EDGARTOWN, Massachusetts - A weakening Hurricane Bill spun northward Saturday, churning up rough seas, creating dangerous rip tides and closing beaches to swimmers up and down the eastern seaboard, including President Obama's planned vacation spot, Martha's Vineyard.
The Category 1 hurricane was expected to pass the mainland well off New England, but was still packing high winds and waves that had safety officials urging extreme caution.
At Robert Moses State Park in New York, the beach was shut down as the high tide submerged the sand, though the beach opened later Saturday for sunbathing. Along some beaches in Delaware and New Jersey, no swimming was allowed.
"It's just too dangerous right now," Rehoboth Beach Patrol Capt. Kent Buckson said.
On Saturday evening, Bill had maximum sustained winds near 85 mph (140 kph) and was about 300 miles (480 km) south-southeast of Nantucket, Massachusetts, and about 585 miles (940 km) south-southwest of Halifax, Nova Scotia, according to the U.S. National Hurricane Center in Miami.
A tropical storm warning was issued Saturday for Massachusetts, including the islands of Nantucket and Martha's Vineyard, meaning tropical storm-force winds of 40 mph (64 kph) or more could hit the coastline in the next 24 hours.
The worst of Bill was expected to pass about 150 to 200 miles (241 to 321 kilometres) east of Martha's Vineyard before Obama's arrival on Sunday, and there was no word from the White House that the Obamas were changing vacation plans.
On Saturday, nearly all south-facing beaches on the island were closed to swimmers and large signs blocked roadways to shorefronts. Meanwhile, lifeguards used caution tape to rope off access points, and police patrolled the beach to enforce the closings.
The storm was expected to reach Canadian waters early Sunday, and the Canadian Hurricane Center on Saturday issued a hurricane watch for areas of Nova Scotia, where winds speeds could hit 74 mph (120 kph) with gusts of 87 mph (140 kph).
Marine Atlantic suspended ferry service between Port aux Basques, Newfoundland and North Sydney, Nova Scotia, beginning Sunday morning, saying the risks were just too high.
In Nova Scotia, provincial parks have been shut down and people advised to stay clear of beaches.
"The waves, they're very pretty to look at but very dangerous," Barry Manuel of the Halifax Emergency Management Office said Saturday.
In Atlantic City, New Jersey, surfers gathered Saturday on beaches where 20-foot (6-meter) waves were expected. But only a few were willing to take their boards into the big swells.
The stormy conditions were expected to last through the weekend.
"It takes a while for the ocean to relax" after strong storms, said Gary Conte, a meteorologist with the National Weather Service. "Until it does, riptides will make dangerous sport" for surfers and swimmers.
Hurricane Bill moved past Bermuda earlier Saturday, leaving behind sunny skies, debris and flooding, but no casualties.
The storm mostly spared the pink-sand shores, though it cut power to about 3,700 customers and flooded some roads along the northern coast. The airport was closed overnight and expected to reopen Saturday afternoon. All ferry service was cancelled until Sunday.
Bermudians and tourists awoke to some water on the roads, rain and gusting winds.
A government spokeswoman said the British territory's hospitals had no storm-related patients.
Meanwhile, forecasters said Tropical Storm Hilda formed far out in the Pacific on Saturday but was not threatening land. It had maximum sustained winds near 40 mph (65 kph) and was not expected to strengthen.
On Saturday evening, it was about 1,930 miles (3,105 km) west-southwest of the southern tip of Mexico's Baja California peninsula and 1,225 miles (1,970 km) east-southeast of Hilo, Hawaii.
