Delaware State Parks beaches and surf-fish with only a fishing license. To drive on, you need a permit, and now, on weekends and holidays, you must also have a reservation.
Permits are available online, but if you need one fast, you can get them at most state park offices. Unlike in previous years, there is no limit on how many can be sold.
Reservations are $4 per day and first-come, first-serve. The online system opens at 11 a.m. Tuesday for the coming Saturday and Wednesday for the coming Sunday. Holiday reservations become available the Thursday before the holiday.
The system is open 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Tuesday through Friday and 8 a.m. to noon on weekends and holidays.
Obviously, the sooner you make your reservation, the likelier you are to get one. However, if you forget, it’s definitely worth checking the reservation website, even on the day you’re hoping to drive on.
So far this year, the drive-on beaches have yet to reach full total capacity on reservation days, according to DNREC spokesman Michael Globetti. Your first-choice beach may be full, but there may be open spots at other drive-on beaches.
Shannon Marvel McNaught reports on Sussex County and beyond. Reach her at smcnaught@gannett.com or on Twitter @MarvelMcNaught
