BETHANY BEACH, Del. - It's something that has been taking place up and down the Delaware coast, beach replenishment.Â
The beach replenishment has been going on in Bethany Beach since June and the town expected all that work to be done by now.
Unfortunately mechanical issues and weather delays have stretched the timeline. As parts of the beach are covered with machines and big pipes cutting across the sand, it has stressed out locals and even cancelled a major event on the Fourth of July.Â
One employee Gabi Ragone who works at Lili's Place in Bethany Beach said she saw the impact cancelling the Fourth of July fireworks had.Â
"First to start off the season with not having the fireworks was a big bummer," Ragone said. "It's packed everywhere whenever there's fireworks each year and it was a big let down."
Alex Heidenburger, who is a partner in Mangos restaurant in Bethany Beach claimed the replenishment has been a hit to his daytime business. He's worried about how the extended replenishment will effect the future.
"I hope the tourists come back if they've had a bad experience, some of these homes will be rented for $2,000 to $3,000 for a week, a hotel room can cost, $1,000 a night," Heidenberger said. "So people are upset that this is happening during the summer and they don't understand why now."Â
But others like Nick Lakis said things will work out as they need to.
"Hey, we're at the beach, you might as well just have fun and just go with the flow," Lakis said.
But in the meantime Heidenberger is hoping the rest of the summer can still be salvaged and business picks up to what they are used to when there isn't replenishment going on.
"We all live for this time of year, I really wish we could have had other options instead of replenishing at this time but there's nothing we can do," Heidenberger said.
The town of Bethany Beach said beach replenishment should be completed by July 18 but things could change depending on if everything goes according to plan.Â