Beach weather bringing crowds to the Jersey Shore

 Sunbathers lay on the beach on a foggy afternoon in Belmar, N.J., ahead of the Fourth of July holiday. (Mel Evans/AP Photo, file)

Sunbathers lay on the beach on a foggy afternoon in Belmar, N.J., ahead of the Fourth of July holiday. (Mel Evans/AP Photo, file)

Plenty of people are relaxing on Jersey Shore beaches as a holiday weekend of good weather continues.

Many vacationers say they’re there to support the Shore communities as well as kicking back for the weekend.

“We come every year the week of Fourth of July, so it’s tradition. And this year, in particular, wanting to support it even more. Never even hesitated about coming,” said Kerry Schmidt of Orange County, New York, who added was important for her to be at the beach in Belmar.

“It’s been very pleasant, very enjoyable,” she said. “It’s great to see all the people here again just supporting the shore.”

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That’s the way Denise Liberto of Langhorne in Bucks County sees it.

“It looks beautiful and I understand some things are temporary but it’s really great that it’s here for the economy again, for people to come and enjoy,” she said.

So many beach-goers have been trying to get to the oceanfront in Belmar that it’s been difficult to find a parking spot.

Belmar resident Bob Carnevale said he was pleased to be on the beach after all the rain last month, the wettest June on record in New Jersey.

“I like the heat and to lay in the sun. So this is good for me,” he said. “Yeah pretty much a summer ritual.”

Many beach-goers say they’re pleased to see the boardwalk and beach are in good shape but are concerned about residents in hard-hit shore towns who still trying to recover from Sandy.

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