Trustee: Sandbar Screwup Should Not Deprive Everyone

On Saturday night, emergency officials had to rescue 37 people from a sandbar in Shinnecock Bay, where a party was being held, after the boaters who took the partiers to the sandbar in the first place left them behind.

Three who tried to swim to shore were rescued after being caught in a strong current.

Eric Shultz, president of the Southampton Trustees, a governmental body that oversees the waterways, said that despite the screw-up made by the party-goers, everyone's enjoyment should not be deprived.

"The bays and beaches and islands are what make this such a great place to live," Shultz said. "The sandbar is used by many local families who respect the bay."

"Some people make bad judgements," he said.

The sandbar, said Shultz, sits about 1,000 feet from the shore and it is a popular spot for families.

"You just have to watch the tides or your boat will become grounded," he said.

Senior Bay Constable Chris Kohnken agreed, saying that the incident was one of a kind.

"We patrol that area on a regular basis. We don't usually run into random people getting dropped off there by random people," he said, adding that the sandbar is mostly used by families and bay constables have never run into a problem there before.

He also said that the area is patrolled by the constables on a regular basis.

Patch wants to know: Do you think there should be stricter police enforcement over beach parties? A max number of residents allowed on the sandbar at one time? Or, more of a police presence patrolling local waters to prevent such events in the future? Comment below.