Sandy Hook is closed indefinitely

Tuesday, October 1, 2013

Because Congress has been unable to pass a temporary funding bill for the government, Sandy Hook has been closed indefinitely.

Darn. I was hoping to visit this week. Today is expected to be completely sunny with a high temperature of 76 degrees. Tomorrow is forecast to be partly cloudy but warmer at 80 degrees.

You may wish to call or write your member of Congress to demand that they act to end the government shutdown.

Sandy Hook--including Gunnison Beach--reopens today

Tuesday, April 30, 2013

Sandy Hook reopens today after the calamity caused by another Sandy, Superstorm Sandy, which devastated beaches and uprooted thousands of residents in nearby communities.

"We have been looking forward to this moment since the storm hit us, and we've worked hard to make it happen this soon," said Pete McCarthy, Sandy Hook unit coordinator for the National Park Service. "Employees and volunteers have literally dug out beach centers and parking lots, and pumped out flooded basements, and we've even rebuilt sand dunes and replanted beach grasses."

In an unexpected development, the Park Service also will reopen Gunnison Beach--Sandy Hook's clothing-optional beach--starting today. Lifeguards will not be in place until the Memorial Day weekend. During the summer season, Gunnison will have lifeguards from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.

Expect some changes when you visit:

• Because of storm damage to parking lots, Sandy Hook will accommodate only 2,500 cars, or 60 percent of its normal capacity. Arrive early if you hope to find a place to park. Signs will be placed along Route 36 north and south of Sandy Hook to alert motorists when the parking lots are full.
• Work will continue this summer as more services are restored and roads continue to be repaved. The sewage system was incapacitated by the storm, and work continues to return it to service. In the meantime, portable toilets will be available. Electric and water services are largely but not entirely restored.
• Most of Sandy Hook remains inaccessible for bicyclists. Most of the multiple-use path was severely damaged. Work continues on returning it to service.
• Electric, telephone, water and sewage services were all incapacitated by storm.  These services are largely but not entirely restored. Throughout the summer, the park will continue to rehabilitate damaged beach centers, sections of the multi-use path and other affected areas. Details are still being worked out for food service but it will be limited for the summer. The Visitor Center at Spermaceti Cove was one of several buildings damaged by the hurricane and will remain closed indefinitely.

Beach parking is free until Memorial Day. During the summer season, beach parking will be $10 per car, the same it has been for several years.

On April 27 Clean Ocean Action held its annual Beach Sweep to spruce up Sandy Hook. About 720 volunteers collected 80 tons of maritime debris on the bay side of Sandy Hook's beaches.

The Park Service and dignitaries, including U.S. Representative Frank Pallone, a Democrat, will mark today's reopening with a ceremony at 10 a.m. Pallone pushed hard for Congress to appropriate emergency funds for rebuilding Sandy Hook and the devastated communities nearly. If you visit Sandy Hook, you're apt to see damaged housing and businesses--and many who are rebuilding after the calamity from October's hurricane.

Earth movers restoring a beach to normal condition

Damage from storm damage at Gunnison Beach plaza in October 2012

Sandy Hook's shorebirds

For beach-goers in northern New Jersey, Sandy Hook is a haven for sunbathers and swimmers, including those of us who shun clothing. But Sandy Hook also is a vitally important habitat for shorebirds.

Adult Piping Plover

Sandy Hook's relatively undisturbed dunes and beaches provide an excellent site for feeding and nesting. The nine-mile-long peninsula attracts some 70 species of birds during the summer. That diversity has led New Jersey to place Sandy Hook on the state's list of Important Bird and Birding Areas. The National Audubon Society includes Sandy Hook as a globally significant birding habitat.

Piping Plover on nest

The most protected of these birds is the Piping Plover, which has been listed as endangered along much of the Atlantic Coast. Only 2,000 adult pairs remain in existence, according to the National Park Service.

