2012: Sandy Hook communities hit hard

We have no news to report lately on the damage that Hurricane Sandy caused to Sandy Hook and our beloved Gunnison Beach, but it's worth noting that communities in the vicinity of the peninsula are having their troubles two months after the storm has passed.

Sea Bright, the town on the barrier island just south of Sandy Hook, was ravaged during Hurricane Sandy, breaching protective dunes. Now, two days after Christmas, a nor'easter has battered the town again.

Sea Bright after Hurricane Sandy came through

Sea Bright Mayor Dina Long told the Star-Ledger of Newark that nearly the whole town was flooded "from top to bottom. … It was worse than I expected."

The borough didn’t even need to evacuate because there were few people remaining in the wake of Sandy, Long told the newspaper. Only about 100 residents have returned because their utilities had been restored and their homes deemed safe to inhabit.

October's hurricane also ripped through Highlands, the last community on Route 36 before motorists reach Sandy Hook from the north. The marina was ruined, and boats were shoved ashore. In one instance, a boat crashed through a house. Recovery is slow. Along the streets, earth-moving equipment has been scooping up debris that used to be furniture and other personal belongings. The waste is then taken to landfills for disposal.

There is one bright note: The U.S. Senate has approved a $60.4 billion aid package for victims of Hurricane Sandy and for states and federal agencies to rebuild public infrastructure such as roads. Senate Democrats beat back Republican efforts for a smaller aid package of $24 billion; the Republican said most of the items in the Democrats' plan weren't necessary or could wait until later.

The bill now faces an uncertain future in the House of Representatives.

Below are some of the scenes of the devastation wrought by Hurricane Sandy along the upper New Jersey coast.