At the Monmouth Boat Club, the Navesink River has risen to within inches of the lower porch deck. (Click to enlarge)
An unusual weather system is causing the Navesink River and other East Coast waterways to bulge at their banks, Irwin Marine owner Chann Irwin tells redbankgreen.
It’s time for shore leaves as the Navesink overspills the newly rebuilt marina at Red Bank’s Marine Park at midday Thursday. (Click to enlarge)
A visit by redbankgreen to Red Bank’s Marine Park on Thursday was prompted by an email from a reader, who complained about the flooding, saying it showed that a $3.5 million, year-long bulkhead reconstruction project by the state of New Jersey was “a complete waste of money.”
“Tell your reader to relax,” Irwin said.
He attributed the higher-than-usual tide to a “weather anomaly” caused by a low-pressure system that moved down the East Coast from Maine instead of out to sea.
“The weather pattern stuck,” and has swollen waterways for the past few days, Irwin said.
Tides of this elevation happen roughly once every two years, Irwin said. “Right now is about as high as it’ll get,” he said at midday.
Is there a colorful nautical term for it?
“It’s called ‘a real high tide,'” Irwin said. “It’s called Mother Nature.”
In Sea Bright, there’s been flooding along the Shrewsbury River, with at least one more good soaking expected at high tide around midnight tonight, says Councilman Read Murphy.
