Nestled along Barnegat Inlet, less than a mile from Ol’ Barney, is Coast Guard Station Barnegat Light. On an early, gray Thursday morning in late winter, it’s hard to imagine the hustle and bustle of visitors just outside the gates and a stone’s throw away on the bay as they cruise by on their boats during the summer.

The men and women stationed there are as welcoming as the calm, blue waters of the bay in summer and as tenacious as the currents.