Beach Sweep #2 ~Jersey Shore~

The dive team answered a request for our service to do a underwater search of the swimming area off of point pleasant beach. The search was for large debris from super storm sandy and if found to remove it, making the area safe for swimming.

  This is the second time we have done this search in two weeks. The first time was two weeks ago and we searched an area that ran from the inlet to Trenton Ave. (just under an mile) The search was conducted  at high tide  so the area searched will be the swimming area even at low tide. Working in a water depth of between ten and fifteen feet we started the search swimming south.

 Today we started our search at Trenton Ave and worked our way north to the inlet. This made it an easier swim for the divers as they were moving with the current. We had better visibility this time with five feet or more at times.

Teams of two divers were used for the search, It was up to each team as to how far they would go. With a water temperature of 51 degrees and low visibility most teams lasted 40 minutes. Four teams were used the cover the whole area.

Nothing of any size was found, Divers Sue and Ali did find a stereo tuner and the divers on the beach did recovered some bricks and cinder blocks and a concrete fence post. The search area was found to be mostly flat clean sand bottom. There was some small (less than six inches long ) pockets of wood debris that was moving along with the current, but nothing that would appear to pose a risk to swimmers.

This will be an ongoing project as we cannot guarantee as to future conditions.  But we will do our best to make the area safe for everyone.

     As the chief diver for the dive team I would like to thank all the divers and first aiders who gave up fourteen hours over two days to help make this season safer for everyone involved…