Beach surprises

Beaches were ranked on a basis of one to five stars, with five stars earning the designation of a "Superstar" beach. Spoiler: There are no Superstar beaches in New York. Several beaches did, however, earn four stars, including Coney Island between Brighton 6th Street to Ocean Parkway and Ocean Parkway to West 8th Street (both were assessed separately), and Rockaway Beach from 116th Street to 126th Street in Queens. Long Beach in Nassau County was also awarded four stars. Beach pollution is a gross thing you’ll experience in New York City as summer arrives.

The dirtiest beaches in the city can be found in the Bronx, with 15 percent of water samples violating health standards. Queens County came in second with a 7 percent violation rate, and Kings County the cleanest at 5 percent. When it comes to overall beachwater quality, New York state ranks "22th" out of 30. Swimming in a contaminated beach can result in an array of ailments: Stomach flu, skin rashes, pinkeye, ear, nose and throat problems, dysentery, hepatitis, respiratory ailments, neurological disorders and, for those who are old, young or already sickly, death.