Belmar Question

Audrey II

Audrey II

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I'm heading to Belmar soon and I'm looking for any heads up or local knowledge that might be needed. I have never been there before and I was warned that this can be a rough inlet at times. Any advise you can offer would be appreciated.

Thanks
 
Dave:

I don't generally think of Shark River inlet as one of the tougher inlets. It's actually one of the more calm inlets in the area.

You will need to get under three bridges. The ocean ave bridge (first bridge from the ocean) is quite high. If you lower any antennas you should be able to get under with out an opening. I can get my 410DA under without an opening....especially at Low tide. You can ask the bridge attendant for the height.

You definitely need an opening for the next two bridges...the Main st bridge and the RR bridge. It can get very hectic if all the fishing party boats are trying to get in while you are trying to get out....or vice versa.

Keep in mind...Belmar Marina does NOT offer CATV. You should be able to pick up a few OTA channels from NYC....but just incase....bring a few DVDs.

When are you going to be there?
 
Oh....one more thing...try to time your fuel so you are low when in the Belmar basin.....they generally have the cheapest diesel on the Jersey Shore and pumpouts are free.

I usually fill on fuel and pumpout when I'm leaving. Get the bridge opening schedule and time your departure so that a fuel fill and pumpout get you close to the opening. The basin itself is VERY SHALLOW. You don't want to have to hang out too long waiting for the opening if the fuel dock is busy and you can't just hang there. Walk to the fuel dock once you are settled in and talk to the attendants and maybe get a feel for the lay of the land.

There are plenty of restaurants within walking distance just up a few blocks on Main Street.
 
I added a satellite dish this year so TV is not a concern. I am however a little concerned about the shallow water you mentioned. I have a deep draft and I don't want to trash my props! I will try to time the tides for a slack high and deal with the bridges. Is there a place on line or a number to call in advance to get the bridge opening times so I can try to plan around them. I will be heading there on Tuesday and it not a big trip about 30 miles or so so I'm a bit flexible with me schedule.
 
I'll be there in about two hours. I'm going out diving off of one of the local dive boats. I'll talk to the captain about the bridge schedule.

As to depth....you don't really have any worries from the ocean to the basin. All the LARGE head boats are in and out at all tides. There's plenty of water. I didn't mean to raise a concern. I was talking about if you had to hover around the fuel dock waiting for the bridge and wandered off from the general area. You won't need to be concerned.
 
Dominic you weren't the one who warned me about the conditions it was a dock mate who told me he had a hard time holding position while waiting for a bridge opening.

I'm currently at the Atlantis and I'm very please with what I have seen so far. The members have all been very friendly and helpful, the pool is very nice as well. I will be here for two more nights and then head down to Belmar.
 
Bridges open every half hour on the hour. Bridge tenders monitor channel 13
 
Rough ride today but I made it into Belmar and now the big question is what is there to do? They have me on the transient dock and I'm all alone here. There is no one around at all it's a little creepy. I was also greeted by a big rat on the dock as I went to go for a walk. If my wife knew this I would be out of here already. I planned to stay three nights and I may but I'm thinking I may head to Norwalk early. I hope I'm pleasantly surprised tomorrow and finds lots of things to do maybe even another boater to talk would be nice! Maybe we will go out on a fishing boat there must be something to do.
 
Let's see...it's 5:46 am....you should have plenty of company right about now....all those fishing boats blowing thier airhorns to make the 6AM bridge openings.....it's a built in alarm clock.

What's to do.....rent a bike and ride to the beach and boardwalk. There's a small bay beach over at the other end of the marina. Walk,bike or taxi over to Kellys for a worlds famous Rueben Sandwich...(get the full size) or over to Pete and Eldas for great thin pizza (eat a whole XXXlarge by your self and get a free T-Shirt...I have many :) )
 
There is no one around it's ghost town except for the Seagulls that are crapping all over my boat:(

I spent the day at the beach and then called over to Norwalk and told them I will be there a day early. I'm heading out in the morning just have to figure out the bridge openings. The first bridge refused to open for me he told me to drop my antennas and go thru. I tried to explain that the current was too strong for my wife to keep us off the rocks while I dropped the antenna he told me to go back into the ocean that just kicked my a$$ and drop them out there, which I did but I wasn't happy about it a couple of minutes after I got thru he opened the bridge for out bound traffic had he told me to wait I would have been happy. Yesterday was about the roughest conditions I have had to handle in a long time I wasn't thrilled about going back out even for a minute to drop my antennas in rough water and heavy rain. The next bridge operator could not have been nicer, he spotted me coming and hailed me to ask if I was planning to come thru and he reopened the bridge before he even had a chance to close it fully from the last opening. I was so happy to be in calm water and the rain stopped just as I got there.

I'm sure I would feel differently if I had friends with me I usually like to travel with at least one other boat but even when I don't there is usually someone at the dock. There is one other boat but it looks like it's been there a while and no has been on board. I'll have to post a picture I have never seen a more empty dock. Someone must have warned everyone I was coming and they all left.

The docks are nice I will say that so long as you don't mind hosing bird crap off a couple times a day. I sure if there were more people there would be less birds on the dock the fake dogs aren't doing the job.

If anyone is in the area stop by and say hello I'm easy to spot I'm the only one here.
 
Well I will check that stop off my list and move on. I'm sure that Belmar has a lot to offer but I just didn't see it and I'm glad to have moved on.
 
Yeah...I agree...there really isn't much right there in the marina area for new comers. It's more of a beach town but the beach is a good distance away. The town has some neat festivals throughout the year and if you time your trip around those, there's more to do.....for instance: the seafood festival. I like it as a fairly local quick one night get away.....the fact that we have friends/family in the area that we can meet up with makes it worth our while. I hope you at least took advantage of the (relatively)cheap fuel......
 
quote:
Originally posted by dominic

Yeah...I agree...there really isn't much right there in the marina area for new comers. It's more of a beach town but the beach is a good distance away. The town has some neat festivals throughout the year and if you time your trip around those, there's more to do.....for instance: the seafood festival. I like it as a fairly local quick one night get away.....the fact that we have friends/family in the area that we can meet up with makes it worth our while. I hope you at least took advantage of the (relatively)cheap fuel......

Click to expand...


Yes I topped off the tanks it was the same price as the Channel Club. I didn't take all that much but for the price I took what I could.
 
The only boat owner was never there.
P1030285.jpg


My only company other than the rat.
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The town was nice and the beach was great but a long walk.

I'm sure that the other side of the marina is great and the people are probably very nice, I just never had a chance to meet any of them.

The trip over all was great I just returned home once again in the rain. It's good to be home.
 
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