Is it permitted to go to the beach on Rosh Chodesh Av?

Greetings,

According to the custom of the Sephardim, it is permitted to go to the beach during the Three Weeks, even in the week that Tisha B'Av falls. According to the custom of the Ashkenazim, it is allowed only until Rosh Chodesh Av, and not including it.

For all customs, extra caution is required not to swim in places where there is a risk during the entire period of the Three Weeks, as the seas can be prone to undesirable events, Heaven forbid.

Sources: The Sephardic custom allows swimming in cold water during the Nine Days, even in the week that Tisha B'Av falls, and therefore it is permitted to enter the sea during these days, as explained in Yabia Omer vol. 5 (Orach Chaim, end of siman 41) and in Yechave Da'at vol. 1 (siman 30) and in Hazon Ovadia on the Four Fast Days (page 214).

The Ashkenazic custom is not to swim even in cold water starting from Rosh Chodesh Av and onward, as written by the Rema in Orach Chaim (siman 551, section 16), and therefore they should not enter the sea during the Nine Days.

Nevertheless, extra vigilance is demanded not to swim in places where there is danger throughout the Three Weeks. The Khotzer Ya'ir zt”l wrote in his book Mekor Chaim (siman 551, section 14) that he saw people abstaining from swimming in rivers during all three weeks due to danger, as the time is prone to harm. See also in the book Arkhot Rabbeinu vol. 2 (page 129). And refer to Teshuvot V'Hanhagot vol. 2 (siman 263) which states that one should not sail deeply into the sea until close to the height of a person during the Three Weeks, as these days can be prone to danger, Heaven forbid.

Blessings,

Hillel Meirs