The powerful storms battering the Jersey Shore this winter have revealed the ruins of an old wooden ship buried beneath sea and sand for nearly 140 years. "Beach erosion during the winter months is common at Island Beach State Park and is part of a natural, cyclical process. Each year, high-energy waves and seasonal storms remove sand from the shoreline, resulting in narrower beaches and steeper profiles," reads the Island Beach State Park announcement. While beach erosion is natural during the winter months on Island Beach State Park – an undeveloped barrier island – scientists have found that climate change is probably accelerating the phenomenon. As sea levels rise and storms intensify, sea surges threaten to pull away more sand, and these dunes are an integral barrier against future storms.