A lifesaving raft ends up on Sea Isle City's beach near 73rd Street. (Courtesy of John Clements on Facebook)
By MADDY VITALE
Over the years, Sea Isle City residents and tourists have discovered some interesting things that wash ashore, especially after coastal storms.
Old ammunition -- shell casings, possibly dating back to World War II, have been found on the beaches. Jewelry, bottles, money and other items, too.
And with recent back-to-back storms drenching the coast, it isn’t surprising to find hidden treasures just under the sand with the help of a keen eye or a metal detector.
Sometimes, the strangest items are right there in plain view.
On Saturday morning, there was something discovered that was just too big and orange to miss. It was a 100-passenger, lifesaving raft near the 73rd Street beach, according to resident Mike Monichetti, owner of Mike's Seafood restaurant.
Upon further inspection and a call to police, it was confirmed that the raft came from a ferry off of New York City. Police were able to identify where the raft came from using the identification numbers on the side of it. The raft still had three metal CO2 containers that inflate it attached.
The raft, shown folded up, can hold 100 people. (Photo provided by Anthony Edwardi)
Sea Isle’s Public Information Officer Katherine Custer said that interesting things certainly do wash ashore from time to time.
“It's not uncommon for unusual items and objects to appear on the beach because you can you never can tell what is going to fall off of a passing ship,” Custer said.
“For many folks, that's an enjoyable aspect of walking along the shoreline. It's fun to see what you may find on any given day. There's a beachcomber in the heart of many of us, and it's always interesting to see what Mother Nature will wash onto the sand," she added.
A couple of weeks ago, Custer said she saw a heavy-duty black raft that had washed up near the 73rd Street beach and was half-buried in the sand. She noted that the Public Works Department had plans to remove it.
