Strong waves hit South Florida beaches amid spring break rush

DANIA BEACH, Fla. – The powerful Nor'easter is causing dangerous conditions in the water along the East Coast.

Local 10 News reporter Andrew Perez was in Dania Beach Monday morning where some surfers took advantage of the higher-than-normal waves, despite authorities warning beachgoers to stay away from the water.

"When you catch a wave, it's just the best feeling," one surfer said.

"There's a little bit of an undertow," another surfer added. "It's pulling south a lot, so if you start off here by the dock, it’s going to pull you all the way down there. So by the time you get out, even if you just swim with the board behind you, it's going to pull you and pull you all the way through." 

Water was also seen pouring into the parking lot, flooding parts of Dania Beach. 

Miami-Dade Fire Rescue spokeswoman Erika Benitez said a fireboat and the U.S. Coast Guard responded to a report just before 9:30 a.m. Monday of a 25-foot boat capsized seven miles southeast of the Cape Florida Lighthouse in Key Biscayne.

She said four passengers were in the water and were pulled onto the fireboat.

All four were in seemingly good condition and were taken back to shore, Benitez said. 

Benitez said a small craft advisory is currently in place for the area, which means that wind speeds of 21 to 33 knots are expected to produce hazardous wave conditions to small boats.

Authorities encourage all boaters to have life-safety vests as well as fully functional marine radios on-board in case of an emergency. 

Over at Jupiter Inlet, a young girl was swept off the jetty and into the water Sunday by a strong wave, WPTV reported.

The wave forced the child under the guardrail and into the water.

Bystanders pulled the girl from the water and she was said to have suffered minor injuries, including a cut to the head and some scrapes and bruises.

Waves in Lake Worth were up to about 10 feet Sunday, a lifeguard told WPTV.

The National Weather Service reported a high rip current risk in coastal Miami-Dade and Broward counties through Tuesday evening.

A coastal flood advisory is also in effect in Broward County until 7 p.m. Monday.