Columns
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•September 13, 2021
Summer Takes the Long Way Out; It’s Tougher Being Green on LBI
Like old soldiers, summers on Long Beach Island don’t die, they just fade away. Having soldiered through over a half century of Island summers, I have seen the departure of the sunny season morph…
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•September 9, 2021
Magical Labor Day Weekend Gives Way to ‘Locals Summer’ Fun, Hurricane Larry Swell
I think I saw a fairy fly over the Island and sprinkle pixie dust on Monday night.
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•September 8, 2021
Will Dirigible Program Continue?
The crash and massive loss of life caused when the ZR-2 exploded over England as it prepared for its transatlantic flight to Lakehurst, N.J. triggered two debates in the United States. First, should…
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•September 7, 2021
It Gets No Louder in Nature; Dining on Undivine Seafood
I finally got an earful of what was earlier hyped as a break-out year of “Brood X” 17-year cicadas, what we simply called “locusts” back in the day. That earful led me to investigate nature’s…
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•September 2, 2021
‘Waves of Strength’ Buoys Spirits; Tail of Fast Summer With Plenty of Waves
“Boy, did I need this,” said Terrace Tavern co-owner Mike Sweeney as he ran up the beach against a howling northeast wind on Sunday.
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•August 26, 2021
Hurricane Henri Swell Wasn’t What We Expected; It Was Better
Our arms are longer. Our necks are sore. Our noses are draining salt water out onto car seats, pillows and significant others. We have armpit rashes like nobody’s business.
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•August 25, 2021
Turbines Are Obsolete Before They Even Arrive; Whitetail Deer Contending With Another Malady
READYING FOR TURBINE TIMES: Relatively soon or thereabouts, an array of turbines will take root off the coast of South Jersey, though not off LBI … for now. Jersey-Atlantic Wind LLC will have the, as…
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•August 25, 2021
Excitement Turns to Disaster
By Aug. 25, 1921, all was ready for the second crossing of the Atlantic Ocean by an airship. In England the American crew of the world’s largest dirigible, the British-built ZR-2, had spent the…
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•August 22, 2021
Rays Aren’t a Bright Sight for Baymen; Whitetail Deer Might Be Viral Reservoirs
Cownose rays fly high on my list of cool summer fish to follow. That coolness was again in full flow last week with mind-bogglingly huge schools of them winging around Barnegat Inlet and, somewhat…
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•August 19, 2021
Favorite Part of Summer for Island Watermen; Big Changes for Competitive Surfing
Have you ever noticed the way that summers seem to find a comfortable, similar rhythm from year to year?
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•August 18, 2021
Preparing for the Behemoth
In August 1921, the final test flights were underway in England with an American crew that was about to take command of the world’s largest airship. On the other side of the Atlantic, in Ocean…
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•August 18, 2021
Tour Life Returns; Talking Dreads Burn Down the House; FirkStock Honors Summer of Love
Hoards of jam enthusiasts spent the weekend getting tuned up in Atlantic City during the three-night Phish run, each evening show sandwiched between pre- and post-performances offering a rich variety…
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•August 11, 2021
Time to Go Sushi With Cellular Salmon; When Pet Owners Tire of Their Minions
Sushi-loving diners in Callie will soon be partaking of test-tube salmon, compliments of San Francisco-based firm Wildtype. The company touts itself as “Building a better food system by pioneering…
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•August 11, 2021
The Dreadnought Cometh
One hundred years ago this month, Ocean County, N.J. was preparing to become the center of the aviation world. The U.S. Navy had purchased the R-38, the world’s largest dirigible, from Great Britain…
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•August 11, 2021
Updating Lingo as Tropical Outlook for the Season Looks Lit
One thing I love about writing this column is that I’ve forged friendships with the oldest surfers on the Island and the youngest. I mean, one of the coolest parts of my job is that I occasionally…
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•August 8, 2021
Case of the Lost Board on the Bridge, Plus the Bigger News on the Island and in the Water
Last Thursday, I was returning to the Island after running some errands. Went to the bank, picked up a frying pan at the Old and New shop for $3 and got the Vegan Buffalo Ranch salad from Living on…
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•August 5, 2021
A Tarpon Tale Twice Told; Rays Still Making the News
Along with swirling sky excitement, the Island’s angling community was recently blown away with word that sportsman and outdoorsman Jake Kline speared a major tarpon in the waters of Barnegat Inlet.…
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•August 4, 2021
Recovery Efforts Face Challenges
The three-masted ship Francis had set sail from San Francisco, in January 1897, on a voyage around South America to New York City with a cargo that included fine California wine and canned Alaska…
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•July 29, 2021
Bunker Washup From Up Above?; Stingrays Get Cozy With Bathers
There was recently a series of either small fish kills or small fish spills, the latter from commercial vessels. Holgate had a goodly number of DOA bunker/menhaden float in.
