MARION – Ask anyone enjoying the sand and sun at Marion’s Silvershell Beach on Monday, June 17, and they’ll say the same thing: Summer is here.

Monday was opening day at Silvershell Beach, and residents of Marion and Rochester were making the most of it.

“This is a big family place,” said 17-year-old Rochester resident and Silvershell Beach lifeguard Jake Dellas. “So many people come down here to relax, enjoy the nice weather and enjoy the beach.”

Meredith Welsh, a former Marion resident, drove down from New Hampshire with her 2-year-old daughter to visit Silvershell Beach with her parents who still live in town.

“I’m in New Hampshire and not near the water so it’s nice to be able to come down and have a beach for the kids to play on,” she said.

Lifeguard and Marion resident Caleb DeVoe said that a lot of work was put into the beach to get it ready for the summer, including the installation of swim lines and floating rafts in the water.

Silvershell Beach is “great for us lifeguards too,” he said. “[We] look forward to this job all year. It’s a great gig, everyone is nice and respectful to lifeguards overall.”

DeVoe watched the shoreline from atop his lifeguard chair, keeping the waters safe for swimmers like 7-year-old Marion resident Bryce Davis.

Bryce said he likes swimming at the beach more than in a pool because “there’s a lot more open space.”

Bryce’s 6-year-old brother Ashton Davis preferred dry land.

“I like getting buried in the sand,” said Ashton, who was buried up to his neck in sand.

The duo’s mother, Marion resident Alexandra Urquhart said she grew up going to Silvershell Beach.

“We love the sunshine,” she said. “It’s good to share the memories that I had growing up as a kid.”