Debby brings strong winds, rough surf to Jersey Shore

LONG BRANCH, N.J. (PIX11) — The boating life can be fun but comes with a lot of responsibility.

Anthony Falzone, who works at Navesink Marina in Sea Bright, knows this, especially when a Gale Warning is issued. Thanks to Debby, gusts could be near 50 miles per hour.

“We got to make sure people secure their boats with a little bit more sense of urgency,” said Falzone.

Gale warnings are not uncommon, but you never know what a storm may bring. That’s why Falzone says boat owners will be coming down to batten down their vessels.

“You should be checking your lines, double tying, adding an extra dock line, some extra fenders,” said Falzone.

Speaking of tying things down, some beachgoers in Long Branch chased after their belongings Friday as they tried to enjoy some sun.

“The sand is hitting our eyes and all that, it’s not comfortable,” said Eli Makh from Brooklyn.

“We don’t let the storm stop us,” said Danny Jay, also from Brooklyn. “We like to come to the beach and enjoy the fun.”

Meanwhile, while the rain isn’t the area’s big threat, moisture from earlier this week could play a role in how Long Branch weathers Debby.

“The last storm that we had on Tuesday we got a lot of rain, so the ground is saturated,” said Long Branch OEM Coordinator Stan Dziuba. “We are getting some trees that are down, and that causes power outages.”

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