Safety Concerns about Boat Wreckage Near Point Beach Shore

Some beachgoers say they have safety concerns about a being so close to the Manasquan inlet rock jetty and Point Beach shore line.

"They should at least put some signs up, telling people 'Boat Off Shore' and to stay away," said Ed Harris, who was walking on Jenkinson's Beach with his wife, Diane Harris, on Wednesday afternoon.

"When the tide gets higher, surfers may not see the boat," said Diane Harris, noting that only one corner of the boat, along with its propeller tangled in green fishing line, is now visible.

Diane Harris, who lives in Brick with her husband, said surfers and those who are curious may venture too close.

"You can't tell your kids to be afraid because they have no fear," she said, speaking from her experience as a mother.

The 64-foot Atlantic Traveler capsized on May 11 after losing its steering and scraping up on the jetty rocks.

Three crew members, William Hill, 58, Brick; Matthew Morris, 19, Point Pleasant; and William A. Lewis, 30, Marshallberg, N.C., were safely rescued by the Coast Guard.

Now the vessel, once known as one of the better-maintained ships in the area's fishing fleet, bobs upside down in the ocean, tethered by rope to a metal stake in the beach.

Rough seas and strong winds have repeatedly scuttled plans for a salvage crew to remove the boat owned by John Cole, who declined comment on Wednesday.

Sam and Nancy Fox, who live in Manchester, were shocked at the sight of one end of a boat bobbing in the water and said they're concerned about people getting too close during the busy Memorial Day weekend.

"People will try to swim out there," said Nancy Fox. "I think they should post signs and have extra people on duty to tell people to stay away from it."

"They should put one of those lifeguard towers right behind us," said Sam Fox. "It's a safety hazard. If surfers and body boarders are safe, they'll stay away. But some might say, 'Hey, let's go over and see it. Let's go underwater with goggles to look at it.' "

An email to Jenkinson's public relations office was not answered on Wednesday and a call was not returned on Thursday.

However, Coast Guard Petty Officer Kyle Courtney said Jenkinson's, which owns and operates that section of beach, is "negotiating" with a salvage crew to determine the best time to remove the boat and is planning to keep swimmers away from the boat this weekend.

A removal operation involves tethering the boat to four anchors spread out in four corners around it, Courtney said. Two will be in the ocean, one anchor will be halfway through the mouth of the inlet and one will be on the beach.

"It's like a spider's web angled out and held down in four corners," he said.

Foam insulation that had broken off from multiple sections of the vessel was all over the beach on Wednesday. Courtney said the contract for the salvage crew includes debris removal, so they'll clean up the foam after the removal is completed.

Courtney said the line is tethered to the boat so the salvage crew can use it as a guide to help prevent lines from getting tangled.

Once the boat is salvaged, investigators will board it, hoping that a complete inspection will yield clues about what caused the clutch and steering to malfunction, Courtney said.