Blame the geese: Ocean County Park swim beach closes for season

The beach at Ocean County Park in Lakewood has become such a late-summer hit with Canada geese, that county officials opt to close it to swimming for the season a week ahead of schedule.

"For the safety of our residents and visitors it was decided not to reopen the beach this year," said Freeholder and county parks liaison John C. Bartlett, Jr. The scheduled season closing was September 5.

The sheer numbers of geese - and the droppings they leave behind - have kept bacteria counts consistently high. Adding to the situation is the typically high temperature of the water in late summer, which allows bacteria to flourish.

"Ocean County Park itself is safe and remains open," Bartlett said. "We are only closing the beach to swimming."

Only Manchester's Harry Wright Lake high beach is on the August 29 list of closures and advisories by the Ocean County Health Department.

The New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection's list as of 12 noon on August 29 includes no closures in Ocean, Monmouth, Atlantic or Cape May counties.