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World War II Ordnance Force Closure Of Swimming Area At Assateague Island National Seashore

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By Compiled From N... - August 2nd, 2022

A section of beach at Assateague Island National Seashore has been closed due to the surfacing of World War II ordnance/NPS

A section of Assateague Island National Seashore's beachfront has been temporarily closed due to the presence of World War II ordnance that has come to the surface. The closure affects the North Beach swimming area in the Maryland portion of the park.

The “normal” lifeguarded beach area is closed until further notice. The beach is open both north and south of the lifeguarded area. The parking lot remains open. The Beach Hut will remain open. Lifeguards will be located immediately south of their normal area. 

This closure is in effect because of the discovery of multiple (7 and counting), pieces of military munitions debris on the beach over the last two weeks. During the 1940s, the U.S. Navy used this area of Assateague Island as a test range for rockets and bombs. In the 1950s, a clean up was done, and munitions debris was buried in pits on the island. Due to the natural movement of the island and seas level rise, some of these pits are now offshore. It is likely that the large Nor’easter in May disturbed the nearshore seafloor and uncovered one of these pits. This has resulted in pieces of ordinance coming ashore.

Most of these pieces are just metal fragments, but some may still contain residue of either explosives or propellent and thus must be considered dangerous. Ocean City Bomb Squad and the Dover AFB EOD team have been assisting the park in dealing with these items. If you find a piece of unidentified metal on the beach, do not touch it but do notify park staff. Unfortunately, there have been several instances of visitors picking up rocket fragments and carrying them to either the lifeguards or, in one instance the visitor center. Please do not do this as it is potentially very dangerous. 

At this time, it is not known how long the closure will be in effect. 

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