Barnegat Inlet facts for kids
The Barnegat Inlet is a small waterway in Ocean County, New Jersey. It connects the Barnegat Bay with the huge Atlantic Ocean. This important inlet separates Island Beach State Park and the Barnegat Peninsula from Long Beach Island. You can also find the famous Barnegat Lighthouse right at the northern tip of Long Beach Island, looking over the inlet.
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What is Barnegat Inlet?
An inlet is like a narrow arm of the sea that reaches inland. The Barnegat Inlet acts as a natural doorway between the calm waters of Barnegat Bay and the open ocean. This connection is vital for boats, fish, and even the local environment.
A Look Back in Time
Explorers have known about the Barnegat Inlet for a long time. In 1609, Henry Hudson described the area. He called the bay a "great lake of water." He also noted that the mouth of the lake had "many shoals." Shoals are shallow areas where the water is not very deep.
A few years later, in 1614, Dutch explorers gave the inlet its name. They called it "Barendegat," which means "Inlet of the Breakers." This name came from how rough and choppy the water could be in the channel.
Why is the Inlet Important?
For hundreds of years, the Barnegat Inlet has been very important for trade. It allowed ships to travel from the ocean into the bay. This helped towns like Toms River become centers for business.
Today, the inlet is still busy, but in different ways. Many people enjoy scuba diving here. They explore old shipwrecks that have sunk in the area. The inlet is also a popular spot for birdwatchers. Many different kinds of birds can be seen near the water.
Protecting the Shoreline
Strong storms can cause a lot of damage along the coast. The Ash Wednesday Storm of 1962 was one such storm that worried people about the shoreline. To protect the land, a large structure called a jetty was built in the 1990s.
This jetty helped create new land for the town of Barnegat Light. Much of this new land was turned into parkland. It even includes a special area for birds, a bird sanctuary! The jetty also helps keep the shoreline stable. However, sand and silt can build up in the channel. This means the inlet needs regular "dredging." Dredging is when machines remove sand from the bottom to keep the waterway deep enough for boats.