Eggs are laid in a depression in the sand

The Park Service takes special measures to protect the birds. Rangers and volunteers section off areas of beaches, including clothing-optional Gunnison Beach, to protect Piping Plovers for nesting and feeding. The fencing remains in effect from mid-March to September.

After traveling thousands of miles from their wintering grounds along the Gulf of Mexico and the Caribbean, Piping Plovers have now returned to Sandy Hook to their summer breeding sites. It usually isn't until beach season that sun-seekers realize that the birds are back.

Parent and chick

Chick hunting for insects

The Piping Plover is a cute sparrow-sized shorebird whose sandy beach-like color camouflages it from predators. The adult has orange legs, a black ring around the neck, and a black band across the forehead from eye to eye. The only reliable way to tell the sexes apart is that the chest band is larger in males. They forage for food on beaches, moving in short bursts, around the high tide zone and along the water's edge. They mainly eat insects, marine worms and crustaceans. Their call is a soft, whistled peep peep. The alarm call is pee-werp.

In each breeding season, the female lays up to four eggs in a shallow, scraped depression in the sand. Both sexes share in the incubation, which lasts about 30 days. Once a chick hatches it is able to feed within hours. However, they are flightless for about 30 days. The parents show them how to find insects for food, and brood them for protection from the elements and from predators.

Predators include foxes, skunks, feral cats and gulls. But the biggest problem for Piping Plovers is human disturbance. Stay away from posted areas, and keep to the shoreline to avoid crushing eggs or chicks. Keep your dog on a leash or at least in check. And never feed the gulls. That entices the gulls to remain close to shore, leaving Piping Plovers, their chicks or their eggs prone to attack.

The Park Service has a great slide show about the natural life of the Piping Plover and the work being done to safeguard the birds from extinction. Gunnison Beach isn't just for naked men; it's also home to the Piping Plover. Give these birds the respect they deserve.

Sandy Hook reopens in 2 weeks; nude sunbathing to follow

Monday, April 15, 2013

As reported here on March 3, the reopening of Sandy Hook’s clothing-optional beach is scheduled for the Memorial Day weekend. But you needn’t wait until then to get a glimpse of Sandy Hook. The National Park Service is allowing the public back into the federal recreation area in two weeks and will begin running a limited number of programs on Sandy Hook’s history and ecology.

The Park Service has done a herculean job restoring portions of Sandy Hook following the devastation caused by Superstorm Sandy last October. For a while, it seemed as though the entire facility—including the clothing-optional Gunnison Beach—would be shut down for the entire 2013 beach season.

As the months went by, the situation improved, thanks to Park Service employees and the many volunteers who helped remove sand and debris. A 13-foot surge of water from the storm remade beaches; I have no word on how different Gunnison will look now. (Winter storms always reshape Gunnison, but Superstorm Sandy is something else entirely.)

Government contractors have excavated much of the sand from paved roads and parking lots. Military demotions experts had to be brought in to deal with two unexploded shells dating from the time when Sandy Hook was an Army gunnery range. The sewer system remains down; portable potties will be used in the meantime. However, the heavily damaged changing room at Gunnison apparently will be unusable for now.

Aerial view of Gunnison Beach in August 2011

Overall, Superstorm Sandy caused more than $30 million in damages to Sandy Hook, the local AtlanticvilleWeb site reported. The federal government has allocated $35 million for repairs and upgrades.

“The goal is to open more of the unit as the summer goes on,” Park Service spokewoman Daphne Yun told Atlanticville. “As of Memorial Day, parking lots B, G, I, J and K will be open. Throughout the summer, we will be working to open more lots and more beaches.”

As it stands, Atlanticville reported, Sandy Hook will accommodate about 2,500 cars, or 60 percent of its normal daily capacity of 4,500. Yun said she is unsure of possible transportation alternatives to the recreation area, since the unit’s ferry landing will not be repaired prior to the May 24 holiday weekend.

