Barnegat Inlet

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Aerial photo of the Barnegat Inlet in 1944 BarnInlet1944.jpg
Aerial photo of the Barnegat Inlet in 1944

Barnegat Inlet is a small inlet connecting the Barnegat Bay with the Atlantic Ocean in Ocean County, New Jersey. It separates Island Beach State Park and the Barnegat Peninsula from Long Beach Island. The Barnegat Lighthouse sits at the northern end of Long Beach Island along the inlet.

Inlet An indentation of a shoreline that often leads to an enclosed body of salt water, such as a sound, bay, lagoon, or marsh

An inlet is an indentation of a shoreline, usually long and narrow, such as a small bay or arm, that often leads to an enclosed body of salt water, such as a sound, bay, lagoon, or marsh.

Barnegat Bay Bay in Ocean County, New Jersey, U.S.

Barnegat Bay is a small brackish arm of the Atlantic Ocean, approximately 42 miles (67.2 km) long, along the coast of Ocean County, New Jersey in the United States. It is separated from the Atlantic by the long Barnegat Peninsula, as well as by the north end of Long Beach Island, popular segments of the Jersey Shore. The bay is fed by several small rivers, including the Toms River and Metedeconk River, which empty into the bay through small estuaries along its inner shore. The communities of Toms River, Silverton, and Forked River sit along the river estuaries on the bay.

Atlantic Ocean Ocean between Europe, Africa and the Americas

The Atlantic Ocean is the second largest of the world's oceans, with an area of about 106,460,000 square kilometers. It covers approximately 20 percent of Earth's surface and about 29 percent of its water surface area. It separates the "Old World" from the "New World".

Contents

The area surrounding the Barnegat Bay and Barnegat Inlet were described by Henry Hudson, in 1609, as "...a great lake of water, as we could judge it to be ... The mouth of the lake hath many shoals, and the sea breaketh on them as it is cast out of the mouth of it." The inlet was originally named in 1614 "Barendegat," or "Inlet of the Breakers," by Dutch explorers of the coastline, referring to the waterway's turbulent channel. [1]

Henry Hudson English explorer

Henry Hudson was an English sea explorer and navigator during the early 17th century, best known for his explorations of present-day Canada and parts of the northeastern United States.

Historically the inlet has been important to commerce to the Barnegat Bay region, allowing ships to access centers of commerce like Toms River. More recently, shipwrecks have attracted scuba divers to the area. [2] The inlet is also a popular destination for birdwatchers. [3]

Toms River, New Jersey Township in New Jersey

Toms River is a township in Ocean County, New Jersey, United States. Its mainland portion is also a census-designated place of the same name, which serves as the county seat of Ocean County. Formerly known as the Township of Dover, in 2006 voters approved a change of the official name to the Township of Toms River, adopting the name of the largest unincorporated community within the township. As of the 2010 United States Census, the township had a total population of 91,239, with the township ranking as the 8th-most-populous municipality in the state in 2010 and the second most-populous municipality in Ocean County. The 2010 population increased by 1,533 (+1.7%) from the 89,706 counted in the 2000 Census, which had in turn increased by 13,335 (+17.5%) from the 76,371 counted in the 1990 Census.

Birdwatching hobby

Birdwatching, or birding, is a form of wildlife observation in which the observation of birds is a recreational activity or citizen science. It can be done with the naked eye, through a visual enhancement device like binoculars and telescopes, by listening for bird sounds, or by watching public webcams.

The continued threat of storms such as the Ash Wednesday Storm of 1962 reinforced concerns about the stability of the shoreline along the inlet. The construction of the existing jetty in the 1990s added a significant amount of land to the town of Barnegat Light, much of which was designated as parkland and now includes a bird sanctuary. The jetty has provided stabilization to the shoreline along the inlet, but requires frequent dredging.

