Rip Currents in New Jersey, August 23 to 29, 1998

Rip currents and large waves associated with Hurricane Bonnie caused hundreds of water rescues, at least eight injuries and resulted in swimming restrictions up and down the New Jersey Coast through the full week of August 23rd. Bonnie made her closest pass to New Jersey (at tropical storm force strength) during the afternoon of the 28th when she passed about 140 miles east of Atlantic City.Larger waves and rip currents started on the 23rd. That day alone the Atlantic City Beach Patrol rescued about 75 swimmers. There were nearly one hundred water rescues that day at the beaches in Cape May, North Wildwood (a 10-year-old boy was pulled out 100 feet) and Wildwood. In Cape May, the pounding surf caused five injuries that included separated shoulders, neck injuries and broken noses. In Monmouth County, 10 swimmers were rescued late in the day at Bradley Beach. On the 24th, swimming restrictions started as swells increased to six to eight feet. Boogie boards and inflatable rafts were banned. Swimmers were generally restricted to waist high water. Margate (Atlantic County) ordered sailboats to be cleared from beach areas. The most reported rescues on the 24th were in Monmouth County (about 25) in Manasquan and Spring Lake. One teenager in Spring Lake was injured. On the 25th a few beaches were closed, especially at high tide. The surf became so rough that even five lifeguards were rescued in Point Pleasant (Ocean County) and Atlantic City. Two juveniles suffered neck injuries in Ocean City (Cape May County). Strong winds also sent beach umbrellas flying. Rough swells in Barnegat Inlet capsized one boat and knocked several people off their jet skis. Seven people were rescued. As Bonnie neared the North Carolina Coast on the 26th, beach restrictions became tighter. Numerous beaches were closed and surfing was banned in several communities. Some beaches permitted bathers to only go into the water up to their ankles. The United States Coast Guard issued a warning for boaters and personal watercraft users to stay off the ocean. The surfing and bathing bands peaked on the 27th and 28th as Bonnie made her closest approach to New Jersey. Some minor beach erosion occurred because of Bonnie, but coastal New Jersey received only fringe effects from the tropical system on the 28th. The strongest wind gusts were mainly around 35 mph. The highest wind gust at the Delaware Bay Buoy was 46 mph. Rainfall amounts were under an inch. Tidal departures were only between 1.0 and 1.5 feet above normal and were below the thresholds for even minor tidal flooding. The most lasting effects of Bonnie were the rough surf, larger waves and rip currents. According to researchers on the subject of rip currents, rip currents and the sandbars that cause them are always present. Rip currents also form near rock piles, jetties and fishing piers. The theory states conditions get exacerbated (and the rip currents become stronger) when larger than average waves combine with stronger than normal onshore winds. The steady winds pile the water onto the beach longer than usual, building or enlarging the offshore sandbars. The excess water then cuts a channel and/or moves quickly through a pre-existing one in the sandbar and races back to sea through this break. The northeasters of the previous winter were believed to have created a larger than normal number of offshore sandbars.