Along Route 36, signs posted north and south of Sandy Hook in Highlands and Long Branch will alert motorists if the park if the park is filled, Sea Bright Mayor Dina Long told RedBankGreen.com.

Some other work underway includes:

• More than $5 million is being spent by the U.S. Department of Transportation on trails, beaches, roads, boardwalks and parking lots. The storm undercut many trails, leaving chunks of pavement upturned and shattered.
• Infrastructure, including water, sewer and telecommunications, is being reinstalled.
• The sewage treatment plant, which was severely damaged, is being brought online with a new system that is more sustainable and environmentally friendly.
• Maintenance facilities are being relocated to prevent future storm damage.

If you’re itching for an early glimpse of Sandy Hook, the annual Beach Clean Sweep is scheduled for Saturday, April 27. The latest word is that the event is full. However, you may wish to check with Clean Ocean Action just in case. The event begins at Parking Lot B at 10 a.m. and ends at 1:30 p.m.

Sandy Hook itself reopens on Wednesday, May 1, with a gathering of Park Service staff, dignitaries and visitors. The time for that event has yet to be announced; I’ll try to keep you posted.

Most of the time, Gunnison denizens spend all of their time sunbathing and swimming nude. Now is a good opportunity to learn about other features of Sandy Hook with your pants on. The Park Service has scheduled these events:

The historic Sandy Hook Lighthouse

• Lighthouse and Keepers Quarters. The Spermacetti Cove Visitors Center is closed indefinitely. The Visitors Center will be relocated to the Lighthouse Keeper’s Quarters in Fort Hancock. The 1883 Keepers Quarters offers exhibits on New Jersey lighthouses. The nearby Keeper’s Barn features a video on the history of the Sandy Hook Lighthouse, which is the oldest continually operating navigational light in the United States. Built in 1764 it stands 500 feet tall. Tours are on a first-come basis. The temporary Visitors Center office is open daily from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Lighthouse tours are daily from 1:30 to 4:30 p.m.
• Nike Missile Site Tours. Volunteers will provide guided tours of the “top secret” Nike Missile Radar Site on Sandy Hook. Meet at Parking Lot L. The tours are Sunday, May 5; Saturday, May 11; and Sunday, May 19. Each tour is held from noon to 4 p.m.
• Secret Places of Sandy Hook. Visit some of the less-known places on Sandy Hook on Sunday, May 6, from 2 to 5 p.m. A ranger-led caravan will stop at historic sites. Wear walking shoes and bring flashlights. The program is free. Call 347-539-0876.

  

  Horseshoe Crab

• Student Education. This event on Tuesday and Wednesday, May 21 and 22, will enable middle-school students to experience hands-on marine environmental education and examine the causes and impact of Superstorm Sandy. For details visit Clean Ocean Action.
• Horseshoe Crab Walk. These ancient animals spawn at this time of year. The Park Service offers an evening walk at Plum Island on Sandy Hook to look for horseshoe crabs on Thursday, May 23, from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. Wear waterproof footwear. The tour is free. Call 732-291-0055 for reservations.

And finally, on the Memorial Day weekend, the clothes come off and Gunnison Beach returns to normal, more or less. The Park Service will furnish portable potties but there will be no water service. Bring your own drinking water. Expect more visitors than usual. The closing of Fire Island to nudity (see March 4 posting) may cause an influx of more New Yorkers who are looking to acquire a full-body tan. On weekends, arrive extra early or come in late afternoon.

Fire Island closed to nudity; Gunnison may be nearest option

Sunday, March 3, 2013

Here is a followup to yesterday's posting about the reopening of Sandy Hook's Gunnison Beach:

When Gunnision Beach reopens on Memorial Day weekend, it may be a little more crowded than usual. A recent decision to close nude sunbathing in Fire Island may mean that disappointed New York nudists will flock to New Jersey.

