Barge Breaks Free, Crashes into Bridge

AVALON – A barge, in the north end of Avalon in connection with a beach restoration project, broke free of its moorings and, driven by a southeast wind and incoming tide, smashed into an ocean-side fender system of Townsend’s Inlet Bridge Dec. 26 about 5 p.m.
County Engineer Dale Foster reported the mishap to freeholders Dec. 27 as part of his list of projects to be repaired in the wake of Hurricane Sandy.
Foster estimated cost to repair those fenders at “a couple hundred thousand dollars.”
He told the Herald the Sea Isle City side had its timber system destroyed while the Avalon, or southern side, lost only one major timber and its navigation lights.
That fender system is in place to protect vessels from hitting the concrete piers that support the bridge.
While it might seem like a case of plain liability, Foster said in the past, the county had to sue for reimbursement. That’s because a different set of rules governs admiralty cases involving marine vessels.
He said a notice to mariners was already in place, due to the dredging operation. However, since the navigation lights were not operating, a notice was sent by the county on Dec. 27. The navigation lights were repaired the next day, he said.
Foster said that in order to stop extra damage, “they practically sunk the barge at the beach in Sea Isle City.”
A Dec. 24 Avalon release stated, “The dredge ‘Charleston’ owned and operated by Norfolk Dredging is currently moving up the New Jersey coastline and is located near Hereford Inlet between North Wildwood and Stone Harbor. The dredge is expected to arrive in Townsend’s Inlet off of Avalon in the next 48 hours. It is likely that the beach fill project will begin sometime between Dec. 26-28.”