The Memorial Day weekend may be the unofficial start to the summer season, but for beachgoers along the First Coast it was an opportunity to get outside – and far away from constant reminders of the COVID-19 pandemic. Crowds covered all 46 miles of the county’s beaches, according to the St. Johns Sheriff’s Office. Most adhered to guidelines that limited the size of groups and mandated separation, according to deputies. But more than anything else, thousands used the holiday weekend to splash in the surf, play in the sand and soak up the Florida sunshine.
