Visitor at NJ nude beach finds explosive find

💥 Explosive device reported at a beach in Monmouth County

💥 The device is believed to be from World War I

💥 South Gunnison is New Jersey's only nude beach

MIDDLETOWN — A shocking discovery at the Jersey Shore this past weekend gives a new meaning to "Naked and Afraid."

A visitor in Sandy Hook made the call to authorities on Saturday evening.

They reported that there was an explosive device in the surf at south Gunnison Beach, according to a Gateway National Recreation Area spokesperson. Gunnison Beach is New Jersey's only legal nude beach.

Rangers with the National Park Service responded to the beach and blocked off an area of around 1,500 feet.

An explosive ordnance team from Naval Weapons Station Earle in Colts Neck responded. They were finally able to remove the device around 2:30 a.m. Sunday during low tide.

What was the device?

Nothing has been confirmed but authorities believe the device was a mortar round from World War I. That would make it more than 100 years old as the Great War ended in 1918.

While the age of the munition is surprising, it's not out of place. Gunnison Beach is named for a nearby artillery battery.

The Battery Gunnison was built in 1903, according to the National Park Service. At its peak, the battery's two six-inch guns could fire armor-piercing projectiles weighing 108 pounds up to 10 miles away.

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