Manasquan Inlet

Last updated
Manasquan Inlet Manasquan Inlet aerial photograph 2022.jpg
Manasquan Inlet
Daylight view east towards Point Pleasant Beach and the Atlantic Ocean from the Manasquan side ManasquanInletFrom Manasquan.jpg
Daylight view east towards Point Pleasant Beach and the Atlantic Ocean from the Manasquan side
The Manasquan Inlet, looking west at sunset from the jetty on the Manasquan side ManaInlet II.JPG
The Manasquan Inlet, looking west at sunset from the jetty on the Manasquan side

The Manasquan Inlet is an inlet that connects the Atlantic Ocean with the Manasquan River, dividing the counties of Ocean County and Monmouth County in the state of New Jersey. Passage to Bay Head Harbor and the Barnegat Bay is possible via the Point Pleasant Canal.

Contents

The present Manasquan River Inlet was dug in the 1920s with the original inlet located at Stockton Lake. [1] The present day inlet is the northern terminus of the Intracoastal Waterway.

The inlet is home to the Squan US Coast Guard station.

History

On Sunday April 5, 1778 a contingent of about 135 British troops and loyalists entered the inlet to sack and destroy the Union salt works. The raiders burnt the salt works, broke the kettles and ransacked the surrounding homes before retreating and heading north to raid salt works in the Shark River. [2] The Union salt works were repaired [3] and again attacked on the night of April 21, 1780 by a detachment of provincial troops, under the command of Lieut. Col. Laurence who had sailed south from Sandy Hook. [4]

The restored Squan lifesaving station at Ocean & 2nd avenues SquanLifesavingStation.jpg
The restored Squan lifesaving station at Ocean & 2nd avenues

The present day location of the inlet is several thousand yards south of its location in 1868, the inlet had been near the former Manasquan Coast Guard Station which was adjacent to Stockton lake. [5] The Manasquan inlet historically had always been shallow, which made it difficult for large boats to navigate. When the Point Pleasant Canal was dug in 1926, the Manasquan river's water rapidly flowed through the man-made opening disrupting the natural flow of the river, and this caused the inlet to completely close with sand for several years. The inlet's closure was so complete that it was possible to walk from Manasquan to Point Pleasant beach on dry ground. [5] From 1926 to 1931 several efforts were made to reopen the inlet, including the use of high pressure water by the National Guard and local firemen to erode a narrow channel through the sand. These efforts failed to keep the channel open and the inlet remained closed. [5] In 1930 work began to reopen the inlet. The Army Corps of Engineers put up temporary piers and began building jetties. The jetties were constructed with rock excavation from the Second Avenue Subway in Manhattan. The project cost $600,000 with funds from local, state and federal government. [5] The inlet was officially reopened on August 29, 1931, with a parade of boats and was attended by New Jersey Governor Morgan F. Larson.

Surfing

The Manasquan Inlet is widely known as one of the best surf spots along the East Coast. [6] Its popularity among beach breaks throughout the East Coast stems from the inlet, which directs and often enlarges the waves as they come in to create a great right break. Many competitions are held at the Manasquan Inlet throughout the year.[ citation needed ] One of the most popular is the Manasquan Classic Longboard Contest which is held in September of every year. In 2011, the competition celebrated its 19th annual competition with a paddle out on September 11, commemorating the attacks on the World Trade Center a decade ago. [7] Hurricane Bill, whose swell hit the shores of Manasquan in August 2009, brought many big-time professional surfers to the Manasquan Inlet including Andy Irons, Pete Mendia, Sam Hammer, and Mike Gleason. [8]

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">New Jersey Route 35</span> State highway in eastern New Jersey, US

Route 35 is a state highway in the U.S. state of New Jersey, primarily traveling through the easternmost parts of Middlesex, Monmouth, and Ocean counties. It runs 58.11 mi (93.52 km) from the entrance to Island Beach State Park in Berkeley Township, Ocean County to an intersection with Route 27 in Rahway, Union County. Between Seaside Park and Mantoloking, Route 35 follows the right-of-way of the former Pennsylvania Railroad along the Jersey Shore. The route heads through Point Pleasant Beach and crosses the Manasquan River on the Brielle Bridge, meeting Route 34 and Route 70 at the former Brielle Circle in Wall Township. From there, Route 35 heads north and intersects Route 138, an extension of Interstate 195, continuing north through Monmouth County before crossing the Victory Bridge over the Raritan River into Perth Amboy, where the route continues north to Rahway.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Brielle, New Jersey</span> Borough in Monmouth County, New Jersey, United States

Brielle is a borough located in southern Monmouth County, in the U.S. state of New Jersey, along the Manasquan River. As of the 2020 United States census, the borough's population was 4,982, its highest decennial count ever and an increase of 208 (+4.4%) from the 2010 census count of 4,774, which in turn reflected a decline of 119 (−2.4%) from the 4,893 counted in the 2000 census.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Manasquan, New Jersey</span> Borough in Monmouth County, New Jersey, United States

Manasquan is a borough in Monmouth County, in the U.S. state of New Jersey, on the Jersey Shore. As of the 2020 United States census, the borough's population was 5,938, an increase of 41 (+0.7%) from the 2010 census count of 5,897, which in turn reflected a decline of 413 (−6.5%) from the 6,310 counted in the 2000 census.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Barnegat Light, New Jersey</span> Borough in Ocean County, New Jersey, United States

