Former Secretary of State Antony Blinken was asked to leave East Hampton’s exclusive Georgica Beach on Friday after ignoring storm-related closures still in effect from Hurricane Erin.
Blinken, 63, was spotted soaking up the sun with a friend when lifeguards informed the pair that the beach remained off-limits due to lingering hazards from the powerful storm. Photos show a barefoot Blinken, dressed in a blue long-sleeve shirt and black shorts, folding up his chair, collecting a tote bag and towel, and walking back to the parking lot after the brief encounter.
Georgica Beach, a favorite among surfers and part of the upscale Apaquogue neighborhood, had been closed in the days prior due to dangerous surf and rip currents caused by Hurricane Erin’s massive reach.
While most beaches across the tri-state area officially reopened Saturday, swimming remained restricted in certain areas. Unfortunately for Blinken, the timing was off by just one day.
Hurricane Erin, which rapidly intensified into a Category 5 storm in the Caribbean, tracked up the Atlantic and remained offshore—roughly 800 miles east of New York—but left behind a turbulent ocean. At its peak, the storm stretched nearly 500 miles wide, making it one of the largest hurricanes on record.
“Even though Hurricane Erin has left our region, because it was such an extremely large storm, it has left a lot of the Atlantic still stirred up,” said Fox Weather meteorologist Cody Braud. “There are still a lot of hidden effects, and the biggest concern is the high rip current risk up and down the East Coast.”
Temperatures across the region are expected to hover in the low 80s for New York City and Long Island, with the Jersey Shore slightly cooler. However, Braud noted that conditions may not be ideal for beachgoers just yet.
Some beaches along the Jersey Shore were expected to remain closed through Saturday for storm-related cleanup.
