SEA BRIGHT — Borough officials have begun discussions with the SeaStreak passenger ferry service in hopes of bringing more summer visitors into the Shore town.
“We see a possible market here,” Brett Chamberlain, director of marketing for SeaStreak, told officials at the Borough Council’s June 11 workshop meeting.
Chamberlain said SeaStreak offers complimentary beach shuttle-bus service that could pick up passengers at the ferry-service dock in Sandy Hook and bring them into Sea Bright, where they could enjoy the beach amenities and also stop for refreshments at one of the local restaurants.
The shuttle bus already provides service to the various Sandy Hook beaches and the Highlands.
Councilman Charles Rooney III suggested that a free beach badge could be provided for a trial period for people using SeaStreak as an incentive for them to return next year.
“We want people to go to the beach and spend time in town,” he said.
SeaStreak operates a passenger ferry service in the New York metropolitan area that serves points in Manhattan, central New Jersey, Nantucket and Martha’s Vineyard, according to the website.
In addition to commuter services to and from Manhattan and New Jersey, SeaStreak offers an array of special events, sightseeing cruises and tours, day trips and getaways year round.
The SeaStreak ferry has daily service from two New York City piers — East 35th Street and Wall Street — to Sandy Hook, with multiple trips per day throughout the beach season. A round trip ticket is $45.
The trip to Sandy Hook from New York City typically takes about 30 minutes.
Chamberlain, noting that the ferry service provides an average of 20,000 trips annually to Sandy Hook, said SeaStreak could test whether a market exists in Sea Bright and post the services to the website as soon as early July.
Councilman John Lamia said he is in favor of the endeavor.
“Our goal is to bring people into the town without cars,” he said.