Ash Wednesday Storm of 1962 1962 Noreaster

The Ash Wednesday Storm of 1962 occurred on March 5–9, 1962 along the mid-Atlantic coast of the United States. Also known as the Great March Storm of 1962, it was considered by the U.S. Geological Survey to be one of the most destructive storms ever to affect the mid-Atlantic states. Classified as a level 5 or Extreme Nor'easter by the Dolan-Davis scale for classification of Atlantic Nor'easters it was one of the ten worst storms in the United States in the 20th century. It lingered through five high tides over a three-day period, killing 40 people, injuring over 1,000, and causing hundreds of millions in property damage in six states. The storm also deposited significant snowfall over the Southeast, with a regional snowfall index of 12.663.

Jetty Low bank stretching from the shore into a water span

A jetty is a structure that projects from the land out into water. Often, "jetty" refers to a walkway accessing the centre of an enclosed waterbody. The term is derived from the French word jetée, "thrown", and signifies something thrown out.

Barnegat Light, New Jersey Borough in New Jersey

Barnegat Light is a borough in Ocean County, New Jersey, United States. As of the 2010 United States Census, the borough's population was 574, reflecting a decline of 190 (-24.9%) from the 764 counted in the 2000 Census, which had in turn increased by 89 (+13.2%) from the 675 counted in the 1990 Census. The borough borders the Atlantic Ocean on Long Beach Island and is home to Barnegat Lighthouse.

See also

Barnegat Lighthouse Lighthouse in New Jersey, United States

Barnegat Lighthouse or Barnegat Light, colloquially known as "Old Barney", is a historic lighthouse located in Barnegat Lighthouse State Park on the northern tip of Long Beach Island, in the borough of Barnegat Light, Ocean County, New Jersey, United States, on the south side of Barnegat Inlet.

The Barnegat Peninsula, also known as the Island Beach Peninsula or Barnegat Bay Island and colloquially as "the barrier island", is a 20-mile (32 km) long, narrow barrier peninsula located on the Jersey Shore in Ocean County, New Jersey, United States, that divides the Barnegat Bay from the Atlantic Ocean. It is a vacation destination and summer colony area and is heavily dependent on tourism, real estate and fishing. Notable communities on the peninsula include Point Pleasant Beach, Bay Head, Mantoloking, Lavallette, Ortley Beach, Seaside Heights, Seaside Park and the South Seaside Park section of Berkeley Township. The southern 10 miles (16 km) of the barrier island are preserved in their natural state as Island Beach State Park, New Jersey's longest stretch of undeveloped coastline.

Long Beach Island island in the United States of America

Long Beach Island is a barrier island and summer colony along the Atlantic Ocean coast of Ocean County, New Jersey in the United States. Aligned north-south, the northern portion is generally slightly higher end low-density residential, whereas the southern portion possesses higher-density housing and considerable commercial development. The primary industries include tourism, fishing, and real estate. The only access point to the island by land is a single causeway.

Related Research Articles

Jersey Shore coastal region of the U.S. state of New Jersey

The Jersey Shore is the coastal region of the U.S. state of New Jersey. Geographically, the term encompasses about 141 miles (227 km) of oceanfront bordering the Atlantic Ocean, from Perth Amboy in the north to Cape May Point in the south. The region includes Middlesex, Monmouth, Ocean, Atlantic, and Cape May counties. Many New Jersey residents refer to it simply as The Shore. Most of the shore region is located in Central and South New Jersey.

Metedeconk River river in the United States of America

The Metedeconk River is a tributary of Barnegat Bay in Ocean County, New Jersey in the United States.

Smith Point County Park

Smith Point County Park is a beachfront park facing the Atlantic Ocean on the east end of Fire Island, along the central south shore of Long Island, near Shirley, New York, US. It is the largest park owned by Suffolk County.

Island Beach State Park

Island Beach State Park is a New Jersey state park located just south of Seaside Park on the Barnegat Peninsula in Berkeley Township, Ocean County, New Jersey, United States. The park is operated and maintained by the New Jersey Division of Parks and Forestry. Most of the park encompasses the former borough of Island Beach.

Barnegat Lighthouse State Park

Barnegat Lighthouse State Park is located on the northern tip of Long Beach Island in Ocean County, New Jersey, United States. The area where the lighthouse stands was regarded as one of the most important navigational points for ships bound to and from New York Harbor. The ships were dependent upon the Barnegat Lighthouse to avoid the shoals extending from the shoreline. The swift currents, shifting sandbars, and offshore shoals challenged the skills of even the most experienced sailors. The park is included as a maritime site on the New Jersey Coastal Heritage Trail. The park is operated and maintained by the New Jersey Division of Parks and Forestry.