On February 5, the National Park Service announced that it will begin enforcing New York's ban on public nudity. A state law enacted in 1984 prohibited public nudity, but Fire Island's beaches are operated by the federal government, which until now had no similar ban. The Park Service changed its policy in the wake of complaints of public sex. Since then Hurricane Sandy last October wiped out many of the dunes that obscured sight lines.

The Park Service ban on nudity at Fire Island includes the tract of land in front of Sailors Haven, from Point O' Woods to Cherry Grove, and at Lighthouse Beach, a narrow strip just east of Robert Moses State Park.

"I'm pretty disappointed," Felicity Jones, co-founder of Young Naturists and Nudists America, told Newsday. "It was the best beach we had for New Yorkers, and it's not easy to be a nudist in New York. I think a lot of people will end up going to Gunnison Beach in New Jersey."

Years ago New Yorkers faced a long drive in congested traffic to reach Sandy Hook's Gunnison Beach. The trip became more convenient when the Sunstreak ferry began operating in 2003. The ferry makes it possible "for a banker on Wall Street to go from power suit to birthday suit in less than an hour," the New York Times said.

According to Newsday, Park Service rangers on Fire Island will begin informing nude sunbathers of the new restriction. This would be followed up by ticketing. Violators could face six months in jail and up to $5,000 in fines. Fire Island's chief ranger, Lena Koschmann, acknowledged that enforcement may be difficult because many nude sunbathers do not carry identification.

Sandy Hook to reopen on Memorial Day weekend

Saturday, March 2, 2013

Good news for fans of Gunnison Beach, the clothing-optional beach on Sandy Hook, New Jersey. The National Park Service says Gunnison will reopen on the Memorial Day weekend.

Initially the Park Service feared that all of Sandy Hook would be closed for the duration of the 2013 season. That’s not surprising, given the level of damage sustained by Hurricane Sandy last October.

Sandy Hook in 2011, photo by Noah Parrell

With so much progress being made in removing sand-covered roads and scarred beaches and dunes, the Park Service will be ready to allow visitors to Gunnison, Beach B and North beaches on the Memorial Day weekend.

Don’t expect the usual amenities, though. Work hasn’t finished on the sewer system, so there will be no water or bathroom facilities, Peter McCarthy, assistant superintendent at Sandy Hook, told News 12 New Jersey. The Park Service is exploring the possibility of installing temporary bathroom trailers or portable potties.

Throughout a typical year, Gunnison is shaped by tides and the usual storms. There is no word on what the beach will look like as a result of the hurricane. The wooden boardwalk has been shattered.

Visitors will find other changes as well:

• Biking and walking on the multi-use pathway will be hampered by twisted macadam and feet of sand.
• The popular Seagull’s Nest restaurant will stay closed for now. The interior and the parking lot need major work.
• The Officers’ Quarters sustained interior damage. Outside porches remain propped up with wooden supports to prevent collapse.

One feature will stay the same: the entry fee of $15 per car. But because of the limited number of beaches available, only 2,500 visitors will be admitted to Sandy Hook each day instead of the usual 5,000, McCarthy said.

U.S. Senators Frank R. Lautenberg and Robert Menendez, both New Jersey Democrats, announced on February 13 that Congress has set aside $3.5 million for infrastructure repairs at Sandy Hook. The funding would provide:

• Replacements to the wooden boardwalk to Gunnison Beach.
• Repairs to parking lots C, D and E, where the storm ripped up pavement.
• Fixes to the multi-use pathway that runs the seven-mile length of the peninsula.
• Restoration of the park’s visitor center and Horseshoe Cove.

The money is close to what the Park Service asked for, the Asbury Park Press reported.

Since then, a new wrinkle has emerged that may affect progress on the repair work. Congress failed to act on the $1.2 trillion in spending cuts by the February 28 sequestration deadline. As a result, 10 percent of the government’s discretionary spending—including funding for Sandy Hook—will be cut unless Congress changes its mind.

2012: Sandy Hook communities hit hard

Sunday, December 30, 2012

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.

