BEACH NOTES ... 2/5/2010 ... Ocean City, New Jersey

Sand & Snow (or mybe just wet weather) in Ocean City, New Jersey

One more snow report with feeling, but I decided to connect it to beach erosion to make a more interesting posting ... regardless, stay out of Ocean City (NJ) this weekend.  Predictions go from 12-24 inches, 30 mph wind, whiteout conditions, etc.  It's a "comfort food weekend" for my wife and me.  She was out grocery shopping yesterday, and I left early this morning leaving a note regarding any pick-ups that I should make today.

As anyone who has ever stayed on our barrier island knows; the weather is everything, and the tide charts are important.  Flooding is usually an critical aspect with any type of wet weather.  We tend to lose more beach with the regular run-of-the-mill "nor'easter than the hurricanes that get more recognition.  In fact, knocking on wood we have been quite fortunate in not getting many of the latter in recent years.

But as THE PRESS of Atlantic City article in today's (February 5th) paper states:  "O.C. beach project grows as erosion cuts more sand."  The Greak Lakes Dredge and Dock Company are working right now and expected to continue until April.  But we may lose beach as they continue. In fact, they will move the dredge to a safe harbor until the storm passes.  The intention is to pump 400,000 more cubic yards of sand than originally planned due to the recent harsh weather hitting Ocean City (NJ). 

"Overall, the $17 million federal project of which OC pays about 8% will pump about 1.8 million cubic yards on two miles of beaches ... The ongoing work is part of the largest OC beach fill in years and the first federal project in six years."

Northend beaches have been hit hard in recent years with a major reduction in beach area and loss of dunes.  So let's see if we can start our 2010 summer season with decent beach size.  Meanwhile, take the weekend off at your "real world" location ... cook some comfort food like we will do ... watch the "Super Bowl" probably alone or with a very small group as many miss getting out to their party location ... although my wife and I just enjoy her one football game of the year, the commercials, etc.  Having once been a high school and small college football official for about 15 years back in my 20s and 30s, I have seen more games up close and personal than most dedicated football-watchers.  So I tune in and out quite a bit these days.                                dap