Beach Haven and Surf City were included among the best beaches in Ocean County as part of New Jersey Sea Grant Consortium’s 2016 New Jersey’s Favorite Beach Poll. Ocean City again took the overall top honor.
The Ocean County winners, from first to fifth, were as follows: Seaside Heights, Point Pleasant Beach, Beach Haven, Island Beach State Park and Surf City.
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| Photo via NJ 101.5 Sunbathers enjoy a sunny day at the shore in Beach Haven. |
In the online survey, voters could select Long Beach Island municipalities Barnegat Light, Beach Haven, Harvey Cedars, Ship Bottom or Surf City, as well as Brant Beach, a section of Long Beach Township.
“It’s very exciting that we were recommended as one of the best beaches. We’re very proud of that,” said Beach Haven Mayor Nancy Taggart Davis, noting the town has “a very diligent and committed” beach rescue squad. “We’re very proud of our employees for their commitment to Beach Haven.”
She added, “The Beach Haven Public Works Department along with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers have worked tirelessly to get our beaches and our walkways finished for the summer” following the completion of the federal storm damage reduction project in the borough. “They have worked really hard to have things turn out as well as they have in Beach Haven and to make this transition as smooth and as attractive as possible. The beaches are done, and they’re beautiful.”
“We’re very thankful to them for getting this job done and getting it done right,” the mayor stated.
“I was very pleased to see Surf City on this year’s list,” remarked Surf City Councilman Peter Hartney, who chairs the Beach Fees/Beach Protection Committee. “The poll only confirms what generations of families have known about the beaches of Surf City, that they are one of the best beaches in Ocean County.”
Hartney attributed making it to the top five of the poll to “a winning combination” of the hard work of Tom Hudson, public works superintendent, and his crews, “who keep the beaches clean and inviting,” along with the years of experience of the members of the Surf City Beach Patrol, led by Capt. Mark Dileo, “who keep our waters safe.”
According to the consortium, the polling project originated in 2008 to encourage stewardship and pride in the state’s shore towns, and the survey has become a pre-summer occasion for residents and visitors alike.
“It is a way to celebrate everything there is to love about the Jersey Shore,” says the NJMSC. “Over time we’ve learned a thing or two – mostly that New Jerseyans are passionate about all the beaches up and down our coast. So, in order to better recognize every inch of our wonderful coastline, this year we recognize(d) a number one beach in each of New Jersey’s four coastal counties as well as a favorite beach overall.”
Nearly 10,000 votes were cast this year, the organization noted.
The New Jersey Sea Grant Consortium is an affiliation of colleges, universities and other groups dedicated to advancing knowledge and stewardship of New Jersey’s marine and coastal environment. Learn more at njseagrant.org.
— Kelley Anne Essinger and Juliet Kazas-Hoch
This article was published in The SandPaper.
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