Some Wind, Some Waves and a Washout for Independence Day

Despite hopes that Hurricane Arthur would jut out to sea fast enough to make room for some beach time on Independence Day, by 2 p.m. Friday, it wasn't meant to be.

On Long Beach Island, the bay was whipped up with whitecaps, the waves rolled in slowly at the ocean with no one to watch them go by, and crowds crammed into their cars, stores and the Surf Taco restaurant to pass the time.

Some held out hope that the stormy day would end in time for fireworks, though most had already been cancelled by afternoon, while others took the day to relax indoors in the comfort of their air conditioners that took the sopping wet humidity out of the air.