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•July 29, 2021
Jetty Coquina Jam Has Grown to Serve Its Purpose and More for the Community; Surfing Makes Olympic Debut
On Sunday, I jumped in the water for a few waves right next to the Jetty Coquina Jam. As I was paddling north against that drift, I passed by two adolescent boys.
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•July 28, 2021
Salvage Not Such a Boon
On May 8,1897, the three-masted ship Francis, out of San Francisco and bound for New York City, caught fire and was beached south of Beach Haven. The nation was in the throes of the worst depression…
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•July 24, 2021
A Wonderful and Watery Goodbye; Realistic Hurricane Preparedness for Our Coast
“Patrick’s passing has brought all of us great sadness. But take comfort, each of you here and all who knew him, that your friendship made Pat’s short life full beyond measure and gave him great…
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•July 22, 2021
New Type of Tree-Hugger Lands on Island; Eyes of Bay Scallops Launch a Lifestyle
THE ISLAND WELCOMES TREE-HUGGERS: For many moons, wildlife of a canid kind has been heavily discussed on LBI. Discussion has spawned debate over the compatibility of people, coyotes and red foxes…
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•July 21, 2021
Bounty From the Francis Wreck
On May 8, 1897, the three-masted wooden clipper ship Francis was 111 days out from San Francisco, bound for New York City, when a fire broke out on board as it was just south of Beach Haven.
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•July 15, 2021
Tropical Storm Elsa Delivers Historic Swell; Do Certain Vacationers Need to Learn Some Respect?
Last Friday, I found myself hustling up the beach. It was a few minutes after 8 a.m., overcast, and the wind was hard northwest. So hard, in fact, that it looked like a winter day, certainly not the…
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•July 15, 2021
Talk About Balancing a Beach Budget; Tesla Talking Big About Cyborg Truck
While doing my never-ending research on barrier islands, I was recently drawn to the highly functional science term “sediment budget.” Being a wordologist, I’m both intrigued and thoroughly sold on…
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•July 14, 2021
Ship’s Crew Rescued From Fire
The shoreline of New Jersey was once called the “Graveyard of the Atlantic” and is remembered for disastrous shipwrecks, with the loss of all hands on board or the daring rescues carried out by the…
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•July 13, 2021
Old Barney Might Have Internal Problems; the ‘Great UFO Incident’ at Spray Beach
Getting info through state channels is tougher than overcooked calamari. All questions must go through the press department, which in turn seemingly lives by the unwritten motto “Let No Question Go…
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•July 8, 2021
Why Water Temp So Moody in July; Consistent Waves and Tropical Storm Elsa
Not everyone would’ve considered that an ideal 4th of July weekend. Moderate rain, some chilly temps and more than a little wind do not make for endless beach time, perfect boating days or great…
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•July 7, 2021
Francis Sets Sail Into Legend
In 1914 George B. Somerville repeated a well-known local story in his book The Lure of Long Beach.
