Bad Weather Combined With Coronavirus Restrictions Make For Unusual Start To Memorial Day Weekend On Jersey Shore
SEASIDE HEIGHTS, N.J. (CBSNewYork) -- Bad weather coupled with the coronavirus pandemic made the first day of Memorial Day weekend very unusual at many beaches and boardwalks along the Jersey Shore.
Dark clouds hovered over Seaside Heights hours after it rained hard Saturday.
"It was pouring. It was miserable," Lauren Bacello said.
It did not stop Bacello from leaving her vacation house…
She says she walked through puddles of water for one reason.
"It's Memorial Day weekend. We were making it our business to get on the boardwalk this weekend," she told CBS2's Cory James.
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But once the sun came out, so did more people.
Some of them were relaxing on the beach, which is what one mom and daughter wanted to do, but they said they couldn't because beach badges are being sold only online, not on the boardwalk.
"I don't like apps. I'm not an app person, so I'm not going to download the app to buy a beach badge," Rose Teixeria said.
It was unfortunate for people trying to shop at a clothing store with its gate halfway open.
A code enforcement officer showed up with the bad news -- the store wasn't allowed to be open.
"It's definitely a little bit different reality," one man said.
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Like anyplace else in New Jersey, only restaurants and bars are open for takeout or delivery, a reality impacting business owners like Jeff Dowden.
He struggled waving down cars to fill up his 60-space parking lot.
"Business is like 5% of normal," Dowden said, "but we'll make the best of it."
Everyone is hoping for better weather for the rest of the weekend.
In the meantime, people are trying their best to social distance and wear face coverings as police walked by reminding them of safety guidelines.
It's a new normal that didn't blind some on the real meaning of the holiday -- honoring our men and women who paid the ultimate sacrifice.