Jet-Packing Over Barnegat Bay Is New Craze

Jersey Shore Watercraft Rentals introduces a new product this summer called Jetlev

Anyone who has ever dreamed of flying or walking on water can now turn that dream into a reality. Jersey Shore Watercraft Rentals has unveiled a new product for this summer, called Jetlev. According to JSWR owners Manny Bello and Raymond Cortese, it is the ultimate adrenaline ride. “This thing is great,” Bello said. “We want you to have an experience you will remember and want to come back for.” According to Bello, Jetlev is a jetpack that uses water for thrust. The seat is hooked up to an engine that works like a reverse jet ski. Instead of pushing the water out, the engine sucks water in and forces in through the hose and out of the nozzles. Riders are able to fly up to 35 mph and go as high as 30 ft. in the air. First time riders will …

•  7 Comments
• Photos (13)
• Videos (1)

For Shore Environment, Health of Bay and Ocean 'A Study in Contrast'

Barnegat Bay still in decline, a new study shows

Despite more attention – and action – being paid to Barnegat Bay's health than ever before, the estuary remains in decline, an expert testified Monday before a joint meeting of the state Senate and Assembly environmental committees. Meanwhile, though the state's ocean waters are healthy, laws must be passed to maintain their condition, activists said. The discussion of Barnegat Bay as well as the health of the Atlantic Ocean was an all-day event Monday in Ocean County, between the legislative meeting in Lavallette and a number of public events held up and down the shoreline to promote a federal law which would create a "Clean Ocean Zone" between the Jersey Shore and Long Island. Looking at the ocean and bay together is "a study in contrast…

•  7 Comments
• Photos (3)

EPA Sets Sail on the Barnegat Bay to Measure Water's Health

State agency will continue its testing of the Barnegat Bay as part of Gov. Chris Christie's 10-point plan

Staff of the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) set out from Southwinds Marina in Forked River Monday to pull water samples from the Barnegat Bay as part of Gov. Chris Christie's 10-point plan to clean up the waterway.  “We are a part of the larger effect that is led by NJDEP,” said Randy Braun, chief of EPA Region 2's monitoring operation section. “The bay is being impacted by development on shore. There is a lot of runoff flowing into the Bay from fertilizer and other chemicals.” Three groups had 13 spots to pull samples from, and all had to be collected between 8 and 10 a.m. so they could see how the entire Bay looked during that time. Samples are tested from the waters surface, as well as along the bottom of the bay. The samples are…

• Photos (9)

Local, State Police to Conduct Bay 'Sweeps'

Brick, Berkeley police among agencies participating in bay-wide education, enforcement campaign

Police officers from Brick and Berkeley townships, as well as Mantoloking police, will join county and state law enforcement officers in Barnegat Bay-wide education and compliance sweeps this summer. Police officers from the local agencies' marine units, as well as the Ocean County Sheriff's Department marine unit, Ocean County Prosecutor's Office and state police, will conduct informal stops on the water aimed at educating boaters on low-impact boating measures that can help protect the environment. The sweeps are being organized by the state Department of Environmental Protection. "We are not seeking to limit boating on the bay, but want to ensure it will be healthy, clean and beautiful for future boaters," said DEP Commissioner Bob …

•  12 Comments
• Photos (2)

karen

2:37 pm on Thursday, July 5, 2012

I agree totally!!! Why aren't the the police looking for the lowlife people that seal crabpots? We've had two crabpots stolen in two weeks. We know what we're doing, we set them out of channels, and out of boaters way. Take the crabs leave the crabpot if you need to rip someone off!! The officials need to be looking for criminals that steal!!   more ›

Fluke On The Bite at the Shore

Captains reporting better catches this week

The fluke bite is finally attracting the attention of more captains as the season gets into full swing for the tasty flatfish. On board the Jamaica II party boat out of Brielle, fluke are "getting in the chewing mood more and more each day," said Capt. Ryan. According to the captain's report, the best action has been seen off the beach, and anglers this week have been putting together a nice collection of keepers. Anecdotally, I've heard about steady fluke fishing all week in the Manasquan River. As usual, try the channel edges off Clark's Landing and the small channels just west of the Route 35 bridge. There's no huge secrets or tactical approaches required in the Manasquan. Pick your spot and fish! In Barnegat Bay, blues continued to be …

•  9 Comments
• Photos (1)

Fishing Friday

Finally Time for Fluke!

Mild temperatures send anglers into action

There's no doubt I'm a bit late to the party this year. History holds that my boat is often one of the first in the marina and, almost always, the last boat to be hauled out. Jingle Bell Rock has played from the speakers mounted in my center console. But this year, my fishing season has yet to begin. I have a tentative appointment with my boat hauler in Barnegat to drop her in the water Monday, but that's after a spring where some busy work weeks here at Patch and marathon rounds of graduate school studying have pushed fishing to the back burner. Luckily, with formal graduation ceremonies at Monmouth University now complete, I'll continue a much more elusive educational endeavour: finding every last honey hole in Barnegat Bay! With the …

•  2 Comments
• Photos (1)

State Plans Reduction of 'No Wake' Buoys in Local Waterways

Large number of floating buoys may be a hazard, officials say

Most boaters have been there. It's night time, but channel markers are there to guide you back to your marina or boat ramp. The only obstacle, of course, is the large number of buoys marking No Wake zones that dot the path between the open bay and home port. On a busy summer weekend, the buoys can sometimes cause stress as boaters try to navigate skinny channels in the nation's most densely populated state. Boaters who equate the proliferation of buoy markers in waterways such as Barnegat Bay to a minefield of anchored obstacles will see some relief this summer, however, as the state will reduce the number of No Wake warning buoys up and down the coast. The total number of buoys, which mark areas in which boaters must slow to near-idle …

•  17 Comments
• Photos (2)

Fluke Bite Hot in the Bay

Ocean bite is so-so, reports indicate

Barnegat Bay's fluke bite is one of the best in recent memory, most anglers have been saying as of late. Often, by this point in the season, the fluke are beginning to move to the inlets and the ocean bite is picking up. And while that is limitedly true this season, the overall bay bite is remaining quite strong as we enter mid-July. One of the best areas has been between the BI and BB buoys in Barnegat Bay, and in the Double Creek Channel. All of these areas lead to Barnegat Inlet, and they all have been producing good keepter-to-throwback ratios as of late, say the folks at Grizz's Bait and Tackle in Forked River. The folks at Grizz's specialize in mid-bay fishing, and singled out the area between the BI and BB buoys as one of the hot …

• Photos (1)