Nor’easter is over, but this NJ bridge is keeping boats trapped

✅Flooding damaged the Route 71 bridge and forced a marine closure in Belmar

✅Whale-watch boats and fishing vessels cannot pass during a critical part of the season

✅Officials have not said when the bridge will reopen to marine traffic

NOTE: The bridge was reopened to marine traffic on Thursday at 11:30 a.m. per the NJ DOT. 

BELMAR — For most people, the nor'easter has long passed, with flood waters receding and fallen trees being taken away. But some businesses at the Jersey Shore are still feeling its impact.

Many of those businesses are boat operators and fishermen in lower Monmouth County, where the Route 71 Bridge over the Shark River between Belmar and Avon-by-the-Sea remains closed to marine traffic during their peak season.

The New Jersey Department of Transportation says the bridge was closed Sunday because of flooding in the mechanical/electrical room. Crews need to dry out components that were submerged in saltwater before the bridge can go back up.

Not knowing when that process will be complete is frustrating to business owners like Bill McKim, who operates Jersey Shore Whale Watch and the Jersey Girl, a 120-foot whale-watching vessel.

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The Jersey Girl whale-watching vessel

A bridge is keeping boats from getting out

"The lack of communication is a little bit frustrating because we have passengers that had trips booked, and some people really do travel. I mean, one of them today said, 'We're going back to Northwest PA today. You know, we're not going to be able to wait any longer.' They came in for vacation," McKim said. "It's just hard to tell them stay one more day when you don't know what's going on."

It's also hard to explain to people why a bridge is stopping them from taking their whale-watching trip.

"Somebody said to me literally today, 'Well, the boat doesn't travel on a bridge.' I said, 'No, it doesn't, but the boat goes under a bridge, so the bridge has to be in an open position because it's a low bridge and the boats are big.'"

McKim said the best part of the whale-watching season is coming to the Jersey Shore in the next few weeks as whales start to make their way south to Florida and the Caribbean.

One of McKim's best trips was with a school group in December.

"The whales literally came up to the boat like, 'Are you going to pet me?' Some of them are just very friendly because they're used to boat traffic up in New England. So our season really goes till people are too cold to go out there, which is usually the second week of December."

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Route 71 bridge where the decks raise and lower

Fishing businesses are feeling the impact, too

Although he is not a fisherman, McKim says those in the fishing fleet call this the most profitable part of the year. It's the start of the striped bass and sea bass seasons.

But because the Route 71 Bridge is closed to marine traffic, the fleet can't get out.

"The season just really opened up again this week. The other marinas don't have this problem. So from a competitive standpoint, not only are they not able to go out and make a living, they're losing their customers to marinas that aren't locked in by a bridge," McKim said.

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