Slate magazine

In Highlands, a house was damaged when a boat smashed ashore. 

ABC Channel 5 News

A bucket loader picks up storm-ruined furniture and other debris in Highlands

Photographer unknown

The iconic view of Seaside Heights' roller coaster, destroyed by Hurricane Sandy

NBC News

An aerial view of Seaside Heights' collapsed boardwalk and amusement area

Don't count on Gunnison Beach opening in 2013

Thursday, December 20, 2012

There is more bad news about Gunnison Beach, the clothing-optional beach on Sandy Hook, New Jersey. The damage may be much worse than earlier believed. Entire sections of crucial infrastructure--the electrical, water and sewer systems--need to be repaired or replaced. Without this work, Sandy Hook cannot reopen to beach-goers. The work will be expensive, and there may be two huge political obstacles standing in the way.

In short, don't count on sunning and swimming nude at Gunnison Beach next summer.

National Park Service officials at Sandy Hook say they are uncertain whether the recreation area will open next summer. "It's a day-by-day thing as we evaluate it. We're going to try to open for summer," Pete McCarthy, assistant park superintendent told the Newark Star-Ledger.

More than a month after Hurricane Sandy deluged the peninsula with a 13-foot-high tidal surge, crews are still clearing parking lots, some of which were blanketed by sand, and removing debris. Surprises occur now and then. On December 14, a cleanup crew discovered a 6-inch artillery shell on one of the beaches. During the early 1900s, Sandy Hook was an Army proving ground, and it is believed that the shell dates back to then. An ordnance detail exploded the shell.

The water and sewage systems remain out of commission. Several nonprofit and scientific research organizations stationed at the tip of Sandy Hook, including the American Littoral Society, have had to relocate off the peninsula, and there is no projected timetable for return, the local newspaper, The Independent, reported.

"There is currently no drinking water or sewage there. That is being worked on, but I can't speculate as to how long it may take," Daphne Yun, a spokesperson for the Park Service, told The Independent.

Without operational water and sewage systems, Sandy Hook cannot reopen. Gunnison Beach, for instance, had restrooms and drinking water on site. The buildings housing those facilities were damaged during the hurricane.

Sandy Hook, along with the rest of the Gateway National Recreation Area in New York, will need at least $180 million in storm-related repairs, according to the Park Service spokesperson.

The money to pay for the repairs must come from Congress, and two snags may affect funding for the projects.

First, the "fiscal cliff" may force cuts in the Park Service's budget. If Congress does not act by December 31, funding for all government agencies except entitlement programs such as Medicare and Medicaid automatically will be cut by 10 percent. The President and House Speaker John Boehner are trying to reach a fix, but the outcome is anyone's guess. Without a full complement of staff at Sandy Hook, repair work will take longer.

Second, an emergency spending bill for $60.4 billion in storm-damage needs throughout the metropolitan area is drawing fire among Senate Republicans, the Associated Press reported. Senator Dan Coats of Indians wants to cut more than half of of the sum. Other Republicans object to the inclusion of money to clean up tsunami damage on the West Coast, which had been tacked on to the package by Democrats.

It's not clear whether funding for Park Service projects such as Sandy Hook would be affected by the cuts the Republicans are proposing.

The Senate is expected to act on the Republican amendments by year's end. The appropriations bill would then go to the Republican-controlled House, where  it faces an uncertain future.

Representative Frank Pallone, a Democrat who represents the communities surrounding Sandy Hook, has called on the Park Service to provide adequate resources to the recreation area.

"Located at Sandy Hook are public beaches, a restaurant, nonprofit organizations, a marine science school, a NOAA laboratory, a Coast Guard station, the homes of National Park Service employees and Fort Hancock, which is listed as a National Historic Landmark," Pallone wrote the Park Service's director, Jon Garvis. "These are just some of the important aspects of Sandy Hook. Equally important are the opportunities for recreation and enjoyment of the natural environment that the park provides, which cannot be quantified."