Columns
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•December 4, 2024
Instead of Stuff, Give Gift of Music, Togetherness
Each passing year makes up a smaller fraction of our lives, which means every one passes more swiftly. Then there’s capitalism to keep it pushing ever more quickly, playing on our nostalgia and…
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•November 27, 2024
Holiday Mixtape: Uploading Gratitude
As the season of giving approaches, giving impetus to reflection on the year that’s passed and contemplation on what’s important for the year to come, now’s a good time for a gratitude check.
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•November 27, 2024
Are Tea-Burners Brought to Justice?
Almost 250 years after the independence of the United States was declared, it’s easy to remember the events in simple terms: The good guys were the colonists, the bad, the British oppressors. But a…
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•November 27, 2024
Possibly the Best Surf of the Year Ushers in Thanksgiving Week, a Sacred Time on the Sandbar
There are about three or four columns a year that I love to write. Inevitably, Labor Day is a good one – after the long summer of work and general overdose of humanity, the Island comes back under…
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•November 27, 2024
It’s All About Poli-Sci As Donald Time Sets In; Those Fat Cells Have Minds of Their Own
There’s a quiet rumble on the horizon, winter thunder of sorts, sensed more than heard. Its source is a genre of which I know squatola … big-time politics.
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•November 21, 2024
Fussing Over Nonevent That Can Eat a Car; Tog Poachers Try to Escape Getting Hooked
I got out of the weather business quite some time back, after years of helping the National Weather Service devise a rip current warning and advisory system for the Jersey Shore. However, this…
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•November 20, 2024
Jersey Has Its Own Tea Party
As 1774 was drawing to a close, the future course of relations between Great Britain and her American colonies was reaching a breaking point.
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•November 18, 2024
Quickie Downpour Wasn’t Drought Buster; Sea Robins Are Way Cooler Than We Think
That was a refreshing, albeit minor rain event we had to end the weekend. While the streak of rainless days was ended, it wasn’t the proverbial drought buster, though it was well received in the…
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•November 14, 2024
Weather Anomalies That Aren’t So Bad; Small Surf and Big Fire Threat
When you stepped outside early Saturday, did you feel something different? It was … cold.
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•November 13, 2024
Meet Unsung Heroes of the Revolution
As we near the 250th anniversary of American independence, I have decided to concentrate on the little-known heroes and events.
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•November 7, 2024
Records and Leaves All Furiously Falling; There’s Suddenly Plenty to Crow About
The drought now comes down to numbers, some of them impressively impressive. For instance, October broke a 1,558-month record. That count represents the number of months official weather records have…
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•November 6, 2024
NJ Legislature Comes to the Rescue
The battle to save Barnegat Lighthouse from falling victim to the encroaching tide shifted from Washington to Trenton when the federal government announced it wasn’t going to spend the money needed…
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•November 2, 2024
State’s Ongoing D-2 Drought Has Linkages to Dust Bowl; How Classic Fishing Disappeared From Holgate
I’ll strive not to overdo this drought thing despite its dusty intrusion into my autumnal jaunt-abouts in the Pines, as I divide my time between LBI’s sugar sand and the Pinelands’ equally sugary…
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•October 31, 2024
Nickeled and Dimed by the Convenience Store of the Skies; Another Weekend Swell
We took a little trip last weekend out of Atlantic City, which, as you may know, is exponentially easier than flying out of Philly, Newark or JFK. Given a choice, I would rather ride my bike to…
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•October 30, 2024
‘And a Short Time to Be There’; Remembering Phil Lesh
Countless moments have passed since Don Maclean’s poignant “American Pie” was written wherein the same sentiment of lamenting “the day the music died,” would apply. Of course, Deadheads would agree…
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•October 30, 2024
A Glimmer of Hope for the Lighthouse
The year 1924 ended with the hope of saving Barnegat Lighthouse for future generations at an all-time low. The U.S. government had announced in early December that it would not spend the $400,000…
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•October 29, 2024
Foreboding News for Fungi as Drought Is Mushrooming; The Bumper Sticker That Climbed Everest
Many moons ago, I had written about a high drought potential this year. I based that on simple anecdotal laws of average, though I quietly factored in some odd long-term meanderings of jet streams…
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•October 23, 2024
Fight for Lighthouse Continues
The story of how Barnegat Lighthouse is still standing at the north end of Long Beach Island is one of ups and downs and a long list of heroes. None deserves more credit for saving old Barney then…
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•October 23, 2024
Waves Proving October Is Best; Trick or Treat Traditions, a Skate Candidate, Beach Happenings
Here’s a message to the kids. Wait, do any kids read The SandPaper? Perhaps not. Maybe someone can put a picture of my column on Snapchat.
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•October 16, 2024
Dry Times in the Pines Has Smokey Sweating; How Fishing Prevented Walmart Brawl
I’m obliged to start with a wildfire warning. Smokey Bear is now officially sweating out the current ultradry conditions.
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•October 16, 2024
Not All Patriots Were Famous
Two hundred fifty years ago, events were heading toward a crisis between England and the 13 North American colonies. In December 1773, Boston had held its famous tea party, followed a month later at…
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•October 16, 2024
Hurricane Kirk Delivers and a Return to Quick Moving Weather Patterns, Autumn Spells and Magic
If there are spelling mistakes and grammatical errors in this column, I apologize in advance. I am pecking this out on Monday morning while I struggle north up the Boulevard. I started the 18-mile…
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•October 10, 2024
October Ends Bad Wind Pattern; Epic Weather Weekend, All Manner of Waves and Relentless Hurricanes
Before I get into the jokey jokes, I just want to say that as someone who covers weather, even peripherally, Hurricane Milton is hitting Florida right now and there will be some serious loss. We’ll…
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•October 10, 2024
There Was a Time and Plan for Offshore Nuclear Power; To All My Greenhead Fly Children
THE WAY WE WEREN’T: So, you think the proposed offshore wind turbine farms are the worst idea to ever menace the Island’s eastern horizon. Nay.
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•October 9, 2024
Airships Hampered by Lack of Helium
In November 1924, the giant hangar at Lakehurst, N.J. held two of the world’s largest airships. They had just completed record-breaking flights, but as the month began neither was able to fly.
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•October 5, 2024
The Long, Strange Trip a Lifeguard Stand Took; Squalene Might Spell Deeper Doom for Sharks
I’m being mysteriously drawn to the emergent mystery of how a Ship Bottom lifeguard stand recently washed up on a beach in Delaware – looking surprisingly chipper. It was seemingly no worse for wear…
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•October 3, 2024
Chalk September Up as a Bust, Looking for a Local Summer Pattern Change for October, Ram Surfers Look Hot
The one thing that makes New Jersey surfing so incredible is the change of seasons. Well, that and we’re the only place in the world that requires beach badges (more on that a little farther down in…
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•October 2, 2024
200 Plus – From the Beginning
Recently, as I was writing about floating nuclear power plants off Long Beach Island, I was asked why this weekly column is called 200 Plus. This week would be a good time to answer the question –…
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•September 26, 2024
Northeast Wind Stint Like None Before; Horseshoe Island Moves Toward Little Beach
It seems like every week I’m commencing with “I’ve never seen the likes of it.” Well, this week I can double down on that as we are seemingly stuck in the throes of a northeast wind takeover.
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•September 26, 2024
Windy Issues: Flags, Kite Class, Never-ending Northeast Blow and Windswell
I don’t often reply to the letters written to The SandPaper. In fact, even when I don’t agree with them, I still give them a nod of legitimacy simply because someone took the time to write a letter…
