Thousands of residents across the state are waiting with bated breath for Memorial Day weekend to arrive, as Gov. Phil Murphy announced on Thursday that beaches and boardwalks will be open for the official start of beach season next week.
Thousands of others decided: Why wait?
Awakening to sunny skies and balmy weather Saturday morning, a countless number of New Jersey residents flocked to the many beaches across Atlantic, Cape May, Monmouth and Ocean counties that are currently open to the public.
Local officials are at minimum prohibiting group activities and sports at the beaches to curb the spread of the coronavirus, but some are enforcing stronger regulations than others to ensure that beachgoers continue to practice social distancing.
For example, Asbury Park has reopened its beaches for sunbathing and swimming, but has removed benches and established one-way travel in each direction on the boardwalk to eliminate group congregating.
Joe Bongiovanni, the beach safety supervisor for Asbury Park, said it “took a little while” for beachgoers to catch on to the altered regulations, but visitors have been “behaving themselves" on the boardwalk and beach in his Monmouth County city.
A famiily, wearing face masks, walks away after getting their food order from Manco and Manco pizza on the boardwalk in Ocean City, N.J., Saturday, May 16, 2020. Some people wore face masks to help protect themselves and others from COVID-19, but social distancing appeared to be difficult to maintain at times.Lori M. Nichols | NJ Advance Media for NJ.com
“Everybody seems to be maintaining six feet for social distancing,” Bongiovanni said on Saturday. “So far, things look pretty good ... People have been so used to doing what we’re doing with social distancing, it seems like most of them are paying attention to it.”
Asbury Park will not start requiring badges to enter the beach until next week, upon which time overall beach capacity will be controlled by limiting the number of passes that are sold.
Still, Bongiovanni said the beach and boardwalk were visited by thousands of people between Friday and Saturday, roughly 50% of whom arrived wearing face masks.
“When we officially open up, we’ll have people walking around reminding people of social distancing and the wearing of masks. It’s not going to be something that’s required, though,” he said.
People scatter themselves along the beach in Ocean City, N.J., Saturday, May 16, 2020. Some people wore face masks to help protect themselves and others from COVID-19, but social distancing appeared to be difficult to maintain at times.Lori M. Nichols | NJ Advance Media for NJ.com
In Sandy Hook, the Gateway National Recreation Area closed at approximately 2:45 p.m and reopened one hour later, Pete McCarthy, Sandy Hook unit manager, confirmed.
The temporary closure was driven by the “volume and congestion in the park,” as Sandy Hook was visited by over 2,000 vehicles on Saturday. This number approaches the 50% parking capacity order enforced by the state, as the region typically closes after reaching its full, non-regulated capacity of 4,500 vehicles, Brenda Ling, public affairs officer, confirmed.
Down in Ocean City in Cape May County, large crowds were seen walking on the boardwalk Saturday, and many were enjoying the sunshine on blankets and beach chairs on the sand.
Some people wore face masks to help protect themselves and others from the coronavirus, but social distancing appeared to be difficult to maintain at times.
(More photos from Ocean City, as well as some from Point Pleasant Beach, can be found below.)
Crowds walk along boardwalk in Ocean City, N.J., Saturday, May 16, 2020. Some people wore face masks to help protect themselves and others from COVID-19, but social distancing appeared to be difficult to maintain at times.Lori M. Nichols | NJ Advance Media for NJ.com
An officer wears a face mask as he walks along the boardwalk in Ocean City, N.J., Saturday, May 16, 2020. Some people wore face masks to help protect themselves and others from COVID-19, but social distancing appeared to be difficult to maintain at times.Lori M. Nichols | NJ Advance Media for NJ.com
A woman wearing a face mask rides her bike on the boardwalk in Ocean City, N.J., Saturday, May 16, 2020. Some people wore face masks to help protect themselves and others from COVID-19, but social distancing appeared to be difficult to maintain at times.Lori M. Nichols | NJ Advance Media for NJ.com
An order of Johnson's Popcorn is filled along the boardwalk in Ocean City, N.J., Saturday, May 16, 2020. Some people wore face masks to help protect themselves and others from COVID-19, but social distancing appeared to be difficult to maintain at times.Lori M. Nichols | NJ Advance Media for NJ.com
Saturday, May 16, 2020 - Sunbathers on the beach off Maryland Avenue in Point Pleasant Beach. A police vehicle is in background.Michael Mancuso | NJ Advance Media for NJ.com
Saturday, May 16, 2020 - On the beach at Seaside Heights, people were allowed on the beach only if in remaining in constant motion. Vehicles patrolled the beach to enforce compliance.Michael Mancuso | NJ Advance Media for NJ.com
Saturday, May 16, 2020 - A sign on a marker placed in the middle of the street in a residential area of Trenton Avenue in Point Pleasant Beach warns of parking regulations.Michael Mancuso | NJ Advance Media for NJ.com
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Caroline Fassett may be reached at cfassett@njadvancemedia.com. Lori M. Nichols may be reached at lnichols@njadvancemedia.com. Tell us your coronavirus story or send a tip here.
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Most beaches across the state are already open. Here’s what the scene was like at the Jersey Shore on Saturda - NJ.com
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