Strong winds are creating dangerous ocean conditions along the Florida coast and claimed two lives this weekend in our area.

A Sunday morning outing on the water quickly turned tragic in Boynton Inlet.

The Palm Beach County Sheriff’s Office said lifeguards and medical personnel rushed to rescue a swimmer who was in distress.

However, the man identified as Maximilian Sadowski, 34 years old from Lake Worth did not survive.

Surfer Brandon Williams witnessed the incident.

“Me and the guys were surfing. I started to leave and I saw a jet ski running over there and I saw the firefighters there,” Williams said.

He described how it feels when the sea can be rough.

“I know it’s deadly,” Williams said. “If you don’t know what you’re doing and it’s a big day… there was about 4 or 5 feet (of sea) out there yesterday.”

The sheriff’s office said Sadowski was swimming a quarter mile north of an area without lifeguards.

Tiffany LaCasse of Palm Beach County Ocean Rescue spoke with WPTV about the risk of surfing in these types of conditions.

“Our men and women here train daily and exercise in these rough water conditions,” LaCasse said. “They are equipped with rescue equipment.”

In addition to the death in Boynton Inlet, a 16-year-old boy died on Sunday after drowning at Pepper Park Beach in St. Lucie County.

LaCasse said it’s essential to know your surroundings when you’re on the water.

“It’s really great to develop a relationship and communicate with any lifeguard tower, any lifeguard staff that you can see and always swim within a patrolled area,” LaCasse said.

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