Barnegat Light is a borough in Ocean County, in the U.S. state of New Jersey. As of the 2020 United States census, the borough's population was 640, an increase of 66 (+11.5%) from the 2010 census count of 574, which in turn reflected a decline of 190 (−24.9%) from the 764 counted in the 2000 census. The borough borders the Atlantic Ocean on Long Beach Island and is home to Barnegat Lighthouse.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Point Pleasant Beach, New Jersey</span> Borough in Ocean County, New Jersey, United States

Point Pleasant Beach is a coastal borough situated on the Jersey Shore, and the northernmost community directly facing the Atlantic Ocean within Ocean County, in the U.S. state of New Jersey. It lies at the northern end of the Barnegat Peninsula, which serves as a barrier island separating Barnegat Bay from the open Atlantic Ocean. The borough's name is derived from its location.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Jersey Shore</span> 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, which are in the central and southern parts of the state. Located in the center of the Northeast Megalopolis, the northern half of the shore region is part of the New York metropolitan area, while the southern half of the shore region is part of the Philadelphia metropolitan area, also known as the Delaware Valley. The Jersey Shore hosts the highest concentration of oceanside boardwalks in the United States.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Sebastian Inlet State Park</span> State park in Florida, US

Sebastian Inlet State Park is a Florida state park located 10 miles south of Melbourne Beach and 6 miles north of Vero Beach in Florida. The park lies on both sides of the Sebastian Inlet, which forms the boundary between Brevard and Indian River counties. The land for the park was acquired by the state of Florida in 1971. In 2010, it was the second most visited state park in Florida.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Long Beach Island</span> Barrier island in Ocean County, New Jersey, US

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Metedeconk River</span> River

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Manasquan River</span> River in the United States of America

The Manasquan River is a 26.5-mile-long (42.6 km) waterway in central New Jersey.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Barnegat Lighthouse</span> Lighthouse in New Jersey, United States

Barnegat Lighthouse or Barnegat Light, 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.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Point Pleasant Beach station</span> NJ Transit rail station

Point Pleasant Beach is a train station located in Point Pleasant Beach, in Ocean County, New Jersey, United States, on NJ Transit's North Jersey Coast Line, and is one of the most significant stops on the NJCL portion between Long Branch and Bay Head. This station is located on one of the borough's major arteries, Arnold Avenue, Route 35, several blocks from the Atlantic Ocean, boardwalk, Manasquan Inlet marina, and within the community's downtown business, shopping, dining and entertainment nexus. The current building and platforms are approximately 10 years old, a consequence of the station's redevelopment yielding the modern fixtures and services. The station is handicapped-accessible.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Delaware Seashore State Park</span> State park in Delaware, United States

Delaware Seashore State Park is located near Dewey Beach, in Delaware, United States. It is bounded on the east by the Atlantic Ocean and on the west by Rehoboth Bay and Indian River Bay. The park covers 2,825 acres (1,143 ha). It is a major attraction for millions of visitors who come to the Delaware Beaches for water-related activities. Delaware Seashore State Park was created in 1965.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Barnegat Peninsula</span>

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.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Barnegat Inlet</span>

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.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Anderson Inlet</span>

Anderson Inlet, sometimes incorrectly referred to as Andersons Inlet, is a shallow and dynamic estuary in South Gippsland, Victoria, Australia where the Tarwin River enters Bass Strait. It forms a 2,400-hectare (5,900-acre) almost enclosed bay next to the town of Inverloch, for which it provides a popular and protected beach. At low tide its intertidal mudflats provide important feeding habitat for migratory waders. It is also an important area for recreational fishing. It is named after Samuel Anderson pioneer explorer the first European to settle in the area.

Brielle Draw is a railroad bascule bridge over Manasquan River in Brielle and Point Pleasant Beach, Monmouth County, New Jersey, United States west of the Manasquan Inlet to the Atlantic Ocean. It carries a single track of the New Jersey Transit Rail Operations (NJT) North Jersey Coast Line between Manasquan and Point Pleasant Beach stations. It had once been part of Central Railroad of New Jersey (CNJ), New York & Long Branch Railroad (NYLB) and Pennsylvania Railroad (PRR) operations. The line is also served by the River Draw over the Raritan River, the Morgan Draw over Cheesequake Creek, the Oceanport Draw over Oceanport Creek and the Shark River Draw.

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.

Shrewsbury Inlet was an inlet connecting the Shrewsbury River with the Atlantic Ocean in Monmouth County, New Jersey. The inlet is now closed and the Shrewsbury River connects to Sandy Hook Bay.

References

  1. "Belmar, NJ - Zone 5". Archived from the original on 2007-08-10. Retrieved 2007-08-10.
  2. Extract of a letter from Kildare (April 9, 1778). "Archives of New Jersey, Series 2, Vol.II, p.170-171". Archived from the original on 2011-09-01. Retrieved 2011-10-26.
  3. "History of Brielle". Archived from the original on 2010-05-07. Retrieved 2011-10-26.
  4. "Archives of New Jersey, Series 2, Vol.IV, p.324". April 21, 1780. Archived from the original on 2011-09-01. Retrieved 2011-10-26.
  5. 1 2 3 4 "A disaster reversed in 1931". Pt. Pleasant Historical Society. Archived from the original on 2012-10-23. Retrieved 2011-10-26.
  6. "10 Best Surf Spots on the East Coast | Made Manual". Archived from the original on 2011-10-09. Retrieved 2011-10-26.
  7. "Live Beach Cams and Surf Reports". Thesurfersview.com. Archived from the original on 2023-10-13. Retrieved 2011-10-24.
  8. "Null - ESPN". Archived from the original on 2010-11-20. Retrieved 2011-10-26.

40°06′09″N74°02′06″W / 40.10250°N 74.03500°W / 40.10250; -74.03500