Hurricane weakens as it nears U.S.

EDGARTOWN, Mass. — A weakening Hurricane Bill spun northward Saturday, churning up rough seas, creating dangerous riptides and closing beaches to swimmers up and down the eastern seaboard, including President Barack 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 and was near latitude 39.1 north, longitude, 67.8 west, or about 250 miles south-southeast of Nantucket, Mass., and about 550 miles 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 or more could hit the coastline in the next 24 hours.

The worst of Bill was expected to pass about 150 to 200 miles east of Martha's Vineyard before Obama's arrival today. The Obamas delayed their planned morning departure from Andrews Air Force Base to mid-afternoon because of the weather, White House aides said.

On Saturday, nearly all south-facing beaches on the island were closed to swimmers and large signs blocked roadways to shore-fronts. Meanwhile, lifeguards used caution tape to rope off access points, and police patrolled the beach to enforce the closings.

"The concern we have now is that the riptides are very strong," said lifeguard James Costantini. "There's a very strong undertow."

Longtime Vineyard vacationer Jack DeCoste, 69, of Plymouth, Mass., was unimpressed with the storm as he lounged in a beach chair in Edgartown.

"I don't think it's going to impact things that much," DeCoste said. "I think it'll be in and out of here fairly quickly."

The high waves that worried safety officials had surfers buzzing. Scott Fisher, 38, was at Nantasket Beach in Hull, where the morning's moderate waves were expected to build throughout the day.

"People wait all summer for this," he said.

The storm was expected to reach Canadian waters early this morning, and the Canadian Hurricane Center on Saturday issued a hurricane watch for areas of Nova Scotia, where winds speeds could hit 74 mph with gusts of 87 mph.

Marine Atlantic suspended ferry service between Port aux Basques, Newfoundland and North Sydney, Nova Scotia, beginning this morning, saying the risks were just too high.

In Atlantic City, N.J., surfers gathered Saturday on beaches where 20-foot waves were expected. But only a few were willing to take their boards into the big swells.

Atlantic City Beach Patrol Chief Rod Aluise told The Press of Atlantic City that some surfers just stood on the beach "with their eyes popping out" at the size of the waves.

"This is only for experienced surfers," Aluise said.

The stormy conditions were expected to last through the weekend.

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 north coast. The airport was closed overnight and expected to reopen Saturday afternoon. All ferry service was canceled until today.

"It was something to behold. 've never been in a hurricane before," said ESPN sportscaster Kenny Mayne, who hoped to return to the U.S. today.

A government spokesman 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 and was not expected to strengthen.

On Saturday evening, it was about 1,930 miles west-southwest of the tip of Mexico's Baja California peninsula and 1,225 miles east-southeast of Hilo, Hawaii.

Information for this article was contributed by Bruce Shipkowski, Karen Testa, Jay Lindsay, Jennifer Peltz, Amanda Dale, Rob Gillies and Gillian Gaynair of The Associated Press.