As COVID-19 has continued to spread, people have been forced to find ways to kill time. With the sun finally coming out a common use of time is going to the beach. However, social distancing is still intact, making it super important for us to follow those rules. Beaches like Avila have recently gotten shut down due to people not following social distancing requirements. For the remaining beaches, the people who live there are doing what they can to keep them open and accessible. 

   Cayucos resident and SLOHS senior Jayde Malzone talked to Expressions about how she feels towards people coming to beaches in Cayucos from other places. 

  Expressions: How do you feel about people spending their quarantine time on the beach?

Cayucos Resident Jayde Malzone: I think if you live in SLO or somewhere inland, stay home. If you live in Cayucos or have an actual beach house or are a local then I think it’s totally okay.

Expressions: When crowds of people come out from SLO, how does it make you feel? 

Malzone: I draw the line when you have everyone from SLO coming to surf and lay out because then you can ruin it for the people who actually live there. But quarantining in your beach house is fine, in my opinion.

Expressions: Have you seen an increase in localism with more people coming to the beach?

Malzone: I mean I haven’t seen it personally, but I definitely feel it myself. I’ve gotten a bit annoyed by people being in the water that I don’t recognize, especially if they’re being disrespectful and cutting people off.

Expressions: Have other residents shown forms of localism, and if so, how?

Malzone: I think the older locals get more angry about it than I do, but as long as people are being respectful it isn’t usually a problem.

Expressions: What is your biggest concern with so many people coming out to Cayucos right now?

Malzone: I worry that if all these non locals are crowding the beaches, they might get the beaches shut down and ruin it for the people who actually live here, which would really suck.