SS Storm Sandy's impact on the Delaware Bayshore

As many of you know, one year ago tomorrow, SS Sandy hit New Jersey. I was lucky, we only lost power, one tree down, damage to a couple of outdoor light fixtures, and a couple shingles off of my roof. Others were not as fortunate. I knew about the damage that the New Jersey shore (aka the east shore) saw. I am embarrassed to say that it was only yesterday that I found out about the damage to the Delaware Bayshore of NJ (or the western shore), thanks to an article I saw in the print edition of the Sunday Star Ledger, that may be found here on NJ.com. Please take the time to read the article. The title of the article and the headline in Sunday's Star Ledger is "The Forgotten Shore." After reading the article and spending time on NJ.com looking at the interactive map, videos and photos, I knew that I had to tell you about the Delaware Bayshore.

For those of you are interested in maps and seeing where the Delaware Bayshore region of NJ is, there is an interactive map featuring stories, videos and photos of those featured in the article. There is a nice photo gallery of pictures of the damage to the Delaware Bayshore and her people here (also found on the interactive map). There were a few videos that I liked, I picked out one to embed here for you on damage to dikes in Greenwich, NJ.

direct link to video

Memories of the NJ Shore

I was not intending to write an article on life after Super Storm in NJ, and the ongoing recovery. But I went to the online edition of the Star Ledger on NJ.com this morning and found a video -- a mini-documentary called Splinters and Sand: Rebuilding our memories. Rebuilding the New Jersey Shore by Brian Donahue -- that I want to share with you. Among other things, Brian shares how SS Sandy impacted some of his favorite places on the Jersey Shore. After you watch the video, read on and I'll share how SS Sandy impacted one of my favorite places on the Jersey Shore.

The embed code that I had originally posted for Splinters and Sand is no longer available, but you may you use the direct link to Splinters and Sand, a Special Star Ledger Report by Brian Donohue  on NJ dot com to watch the video (updated on July 18, 2013).

Brain talks about his memories in this video. One of my favorite places is the area around Tuckerton NJ and the the Mystic Islands just north of Atlantic City, NJ. Tuckerton was hit badly by SS Sandy Tuckerton and the adjacent Mystic Islands are quiet communities without the notoriety of areas such as the Seaside Heights (whose destroyed piers many of you have seen on the national media). I saw an article recently from NJ dot com on Tuckerton's damage from SS Sandy, go here to see the article. 

I drove through Tuckerton, and the Mystic Islands earlier this month. It seemed disrespectful to take pictures. I saw boarded up houses with varying degrees of damage, and a few severely damaged marinas. I knew from spending some time at the Mystic Islands during summers in years past how important the boating industry is to the Tuckerton and Mystic Island area. Many damaged boats had no doubt been removed, but the damage to the piers and docks was clear. I saw a news report a day or so after I went to the Mystic Islands (sorry I can no longer find the article), discussing the financial hardships faced by many marina owners. 

New Jersey's maritime industry has been hit hard, see this article from the Sunday Star Ledger (1/27/13), and here's an article about the problems from  USA Today about problems facing NJ's fishing industry post SS Sandy.

Here is a short video from the Press of Atlantic City about the plight of marina owners in southern Ocean County NJ post SS Sandy (Tuckerton and the Mystic Islands are in southern Ocean County NJ). I hope they can get the help they need so that they come back.

direct link to video

A quick note

In case any of you are wondering, I do not live anywhere near the flood affected areas. The storm system that has ravaged the southern areas of the Jersey shore and has also ravaged areas south of us is supposed to be pulling away from Jersey today. I understand from the weather channel that areas south of us, for example Norfolk VA were hard hit with flooding and rain fall in the double digits.

update on northeaster off northeast coast

The storm continues to slowly move up the mid atlantic and northeast coast. Myfox Philly has a map of wave heights as reported by buoys and ships. Impressive wave heights. I noted some buoys reporting 15 to 20 foot wave heights. Here is a slide show of some images of the flooding.

The Press of Atlantic City has a web page with reports of the storm and videos, it may be found here.

I understand that the NJ Forest Fire Service has been helping out with evacuations from Wildwood. See this thread on wildland fire for more information.

Coastal Flooding in southern New Jersey

I want to pause and write about the northeaster that is slowly moving its way up the eastern seaboard.

This storm -- the remnants of Tropical Storm Ida -- has been affecting southern NJ, Delaware and environs for a couple of days with rain, high winds (gusts ranging from 40 mph to 59 mph), and severe coastal flooding. For those of you who are interested, the latest advisories from NOAA may be found here. In the event that the link expires, I am copying the flood advisory below.

A fishing boat, the Sea Tractor was lost in rough seas from this storm off of Cape May, NJ on Wednesday night. The Coast Guard has suspended the search. For more information, see this article.

Coastal Flood Warning


COASTAL HAZARD MESSAGE
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE MOUNT HOLLY NJ
239 PM EST FRI NOV 13 2009

DEZ001>003-NJZ012-013-016-020>023-027-140500-
/O.CON.KPHI.CF.W.0004.000000T0000Z-091114T1500Z/
NEW CASTLE-KENT-INLAND SUSSEX-MIDDLESEX-WESTERN MONMOUTH-SALEM-
OCEAN-CUMBERLAND-ATLANTIC-CAPE MAY-SOUTHEASTERN BURLINGTON-
239 PM EST FRI NOV 13 2009


...COASTAL FLOOD WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 10 AM EST
SATURDAY...


