When you visit the doctor, the first thing you do is fill out a questionnaire to complete your patient history. Dr. Beach’s 50 criteria is a survey of his “patients”, the 650 public beaches along the U.S. coast. The beach rating scale provides an objective appraisal of our nation’s major public recreational beaches along the Atlantic, Gulf and Pacific coasts. 50 Criiteria with a sliding scale from 1 to 5 are used to measure beach quality. The survey was primarily designed for swimming beaches, but this information is also used to determine the best beaches for walking, scenery, sports, and other activities.
Temperature Explanations:
Red: Too Hot (not refreshing)
Orange: Very Warm (bath water)
Yellow: Optimal Range (as you like it)
Green: Barely Tolerable (a bit chilly)
Blue: Frigid (wet suits only)
Revised Scaling:
Yankees (-5F)
Southerners (+5F)
Youngsters (-5F)
Senior Citizens (+5F)