Choppy Seas And Fog Mark A Dreary End To Summer At The Jersey Shore

ASBURY PARK, N.J. (CBSNewYork) -- A choppy ocean and a foggy day at the Jersey shore left beaches in Asbury Park nearly empty on Monday.

Even crowds on the boardwalk were small for Labor Day in spite of water rides, games, and restaurants, CBS 2's Christine Sloan reported.

The less than ideal weather was not good for business but some beachgoers said they didn't mind.

"It's actually kind of nice. It's not that crowded. It's still beautiful despite the weather," Brett Marcus said.

Marcus and his son Harris squeezed in a quick game of miniature golf before the rain set in.

Harris, 6, won.

The dreary day marked an end to a summer that saw Shore businesses lose massive amounts of money due to Superstorm Sandy.

"It's scary we went to an off-season and this summer we didn't have time to get fully back on our feet so we're going to be cautious going into the winter," Marilyn Schlossbach said.

Schlossbach and her husband own a surf shop and two restaurants in Asbury Park including the Langosta Lounge. Even an appearance by Bruce Springsteen weren't enough to bring in the crowds that the couple needed to recoup major losses.

"He's a casual guy. He came in for a cocktail and was trying to promote the Jersey Shore," waitress Liz Stacey said.

The Schlossbachs had to pour money into their businesses after Sandy hit and a soggy start to the season did not make things any easier.

"All the windows and frames of this pavilion was blown out," Marilyn said.

Some businesses are hoping that the unofficial end of the summer doesn't mean the end of people's trips to the shore.

"Next weekend will be gorgeous and people will be back. Cloudy weather is not going to kill the mood," Amy Kurutz said.

Many businesses in Asbury Park plan to stay open through the winter.

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