State Opens New Swimming Area With Lifeguards At Island Beach State Park

by Patricia A. Miller

Visitors to Island Beach State Park will soon have three guarded bathing beaches to choose from this summer when they want to take a dip in the ocean or lie in the sun.

The state Department of Environmental Protection announced today that the third guarded swimming area will be located about four miles past the park entrance, to the north of the recently reconstructed Fisherman’s Walkway access point, state officials said.

The new bathing area can also be accessed bayside by boaters from nearby Tices Shoal in the Barnegat Bay, who will be able to enter the park from a new entry point on the west side of the walkway for a $3 fee.

“The safety of our park visitors is our first priority,” said Richard Boornazian, DEP Assistant Commissioner of Natural and Historic Resources. “Emergencies in unguarded sections of the park often results in compromised lifeguard resources at our main pavilion areas where swimming is permitted. So providing this additional protection at the popular A-7 section will benefit all users of the park.”

Swimming at all other unguarded sections of Island Beach State Park is prohibited.

The new southern swimming area will give anglers a more defined area to fish, without the intrusion of swimmers. Fishing will be permitted in the new swimming area when lifeguards are not on duty.

There is one small hitch. There won’t be any bathrooms on the new beach. Visitors can access the bathrooms at the nearby A6 section of the beach, a DEP spokesperson said.

Mobile sport fishing access at A-7 will not be affected by the swimming area. Those vehicles must park south of the pedestrian anglers fishing section.

“Our goal is to provide safe and equitable access to all of our visitors,” said Island Beach State Park manager Ray Bukowski. “The addition of this new swimming area will not only create a safe haven for swimmers with some of the best lifeguards at the Jersey Shore, but will also eliminate any conflicting use of distinct areas of the park.”

2015 park gate entrance fees will be $6 per carload for New Jersey residents and $10 per carload for out-of-state residents on weekdays. Weekend fees at the gate are $10 for New Jersey residents and $20 for out-of-state residents on weekends and holidays, according to the DEP.

The State Park Service does not maintain or regulate Tices Shoal, but does regulate access and use of Island Beach State Park and its resources.

The new beach is just one of many improvements made at the park since Superstorm Sandy slammed into Ocean County on Oct. 29, 2012. Island Beach was hit hard by the storm.

For more on the restoration of Fisherman’s Walkway, visit: http://www.nj.gov/dep/newsrel/2015/15_0011.htm

For more on Island Beach State Park, visit: http://www.state.nj.us/dep/parksandforests/parks/island.html