SEASIDE HEIGHTS – The borough is known for its various attractions but recently an object washed up that served as a rather unusual sight for beach visitors.
A massive green navigational buoy, identified as channel marker #13 from the Ambrose Channel, washed up on the borough’s oceanfront shore following a storm.
Borough Mayor Anthony Vaz has labeled the unusual item that washed up as a “novelty” and a “new attraction” for visitors.
Ocean County Commissioner Jennifier Bacchione joined the mayor to examine the unexpected visitor to the borough’s oceanfront. They noted that it was a striking example of the ocean’s tremendous power. It was a memorable moment that shows life along the coast is never without surprises.
The marker, which broke free from its mooring near New York Harbor, is currently located about 500 yards north of the boardwalk and it has become a popular photo opportunity in the community.
The buoy is believed to have traveled nearly 80 miles south from the Ambrose Channel between Sandy Hook and Breezy Point, New York to the Jersey Shore.
The buoy is a navigational aid used to guide ships. The U.S. Coast Guard was notified upon its discovery and has removed the light components, with plans to recover the entire buoy, most likely by air lift. This process may take some time and will involve a helicopter to return it to the sea, bringing this unusual occurrence to its conclusion.
This isn’t the most unusual sight however for beach sightseers of Seaside Heights. For months following Superstorm Sandy, the sight of the borough boardwalk rollercoaster who most remember as the Jet Star was lying in the water a short distance from the coastline until its removal. It too signified how Mother Nature’s power could move heavy objects with great force and leave residents and visitors in awe.
Borough Business Administrator Christopher Vaz told Jersey Shore Online that Seaside Heights hasn’t “heard anything new” as of April 22 on the pickup date of the buoy. Those wanting to get photographs of the object will still have an opportunity to do so for now.
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