Divers Find Little Debris in Ocean

There was not much debris in the ocean in Point Beach and Bay Head when volunteer divers explored the depths on Sunday.

Divers with the Point Pleasant First Aid and Emergency Squad did their survey from Trenton Avenue in Point Beach to Mount Street, Bay Head, a distance of 2.1 miles, looking for debris that may have been left behind by Superstorm Sandy.

"We found scraps of metal, a sign post, a bed frame and small chunks of masonry blocks, which is not a lot for the area we covered," said Diver David Gibson. "The area was surprisingly clear of debris.

"This is a continuation of the sweeps that have been done from the Manasquan Inlet on south," Gibson said. "As of today, we can say there is no large debris from the Manasquan Inlet to Mount Street in Bay Head.

"Everything is being done to make the beaches as safe as possible by the towns, dive team, first aid, lifeguards, and all the beach owners," Gibson continued. "No one can guarantee that anything is totally safe. (But) everyone is doing the best they can. This is an ongoing concern and we will be continuing when the ocean conditions and the visibility underwater allow and when manpower is available."

Divers were towed underwater by the dive team's Rescue 34 and Rescue Jet Ski. The survey was done in water depths of as little as three feet and as deep as 12 feet.