WHEN THE DUCKS appear in Babylon Village, it's time for the annual Babylon Beautificaton Society Fair. See page 2 for details.

The Hilbert brothers, owners and operators of the Gilgo Beach Inn, have seen many summers at Babylon’s Gilgo Beach. But this year ranks as one of the best.

"Business has been good this year," Robert Hilbert said. "There has been more beach traffic this year than there has been in the last four or five years."

The statistics seem to bear out Hilbert’s empirical evaluation. About 750,000 more visitors frequented Long Island’s parks and beaches this year than in 2004, according to the New York State Parks Department.

The Town of Babylon sold 7,882 beach passes in 2004, while 8,219 were sold for this season by July 31, 2005.

"The bridges are backed up by 9 a.m. every Sunday all the way to the Southern State," Eddie Hilbert said. "The parking lot’s closed by 11:30 a.m."

The favorable weather likely has something to do with the large numbers of people heading to Long Island’s beaches.

"Last year was cold," lifeguard Eric Wozniak said. "It’s been more packed this year because of the heat."

The thermometer never reached 90 degrees in 2004, according to the National Weather Service Station in Islip. This year, the record shows that through August 13 of this year, the thermometer at Islip has seen 13 days over 90 degrees, with five additional days over 88 degrees.

"The ocean is warmer, too," Eddie Hilbert added. "It’s almost 80 degrees."

And, that means the bay and ocean are warmer. The average water temperature around Long Island was 70 degrees in August, according to the National Oceanographic Data Center.

Little rainfall also may have attracted more people to the beaches this summer. From June 1, 2004 through August 16, 2004, there was 7.37-inches of precipitation, according to the National Weather Service. For the same period in 2005, there was about half the amount.

"Every weekend has been really nice this year," Babylon beach attendant Nick Pantaleo said. "I can’t remember any bad ones."

But the weather may not be the only factor in this year’s increased beach traffic.

"People are staying close to home with the price of gas," Eddie Hilbert said. "They don’t mind doing the 30-mile round trip to Babylon."

More people not only means more business for the Hilberts and more traffic on the bridge but also more demands for lifeguard, rescue and other services. At any given time, there are between 20 and 24 lifeguards on duty and strong rip currents also play a big role in the increased number of rescues. Five rescues each day is the norm at Gilgo Beach, said officials.

"Usually it is younger kids," Wozniak said. "There is a really bad, strong current."

Many times the lifeguards have been stationed in the water, ready to grab people from being swept under by the current, Eddie Hilbert said.

As the final days of summer approach, there seems to be no let up either in the temperature nor the numbers flocking to local beaches.

"If you’re not on the beach by 10:30 a.m.," Wozniak warned, "you’ll be waiting on the line."