Along the northern flank of town, you can enjoy relaxed day-boating along the Manasquan, soaking up the views of waterside mansions and villas and sharing the space with runabouts and bay-boats, while immediately to the east there is direct access, via a broad inlet, onto the Atlantic for high-octane offshore fishing and sublime motoryachting. Head towards the southern edge of the city to discover the Metedeconk, a broad watercourse that connects to Barnegat Bay, one of New Jersey’s largest estuaries and a magnet for backwater fishers and sailors from around the region.
Marinas around Point Pleasant are largely concentrated on the two main waterways that define the city to its north and south. Along the Manasquan River, famed for its trout fishing, you will discover spots like Safe Harbor Crystal Point and its attached yacht club, where plush facilities, sun-rise vistas and 135 wet-slips for boats up to 90-feet in length await. Clark’s Landing Yacht Club at the Manasquan’s widest point, meanwhile, offers 105 wet-slips, hard-to-snag slip rentals for vessels up to 70-feet long and a welcoming club-house. There’s also a selection of marinas that specialize in offshore cruising and fishing not far from the Manasquan Inlet, including Point Beach Yacht Club, a 56-slip venue within touching distance of the ocean, as well as the Southside Marina, a location perfect for fishers heading out into the briny waves of the Atlantic, which offers 43 slips and full-service amenities. Also available in this neighborhood is the Garden State Marina, comprised of floating docks with 70 slips for fishing craft and other motor boats up to 70-feet in length.
To the south of the city, along the bustling Metedeconk, you’re likely to find marinas focused on backwater cruising and fishing in Barnegat Bay. Check out Shore Haven Yacht Club, a multi-slip facility benefitting from a peaceful and protected setting on Beaver Dam Creek, or Arnold’s Yacht Basin, a full-service 135-slip marina with capacity for vessels up to 250-feet in length. Moving closer to Point Pleasant Beach you will discover the Bay Head Yacht Club, a sprawling complex with hundreds of slips in a series of artificial harbors as well as a public, free-of-charge boat ramp, and, directly across the road, the Sanzari Marina, a popular refueling point with floating slips and servicing facilities. Yet Point Pleasant has one more surprise up its sleeve. The Metedeconk and Manasquan Rivers are actually connected via the Point Pleasant Canal, a two-mile long artificial waterway that carves its way through 20 blocks of the city itself. The canal even boasts its own marina, the Point Pleasant Yachting & Fishing Club, a hidden retreat with 135-slips.
Point Pleasant regularly hosts races and regattas, including the annual New Jersey Offshore Grand Prix and the Point Pleasant Beach Boat Race. And after you’re done competing or simply spectating, head to the boardwalk to admire the beach and visit the top-class aquarium or, if you find yourself in town during September, enjoy the annual Festival of the Sea, a maritime bonanza with gourmet seafood and boating exhibits.
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