VIDEO > Crowds gathered on the border of Ventnor & Margate this morning to witness day #1 of actual dredging & dune building on this part of Absecon Island.
The boardwalk was shaking. Dirty water spewed. Bulldozers beeped, grunted and pushed through muddy pools of dirty seawater.
The initial gush of sandy, dark, thick water created a smell. A bad stink. An odor that was a cross between dead fish, a baby’s diaper, Old Spice after-shave, rotting eggs and a college student’s clothes hamper.
We noted that 4 blocks were fenced off for this portion of work. That’s much more than 1,000 ft. Trust us, you’ll want to stay at least a few blocks away from the work area. It’s loud & nasty.
To be sure, there’s still PLENTY of great beach areas to enjoy over the next few weeks. DownbeachBUZZ will keep you posted on how things are progressing.
For those in Margate, dune work won’t arrive til about August 10….or later. Delays are common, meaning, we think Margate will get thru MOST of the Summer without dune construction mucking things up.
Ventnor, on the other hand, will feel the heaviest, bulldozing smack-down.
Some in Ventnor leadership are strong proponents of this messy project with questionable ROI, return on investment. They are in the minority. Need proof? Head up to the Boardwalk and listen to the chatter.
Spend some time at the work site. You’ll see jaws dropping and heads shaking. Many had NO IDEA this was going to happen. 75% of homeowners & visitors don’t read local papers or listen to local media. Most never thought it would be this loud & ugly.
Ventnor NJ, Night Time Dune Building. The Hammers of Hell.
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