Cape May Fares Well in Hurricane

CAPE MAY – “We were very fortunate particularly with the fact that the storm landed two to two and half hours ahead of the high tide which was 8:32 p.m. last night and the storm landed somewhere around six o’clock,” said City Manager Bruce MacLeod.
He said the city had information Hurricane Sandy came ashore between Sea Isle City and Ocean City.
Winds shifted to the west which had a direct impact on tidal surge with the wind blowing against the incoming tide which restricted the wave action and tidal surge, said MacLeod.
“The high tide at 8:30 was not as devastating as it was once forecast to be,” he said.
Readers have asked if the Cove Restaurant survived the storm. Mayor Edward J. Mahaney Jr. said waves lashed against the restaurant but it survived.
He said there was no structural damage to property in Cape May on initial inspection.
The mayor said there was a breach of the south wall of McGlades Restaurant on the Promenade behind Morrow’s Nut House. He said the restaurant would be repaired for the summer season.
MacLeod said based on a review of the exterior of Convention Hall (before noon) “As far as we know, everything is in good shape.” He said as forecast, the building was meant to withstand Miami-Dade hurricane force winds.
MacLeod said Wilmington Avenue at Poverty Beach and the Cove Beach suffered breaches which allowed ocean water into the street. Tidal water followed beach paths between dunes onto Beach Avenue near Lifeguard Headquarters at Broadway leaving a lot of sand in the street, he said.
On Oct. 30, public works crews were busy removing sand from Beach Avenue, said MacLeod.
He said Yacht Avenue and the harbor area experienced flooding. Rain produced flooding on Grant Street and Windsor Avenue where water could not drain because outfall pipes empty into Cape Island Creek which was at flood stage levels, said MacLeod.
Mahaney said power remained on in Cape May for the most part. He said about 500 year-round residents remained in the city despite an evacuation order for all barrier islands in the county.
About 100 members of the media came to Cape May to cover the storm, said Mahaney.
A curfew and evacuation order remained in effect as of noon Tuesday. Police are blocking entrances to the city. Residents will not be allowed back into Cape May until the State of Emergency is rescinded.
A total of 10 trees fell, none along major roads, said the mayor. About half the fallen trees were located east of Madison Avenue, he said.
Mahaney said city officials would meet with the Army Corps of Engineers next week. Beach replenishment is scheduled in December from the Cove to Cape May Point.
He said a lot of sand on Cape May’s beaches appears to have been rearranged and sand that washed into the street would be returned to the beach.