Cove Road Beach remains closed, Roaring Point open
There are signs up that say no swimming and health officials are warning folks not to drink or swim in the water at Cove Road Beach due to high levels of bacteria. But 2 miles down the street at Roaring Point, it’s a different story.
47 ABC spoke with Director of Environmental Health at the Wicomico County Health Department Dennis DiCintio and he tells us, “There are signs posted that say swimming is prohibited, we’re advising people not to have any water contact until we can get the bacteria levels observed below, within normal limits.”
Cove Road was ordered to be closed to swimmers on Friday, June 19th because of enterococci bacteria which can reportedly cause ear, nose, and throat infections, diarrhea, vomiting, encephalitis, rashes and respiratory illness.
DiCintio says there’s no need to worry over the spreading of bacteria to Roaring point because, “I think our assumption is that roaring point is closer to the mouth of the Nanticoke. The concentration of bacteria goes down as the volume of water goes up.”
Taylor Timmons is a Salisbury resident and she says the water at Cove Road hasn’t always had the best reputation, so she opts for Roaring Point, where she doesn’t worry about her daughter swimming.
Timmons tells 47 ABC, “No I wouldn’t have a problem letting her swim here I mean we come here once or twice a week she loves it. I think it’s actually a lot cleaner here I mean we respect the beach a lot better and over there.”
Deena Cook lives in nearby Nanticoke Acres and she tells 47 ABC, “Nanticoke is one of the more pristine rivers of the whole Chesapeake bay and I was concerned when I heard that Cove Road was closed. We bring our grandchildren here during the summer to Cove Road. We wont be going there until it’s safe again.”
But despite the claims of bacteria right upriver, right now, she feels safe at Roaring Point.
Cook tells 47 ABC, “If they’re testing it on a regular basis I would have to believe that it’s safe.”
The Wicomico County Health Department said that they did test the waters Wednesday morning and they were hoping to have the results within 24 hours.
