Record temperatures scorched South Whidbey Monday, driving many people to the beach and others to the nearest shady spot.

It was the hottest day of the year so far and rivaled a historic high recorded in 1989.

After a long, gray winter South Enders were ready for the sun.

“We wait so long for the winter to be over, we have to take advantage of it while it lasts,” said Kim Stanford, a college student who grew up on Whidbey Island.

In the late afternoon, temperatures higher than 88 degrees were measured at Maxwellton Valley in Clinton. The temperature hit 89 degrees at Admiral’s Cove outside of Coupeville, and Naval Air Station Whidbey Island recorded a relatively cool 75 degrees as the high temperature.

The normal temperature at this time of the year is in the low to mid 70s. And it has been a while since Whidbey island hit temperatures in the high 80s at the end of June.

On June 26, 1989, the record high was 89 degrees on the island, according to the National Weather Service.

The lowest temperature ever recorded for June 26 was 47 degrees in 1949.

Countless kids and parents flocked to local beaches on Monday to build sand castles, splash in the water, skim-board or simply enjoy the sun.

“I like looking for moon snails and building sand castles,” said Jordyn Wakefield, who visited Double Bluff Beach with her family.

With school out and 10 days without rain and counting, it was a great start to summer, she said.

“This is wonderful, especially with the tide out,” added mom Becky Wakefield. “We are from Arkansas so this is a treat for us.”

Those who couldn’t make it to the beach found other ways to cool down. Hot temperatures meant a good day for ice cream sales.

“We had a very good weekend,” said Mary Stoll, owner of The Whidbey Ice Cream Company.

“But people actually have come in and told us that it was too hot for ice cream,” she said.

The last days have been the most successful week since the ice cream store opened for business at the Bayview Cash Store on June 15.

While others cool off with the cool treats, Stoll and co-owner Mike Rudd have been sweating while making the ice cream bars.

“Yes, it’s hot and it’s hot making the ice cream,” Stoll said.

Food service workers stuck in small kitchens struggled through the day.

Lani Bryant of the Freeland Cafe said it gets hot in the restaurant’s small kitchen.

“It was Africa hot,” she said.

Air conditioners or open windows are not very effective when stoves are on and food is cooking.

“We put ice behind the fans,” she said.

If nothing else helps keep the crew chilly, wet bandanas help kitchen staff keep cool.

Not only those in food service battled the heat. Vicky Welfare, branch manager of the Langley Library, reported Monday was especially hot.

“We don’t have air conditioning and one of our fans was broken,” she noted. “We had all our windows open but it was still very warm.”

Adding to that were two scheduled children’s programs. “There was a lot of body heat created, but everyone had a great time anyway,” she said.

After reaching a peak on Monday, temperatures will return to seasonal norm in the high 60s to mid 70s. According to the extended weather forecast from the National Weather Service, summer has come to stay. There is no rain in sight and the weather system that’s bringing the warm, stable weather pattern won’t change anytime soon.

Record reporter Jeff VanDerford contributed to the report.