A meteotsunami or meteorological tsunami is a tsunami-like sea wave of meteorological origin. Meteotsunamis are generated when rapid changes in barometric pressure cause the displacement of a body of water. In contrast to "ordinary" impulse-type tsunami sources, a traveling atmospheric disturbance normally interacts with the ocean over a limited period of time. Tsunamis and meteotsunamis are otherwise similar enough that it can be difficult to distinguish one from the other, as in cases where there is a tsunami wave but there are no seismic records of an earthquake. Meteotsunamis, rather, are triggered due to extreme weather events including severe thunderstorms, squalls and storm fronts; all of which can quickly change atmospheric pressure. Meteotsuamis typically occur when severe weather is moving at the same speed and direction of the local wave action towards the coastline. The size of the wave is enhanced by coastal features such as shallow continental shelves, bays and inlets. Only about 3% of historical tsunami events are known to have meteorological origins, although their true prevalence may be considerably higher than this because 10% of historical tsunamis have unknown origins, tsunami events in the past are often difficult to validate, and meteotsunamis may have previously been misclassified as seiche waves. Seiches are classified as a long standing wave with longer periods and slower changes in water levels. They are also restricted to enclosed or partially enclosed basins.

Brigantine Island is an island off the Atlantic Ocean coast of New Jersey, located northeast of Atlantic City. It is 6 miles (9.7 km) long. The resort community of Brigantine is located on the island.

Little Beach is a barrier island along the coast of New Jersey. It is believed to be the last uninhabited barrier island left on the U.S. Atlantic coast. It is part of Galloway Township, in Atlantic County, New Jersey.

The New Jersey Coastal Heritage Trail Route extends along eastern and southern coast of New Jersey for nearly 300 miles. It travels along the Raritan Bay from Perth Amboy to Sandy Hook, along Jersey Shore at the Atlantic Ocean to Cape May, and along the Delaware Bay to the Delaware Memorial Bridge. The trail encompasses a variety of New Jersey state parks along with facilities under the jurisdiction of the National Park Service.

Moriches Inlet

Moriches Inlet is an inlet connecting Moriches Bay and the Atlantic Ocean. The name Moriches comes from Meritces, a Native American who owned land on Moriches Neck.

Squan Beach is the historic name of a barrier spit located on the Jersey Shore of the Atlantic Ocean in Ocean County, New Jersey, United States. Since the closing of Cranberry Inlet around 1812, it has been joined physically to Island Beach, and is a major component of the Barnegat Peninsula.

Island Beach is a barrier spit located on the Jersey Shore of the Atlantic Ocean in Ocean County, New Jersey. Since the closing of Cranberry Inlet about 1812 (approximately at the boundary between Ortley Beach and Seaside Heights), it has been joined physically to Squan Beach, and is a major component of the Barnegat Peninsula.

Short Beach Island, Short Beach or Tucker's Island was a barrier island located on the Jersey Shore of the Atlantic Ocean. Little Beach is a remnant of Short Beach; the northern remnant was encroached upon and attached to Long Beach Island before succumbing to erosion.

Cranberry Inlet was an inlet connecting Barnegat Bay with the Atlantic Ocean in Ocean County, New Jersey. It has been closed since 1812.

References

  1. ↑ Lloyd, John Bailey. "Eighteen Miles of History on Long Beach Island." p. 42. 1994 Down The Shore Publishing and The SandPaper, Inc.
  2. ↑ Ocean Wreck Divers Archived July 4, 2006, at the Wayback Machine -Accessed on September 5, 2006.
  3. ↑ NJ Audubon Society Archived February 23, 2007, at the Wayback Machine -Accessed on September 5, 2006.
Barnegat Lighthouse viewed from the jetty constructed in the 1990s LBI NJ Lighthouse 01.JPG
Barnegat Lighthouse viewed from the jetty constructed in the 1990s

Coordinates: 39°46′00″N74°06′12″W / 39.76667°N 74.10333°W / 39.76667; -74.10333

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