Battleship New Jersey Gets Stuck In Point Pleasant Canal

The Battleship New Jersey, the most decorated ship in United States Naval history, is stuck in the Point Pleasant Canal.

For the past 19 years, the retired Battleship New Jersey has been a museum in Camden. Unfortunately, current economic difficulties forced the museum to close temporarily. Since the docking fees in Camden are extremely costly, the museum's management wanted to find a less expensive alternative. Retired Naval Commander Jonah "Skipper" Schiff, a Point Pleasant native, thought that a dock on the Manasquan River would make a great temporary home. Things just didn't go as planned.

"It was just a slight miscalculation," explains Commander Schiff. "Our plan had been to bring the great lady up the coast and straight into the Manasquan River. Our weather expert, Professor Storm Vento and his assistant, Finn Marian, predicted smooth sailing, but the Professor and Marian were wrong,  A nor'easter came up from the sou'west." The unexpected storm caused some problems for the skeleton crew moving the ship. "The weather started getting rough and the mighty ship was tossed. If not for the courage of the skeleton crew, the New Jersey could have been lost."

The Skipper made a quick decision to get the New Jersey into safe harbor and off the sea. He steered her up the Barnegat Bay towards Point Pleasant. For early risers along the Bay, it was an incredible sight. "Everyone was so happy to see the great ship. You should have heard the howls as we gingerly moved her up the bay," said Schiff. 

The Skipper knew that the hardest part of the trip would be navigating through the narrow Point Pleasant canal, but his years of experience led him to believe they could do it. "We were doing ok, at first," he said. "We were going very slowly as we started into the canal. I still think we could have made it if not for the bird strike." Bird strike is a term used when birds crash into an airplane, or in this case a ship.


Commander Schiff  explained that a gull crashed into a window on the bridge. The bird bounced off unharmed, but it was enough for the helmsman to momentarily lose concentration. The huge ship veered slightly to the right and got wedged along the base of the bulkhead. That's where the ship is still sitting, just before the Bridge Ave. bridge. 

"The ship is unharmed, but she's stuck pretty good," said the Skipper. "We're going to have to bring in some tugs and try to back her out." The New Jersey will have to remain in place for at least a couple of days, then she will be moved back to sea and up the Manasquan river. Commander Schiff hopes this time will go better.

"We came so close, but we'll get her where she belongs soon enough. I just better not see that gull again!" said the Skipper.




Comments

  1. John johnsomSeptember 14, 2020 at 4:14 PM

    This comment has been removed by the author.

    ReplyDelete
  2. John johnsomSeptember 14, 2020 at 4:32 PM

    The timing of this months Strawberry moon and a large tropical low pressure system off the coast have created unusually strong currents in the canal. As a result of the strong currents, several rescue vessels including tugboats that arrived on scene from Port Newark and a coastguard cutter from Manasquan we’re just swept into the battleship and capsized. The resulting blockage has caused a water levels in the canals to rise rapidly causing flooding in adjacent neighborhoods

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. disneymomSeptember 15, 2020 at 6:01 PM

      Did they move it??

      Delete
    2. SISeptember 18, 2020 at 3:46 PM

      No they are going to make it into a bar to compliment all the summer drunks that come to the shore.

      Delete
    3. P.E. DormontOctober 5, 2020 at 8:00 PM

      I must have missed the rising waters news! That is great!! Governor Murphy should be super pleased to know that his plan is working. I read in the Incumbent Press that moving the New Jersey into the canal was his plan to bottle it up and keep the Bay from emptying into the Atlantic through the Inlet. Manasquan and Point Pleasant should be ecstatic that the Summer Bennies will still have a bay to use for recreation and spending loads of taxable cash.

      Delete
  3. UnknownSeptember 14, 2020 at 5:38 PM

    I am so sorry to hear you had to shut down, why couldn't the Battleship New Jersey get some of that COVID 19 funding. What a disgrace.

    ReplyDelete
  4. AnonymousSeptember 14, 2020 at 5:38 PM

    Is this for real?

    ReplyDelete
  5. AnonymousSeptember 14, 2020 at 5:52 PM

    This live webcam shows the Ship Still in Camden NJ.....http://battleshipcams.com/

    ReplyDelete
  6. AnonymousSeptember 14, 2020 at 6:15 PM

    Ummm, New Jersey is still tied up to her pier in Camden. This is a bunch of rubbish.

    ReplyDelete
  7. PantherliciousSeptember 14, 2020 at 6:26 PM

    This is the coolest thing to happen in Point Pleasant since Antonella Barber

    ReplyDelete
  8. BrianSeptember 14, 2020 at 7:19 PM

    This is fake please site where you got this information from

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. P.E. DormontSeptember 16, 2020 at 7:29 PM

      Please cite where you learned to use the word site.

      Delete
  9. DrewSeptember 14, 2020 at 9:02 PM

    Impossible! First, there was not "Nor'easter in NJ last week. Second, you just don't pull up anchor and sail away with a ship that size that was turned into a museum. There's months of preparation not to mention Coast Guard involvement. Lastly...you CANNOT sail an Iowa class Battleship into the Point Pleasant Canal. That ship has difficulty in the Panama canal. And in tight quarters they would use tugs. Also that ridiculous story of a bird flew into the windshield cause the boatswain to veer out if the chanel. These ships don't turn like a small 24ft. Chris craft boat. What the next story from the Beacon?; Giant ape climbs Empire State building?

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Mark CSeptember 15, 2020 at 10:54 AM

      Skipper, Professor and Marian, Howls, Gingerly, Gull Again :)

      Delete
    2. Capt Jack SpleemSeptember 15, 2020 at 9:04 PM

      What!?! You don’t believe the skipper and Mariann? Gull ible ?

      Delete
  10. MikeSeptember 14, 2020 at 9:21 PM

    These comments are fascinating.... completely fascinating...

    ReplyDelete
  11. AnonymousSeptember 14, 2020 at 9:37 PM

    Does anyone remember Gilligans Island? Go back...read it again...particularly the bold typed words and the phrase "The weather started getting rough and the mighty ship was tossed." Go ahead sing it. pretty cute

    ReplyDelete
  12. UnknownSeptember 14, 2020 at 9:59 PM

    Lightened my day. Thanks for the fun.

    ReplyDelete
  13. Mark CSeptember 15, 2020 at 10:51 AM

    Brilliant! Was actually about to take a drive over to Bridge Ave, then I read the article. Nice job :).

    ReplyDelete
  14. GUNKSeptember 15, 2020 at 9:43 PM

    Drew..really?

    ReplyDelete
  15. UnknownSeptember 17, 2020 at 2:48 PM

    Hey , That would make a great place to catch big blackfish without getting hung on the ledge. And BTW- I am not the Drew from above gang. I am the original Drew from Dunkle!

    ReplyDelete
  16. UnknownMay 23, 2021 at 5:39 PM

    That was a great spoof . However it would be a great local attraction for the area. And having knowledge of the area's history of Forts and Bases.

    ReplyDelete

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