Several beaches along the Jersey Shore reopened this weekend in what was seen as a dry-run for Memorial Day.
Seaside Heights will be easing off some of its restrictions. Unlike this past weekend, the beach will be open for those who want to spread out on a blanket, sit on a chair, or walk on the boardwalk. But no swimming will be allowed and the rides and games at Casino Pier will be off-limits.
Restaurants near the beach in Seaside Heights will remain walk-up or take-out only. But the owner of Van Hoten’s Chocolate Shop says that he hopes that some of the restrictions will be eased so that customers will be allowed inside.
“They said maybe a 20% reduction in the amount of customers you’d normally have,” owner John Gato.
Gato says that he estimates that around 70% of the people he saw this weekend had masks. But not everyone agrees that the beaches and boardwalks should be open.
“It’s a little too soon. Maybe July 4,” says Alexandra Catalano, of Ortley Beach.
The situation was slightly different in Long Branch this weekend.
Photos: Beaches at the Jersey Shore open in time for Memorial Day
“We are fully operational,” says beach manager Dan George.
But George cautions that this does not mean that there aren’t any rules.
“We are hoping that you wear a mask down at the beach. It’s important to use. Mask on the boardwalk,” he says.
George says that it was very busy on Saturday on the beach. But he says that everyone was respectful of one another. He says that going into Memorial Day, he will keep his eye on beach capacity and may ask people to move if he feels groups are getting too close to one another.
“If we would have to close a spot down, we can redirect them north or south to beaches that are beautiful,” he says.
George also says that the weather will play a big factor in the crowd size. A potential storm out of the northeast could see the waves taking over the sand and reducing the size of the beach.