Swimming and surfing are off-limits at city beaches this Labor Day weekend because of strong rip currents caused by Hermine, but that didn't stop a few people from dipping their toes, and then some, in the water. NY1's Jose Martinez filed the following report.
The red flags were flying and the warnings in place.
If that wasn't enough, officers from the NYPD and the Parks Department patrolled the shore Sunday to make sure surfers and swimmers at Rockaway Beach got the message: stay out of the water, and away from those big waves.
"We're waiting for this all year round. It's hurricane season, you know, That's what we kind of live for. That's our fun. Our fun Labor Day, it's gone," said one beachgoer.
But not for everyone, as plenty of surfers still took to the water despite the threat of a ticket.
"I'm not from here so I didn't really hear about all that, so we'll pretend like we don't know that one," said one man who went into the water.
"For years, we've been battling with the city and the Parks Department," said another. "Surfing is an Olympic sport now, and it's ridiculous that the police and the city would stop the surfers from being in the water."
But after the Rockaways took a pounding from Hurricane Sandy in 2012, some said they now take storms more seriously, even as it became clear Hermine would be no Sandy.
"Definitely out here, especially in this area where you got the bay on one side, the ocean on the other, you definitely have to take it serious," said one person at the beach. "But we definitely lucked out today. It was an absolutely gorgeous day."
"You don't want to screw around. And so if you're a pro, you can handle it, it's not the worst in the world. But don't get arrogant," said another.
The city says beaches will remain closed on Monday. We'll find out then how much that means to surfers looking to ride big waves.