A COASTAL FLOOD WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 10 AM EST
SATURDAY.


HIGH PRESSURE TO OUR NORTH AND LOW PRESSURE TO OUR SOUTH WILL
MAINTAIN A NORTHEAST TO NORTH WIND ALONG THE COASTS OF NEW JERSEY
AND DELAWARE INTO THE WEEKEND. THE FLOW WILL KEEP WATER FROM
DRAINING AWAY FROM THE COASTLINE AND TIDAL DEPARTURES WILL REMAIN
QUITE HIGH. WATER WILL BE TRAPPED IN THE BACK BAYS OF NEW JERSEY AND
DELAWARE FOR AT LEAST ANOTHER THREE OR FOUR TIDE CYCLES.


WHILE THE HIGH TIDE EARLY THIS MORNING WAS LIKELY THE HIGHEST OF
THE STORM... MODERATE TIDAL FLOODING IS EXPECTED AGAIN DURING THE
HIGH TIDE CYCLES LATE THIS AFTERNOON INTO THIS EVENING AND EARLY
ON SATURDAY MORNING. AS A RESULT... THE COASTAL FLOOD WARNING
CONTINUES INTO SATURDAY.


FOR SANDY HOOK... NEW JERSEY ON THE BAY SIDE... THIS AFTERNOON`S
HIGH TIDE IS AT 451 PM WITH A FORECAST HEIGHT AROUND 7.5 FEET
MLLW. THE HIGH TIDE EARLY ON SATURDAY MORNING OCCURS AT 526 AM
WITH A FORECAST HEIGHT AROUND 7.5 FEET MLLW.


FOR SEASIDE HEIGHTS... NEW JERSEY ON THE OCEANFRONT... THIS
AFTERNOON`S HIGH TIDE IS AT 421 PM WITH A FORECAST HEIGHT AROUND
7 FEET MLLW. THE HIGH TIDE EARLY ON SATURDAY MORNING OCCURS AT
456 AM WITH A FORECAST HEIGHT AROUND 7 FEET MLLW.


FOR ATLANTIC CITY... NEW JERSEY ON THE OCEANFRONT... THIS
AFTERNOON`S HIGH TIDE IS AT 437 PM WITH A FORECAST HEIGHT AROUND
7 FEET MLLW. THE HIGH TIDE EARLY ON SATURDAY MORNING OCCURS AT
509 AM WITH A FORECAST HEIGHT AROUND 7 FEET MLLW.


FOR CAPE MAY... NEW JERSEY ON THE OCEANFRONT... THIS AFTERNOON`S
HIGH TIDE IS AT 511 PM WITH A FORECAST HEIGHT AROUND 8 FEET MLLW.
THE HIGH TIDE EARLY ON SATURDAY MORNING OCCURS AT 543 AM WITH A
FORECAST HEIGHT AROUND 8 FEET MLLW. WATER LEVELS IN THE BACK BAYS
WILL LIKELY RUN FROM ONE HALF TO ONE FOOT HIGHER THAN THOSE ALONG
THE OCEANFRONT.


FOR LEWES... DELAWARE ON THE BAY SIDE... THIS AFTERNOON`S HIGH
TIDE IS AT 551 PM WITH A FORECAST HEIGHT OF 7 TO 7.5 FEET MLLW.
THE HIGH TIDE EARLY ON SATURDAY MORNING OCCURS AT 621 AM WITH A
FORECAST HEIGHT OF 7 TO 7.5 FEET MLLW.


FOR REHOBOTH BEACH... DELAWARE ON THE OCEANFRONT... THIS
AFTERNOON`S HIGH TIDE IS AT 450 PM WITH A FORECAST HEIGHT OF 7 TO
7.5 FEET MLLW. THE HIGH TIDE EARLY ON SATURDAY MORNING OCCURS AT
522 AM WITH A FORECAST HEIGHT OF 7 TO 7.5 FEET MLLW.


FOR REEDY POINT... DELAWARE... HIGH TIDE OCCURS AT 822 PM THIS
EVENING WITH A FORECAST HEIGHT AROUND 8 FT MLLW. THE HIGH TIDE ON
SATURDAY MORNING OCCURS AT 850 AM WITH A FORECAST HEIGHT OF 7.5 TO
8 FEET MLLW.


CONDITIONS ARE FORECAST TO IMPROVE GRADUALLY LATE IN THE WEEKEND.


PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...


A COASTAL FLOOD WARNING MEANS THAT FLOODING IS OCCURRING. COASTAL
RESIDENTS IN THE WARNED AREA SHOULD BE ALERT FOR RISING WATER AND
TAKE APPROPRIATE ACTION TO PROTECT LIFE AND PROPERTY.


DO NOT PARK YOUR VEHICLE IN A LOCATION THAT IS PRONE TO TIDAL
FLOODING. ALSO... AVOID ROADWAYS THAT ARE PRONE TO TIDAL
FLOODING.