Beach replenishment continues at Jersey Shore due to late spring nor'easter

NORTH WILDWOOD, New Jersey (WPVI) -- Normally beach replenishment work is wrapped up by now, but that late spring nor'easter really threw a wrench into things.

Beaches at the Jersey Shore are open, but in some spots you'll be sharing the space with construction equipment.

As crews resume their work in North Wildwood, Alice Herrmann watched with delight from the site of her condo just across the street. She said it was a long winter.

"I would come down here and open my blinds and just see big huge sand hills. Now I can see the ocean again," said Herrmann of Deptford.

The work was supposed to wrap before Memorial Day, but the nor'easter washed away about a third of the sand. So crews are finishing up now after taking a break for Memorial Day weekend.

"We figured we were about two weeks behind schedule due to the Mother's Day storm, and that seems to still be the schedule. So we're hoping by the end of next week we have this all wrapped up," said North Wildwood Mayor Patrick Rosenello.

After the storm, the state Department of Environmental Protection assessed the damage. North Wildwood, Avalon, Stone Harbor and Ocean City are among the beaches that suffered major beach or dune erosion.

In Ocean City, some beaches are noticeably smaller after the storm. A city spokesperson acknowledged in spots it was a tight squeeze over the weekend and says the Army Corps of Engineers is scheduled to replenish the beaches this off-season.

In Avalon, the storm also interrupted an ongoing beach rebuild. Beaches are open and guarded but some of the access points are still tough to navigate. Beachgoers say they've noticed equipment but it's not ruining their beach day.