On LBI, A Quick Return to Normal After Irene

On Long Beach Island, worry gave way to relief Sunday as as sunny skies welcomed residents back to their island, which was largely unscathed

The 18-mile-long barrier island was evacuated Friday as Hurricane Irene approached New Jersey, and locals and visitors scrambled to make it across the causeway bridge before it closed for good on Saturday as the storm approached.

Though there was some tidal flooding, the waters receded by mid-afternoon. Very little debris was left by the storm in most towns, and for many residents, clocks kept the proper time, meaning the power never went out.

On the 5th Street beach in Surf City, surfers and beachgoers began to return by 5 p.m.

"LBI doesn't get too many waves too often, so when you get a chance, you want to get out there," said Manny Ambar, a 17-year-old surfer from Manahawkin.

Ambar said the waves got progressively smaller as the day wore on and Irene tracked further away from the Jersey Shore, and the conditions didn't seem too dangerous.

"Back on land, the wind was really strong, but down here at the lower level, it was pretty easy going," he said.

As for the storm: "We thought it was going to be a lot worse than it turned out to be. We felt like it skipped right over us," he said.

Traffic lights flashed yellow in most island towns, a foreshadowing of the months to come when Ocean County Road Department crews will intentionally turn them off for the season.

Some businesses began to reopen by Sunday evening. The Yellowfin seafood restaurant in Surf City was serving dinner, and cars were pulling into the parking lot at a quick clip.

A few blocks away, Surf City Pizza also reopened. Owner Tony Esposito said he was glad to be back in business.

"As soon as we heard the bridge was open, we came on over, and my brother and I started making pizzas," he said.

The gates were closed at Barnegat Lighthouse State Park, but that didn't stop a few folks from peering into a magnificent sunset in the shadow of Old Barney.

Things were getting back to normal.