OCEAN CITY, Md. - The first week of September is often considered, along with Labor Day, to be the unofficial end of summer.
But so far, the first week of September on Delmarva this year has been the hottest of the year.
As the mercury rises to record levels, the siren song of the ocean tempted one and all to cool off in Atlantic waters.
"Labor Day weekend was atypical. There was a lot of people in town," said Ocean City Beach Patrol Lieutenant Ward Kovacs. "Even on the roads it was hard to drive around there was so many people."
But the turquoise blue waters masked a deceptive threat: rip currents.
Tony Petrasko, visiting from Akron, Ohio with family just went a few feet into the water, and didn't even experience a rip current.
"I just had my feet in the water and just to feel the current of the water was was very powerful," Petrasko said. "So I couldn't imagine going into that water right now, it'd be sort of scary."
Tropical storm activity in the Atlantic caused dangerous and unpredictable rip currents during Labor Day weekend.
The Ocean City Beach Patrol said its lifeguards responded to nearly 500 rescues.
"Some were caused by people getting knocked over by shore break waves and not being able to stand up again. The vast majority were because of rip current activity," Kovacs said.
For some beachgoers Wednesday afternoon, hearing this news made them think twice about if and when they would go into the water.
"I looked at my friend and said 'I mean I think we're going to have to sweat this one out; we're probably not going to go in the water; go where lifeguards are and we found one today and we're happy for that," said Maura Mirarchi of Wilmington, Del.
Things could have been worse; Dillon Mathew of Frostburg, Md. credited the hard work of the lifeguards for no major injuries.
"The lifeguards have been doing a really really good job," Mathew said. "I know they were kind of stretched thin, but they seem to really really be keeping up with it and helping a lot of people out."
The rip current threat is forecast to diminish by this coming weekend, but next week, Hurricane "Lee" could again churn up dangerous rip currents, just a several big events draw thousands more to Maryland's Coast.
The Ocean City Beach Patrol is now on reduced staffing for the rest of the season, and not all lifeguard stands will be manned. The Patrol is urging anyone considering going in to the water to swim near a lifeguard. Before heading to the beach in Ocean City, click here for updated information on where lifeguards will be stationed on that day.