Miss Avalon captain logs near-miss at Townsends Inlet Bridge

Capt. Brandon Hurd of the Miss Avalon passed through the Townsends Inlet Bridge on Saturday with minimal clearance, describing the event as the closest call of his 10-year career. Hurd used Meta glasses to record the moment, capturing video as he asked passengers whether he had struck the structure.

The channel has narrowed due to beach encroachment, a condition boat captains say has turned the inlet into a hazardous route. Irv Hurd, owner of the Miss Avalon, called the situation terrifying. He noted that the vessel recently nearly ran onto the beach, forcing him to spin the wheel rapidly to maintain control of the 78-foot boat.

Local operators have documented the decline in channel depth over the last two decades. Google Maps imagery from 20 years ago shows a large inlet beneath the bridge, while current views show little to no beach. Capt. Bob Rush of Starfish Boats in Sea Isle City described the navigation as causing havoc for many people, adding that the words to describe the channel are not suitable for television.

A dredging project will begin work to clear the expanded beach and replenish parts of Avalon’s shoreline. The superintendent of the project confirmed the scope includes clearing the inlet. The emergency effort is estimated to cost $1.6 million, a figure shared equally by Cape May County, Sea Isle City, and Avalon.

Boat captains in Avalon and Sea Isle City told CBS News Philadelphia that the lack of a single responsible agency for inlet maintenance has contributed to the worsening conditions. Operators state the dredging work cannot begin soon enough to address the daily risks they face while passing under the bridge.