Rain Washes Up Busy Weekend At Beach
New Jersey (CBS) -- It was a rainy, dreary end to Memorial Day weekend at the Jersey shore.
The beach was empty in Wildwood Monday, but there was a surprising number of people walking the boardwalk.
"Just hanging out on the boardwalk, getting the last bit of Memorial Day in here," said Jim Rossiter of Wildwood.
"There's nothing to do out here because it's raining," said Esteban Taborda, who was with a large group of students from Dover, NJ. "It kind of ruined the last day for us, but we still love it here."
Payboy's Arcade was one of the relatively busy spots, offering a fun shelter from the rain.
"[The rain] is just a little problem," said owner Sam Kordunov. "But anyway, people come because it's a wonderful place."
The wet weather provided some much needed quiet, after a wild weekend at the popular shore town.
Officers responded to more than 2,000 calls and made 182 arrests since Thursday.
"Underage drinking, disorderly conduct, young kids are coming down here and think they have free reign and can do whatever they want," Wildwood Police Chief Robert Regalbuto said.
Mayor Ernie Troiano, Jr. condemned beachgoers who left beer cans, plastic cups and debris along a 15 mile stretch of the beach overnight. Cell phone video shot by a CBS3 viewer Ed Coleman documented the mess.
"I'd rather have a clean beach and less problems and respect for the beach," Troiano said. "If I knew who these people were, I would personally call them and say, 'You know what? You're not welcome back.'"
Chief Regalbuto said officers dealt with the biggest crowds of teenagers in Wildwood for Memorial Day weekend in a decade. Several fights broke out and officers arrested 40 teenagers.
