Local beach residents and lifeguards say beaches were packed July 4, but on Wednesday, they were less crowded as tourists headed home from the long weekend. “There are a lot less people on the beach,” Beach Patrol Chief Steve Downey said. “It was about one third of what we had over the weekend.” Lifeguards estimated about 100,000 people were on the beach Sunday, the biggest crowd the lifeguards have ever seen, Downey said. City lifeguards noticed a significant drop at the beach Wednesday in the number of visitors due to the chilly water temperature. They also noticed a decrease in swimmers. As of 5 p.m., two people had been rescued from the water. Tuesday saw 13 rescues, which Downey said was moderate for a July 4 beach day. Longport’s volunteer fire department also had a busy July 4 weekend.
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