We haven’t been to the New Jersey shore since Covid, it’s hard to remember when our confinement began. This year, 2022, for Diane’s birthday, I decided to book the Williams Cottage Inn in Beach Haven for two nights. We got two full sunny days, temperature in high 60s. And one windy, approaching rain morning. We discovered the Williams on a June 2017 trip when we stayed several nights at the Victoria Guest House on the square in old Beach Haven (now it’s for sale). We had a nice room with a private porch that trip in a second building; breakfast on the main porch; a swimming pool. We were so pleased to avoid the summer crowds. Discovered good restaurants, The Black Whale, Parker’s Garage (both crowded, loud and tourist, same owners I think). The last night we ate at Stefano’s, an Italian, white cloth, quiet; elegant dining. Also found several nice seafood lunch stops. During the days we drove to Barnegat Light, walked to the bay, sat along the ocean. One afternoon we saw “Footloose” at the Surflight Theatre; another morning at the NJ Maritine Museum; followed by a bucket of clams at Polly’s Dock. Delicious. It was our first overnight at the Jersey Shore in many years. About 8 years ago we rented for a week with the Kwait’s at Harvey Cedars. Eli was very young.
Our fondest memories of Long Beach Island are from the Mignoni’s Harvey Cedars oceanfront home. We visited every summer for decades. Years ago Larry and MaryJo Mignoni Silvi bought Mignoni’s house, tore it down and build a larger modern vacation home. We had lunch with them the year we rented in Harvey Cedars. Anytime we’re on LBI we visit the property.
Our last pre-Covid trip to the Jersey shore was September 25, 2018, to escape the heat (95 degrees in Yardley) and to relax we drove the 1 1/2 hours to Island Beach Park. It wasn’t as crowded as it was the previous week. The temperature was about 85 degrees; there was a steady, gentle ocean breeze. No flies. Tide was coming in. I spent most of 3 hours under our new umbrella purchased at the nearby General Store. We packed a lunch instead of purchasing our usual sandwich, chips and fruit at Ebby’s deli, just outside the park. A small Ebby sandwich is 8 inches.
IBSP had been voted the best state park in the country by a vacation planning website, HomeToGo. Pretty amazing. For years now it’s been our regular shore destination. We were even buying an annual NJ park pass ($70) since one weekend visit costs $20, weekdays are $12, and it’s $10 off season. Three or four trips pay for the cost of the pass. The pass also gets us entrance into other NJ parks.
Island Beach may be a favorite but it’s not our only Jersey shore destination. We also go to Cape May, explore south of Atlantic City, and north to Asbury Park (the new hip shore destination), and Ocean Grove (possible one of the most unhip). Brigantine to visit friends and of course LBI.
I recall one of our first trips to Island Beach in the early 1970s. My sister, Lizanne and dog Luz were with us. It was probably early Fall, cool and not another person on the beach as far as we could see. We set up our new red and orange tepee-shaped North Face tent. No sooner were we settled in and a Ranger stopped. “Tents, not allowed” he said, but continued “But I don’t care, just don’t tell my parter I said that if he comes by.” Never saw the partner. We spent a nice day. Think we had a cooler of food. Luz liked to run on the beach.
If you’ve never been there, Island Beach is 10 mile strip, the southern part of a barrier island just north of Barnegat Inlet. If you go to the very southern end, it’s either a long walk or you have a beach driving permit. You can see Barnegat Lighthouse across the inlet on Long Beach Island. There are two large life guard swimming areas (we rarely go) and about 20 other ocean side small parking areas with beach access. There are several access roads or trails on the bay side for kayaking or bird watching. Except for the swimming beaches, the park is dog friendly. Although they should be on a leash, if it’s a very obedient dog, and the area of the beach is empty, dogs do run free. Our current dog, Nala, shows no interest in the water or running free in the hot sun. She is content to sit (like me) in the shade of the umbrella or even better under a chair.
I’m writing this on the porch of the Williams Cottage on October 12, 2022, Diane’s 76th birthday. We arrived on the Long Beach Island about 11:30 and decided to have lunch at Kyuramen. We each had a ramen bowl with pork for me; shrimp for Diane. I also tried a Steam Pork Bao Bun (good). The bowls were mediocre. Onto Barnegat Light. We sat along the dock watching the bay fishermen (usually solo) and boats in the channel. Island Beach in the distance. We drove around the piers and there seemed there were more commercial fishing boats than I remember. There were a lot of pickup trucks and cars in the lot, so some must be still out on the water. I was told that the fleet had to fish further out; hence many larger boats. Scallops are the largest catch. Unfortunately Cassidy’s Fish Market at Viking Village is only open weekends off season. Whenever I am at these piers I recall a story. Shandley’s were an Irish-American large family that lived near us in Yardley. The youngest boy, J.J, was Jenny’s age. He was a bit wild and quite daring. His first day in kindergarten the teacher asked the question, “What did you do this summer?” J.J. piped in, “I worked on a fishing boat at Barnegat.” At the parent teacher night, the teacher told his mother, “J.J. lied to me about working on a fishing boat.” Pat Shandley smiled, “No he didn’t lie, he worked on a boat all summer.”
We stopped by the Mignoni house property. It was the site of several large family reunions, in the early 1980s I think (photos above). My sister Cissi and Louis rented a nearby house for a week. My parents, Vicky and Ted, Marylee and Norval, Liz, Bill and Margie and kids, Ellen, MaryJo and Larry, Diane, Jenny and I filled up bedrooms in both houses. Uncle Frank made clams casino, Aunt Ellen baked blue fish, corn, potatoes, and lemon meringue pies. We sat on the beach, drank wine or gin and tonics, ate or the deck and posed for family photos. My aunt and uncle were always generous. We could always visit with them or use the house when they weren’t there. Diane stayed through September and early October when she was pregnant with Jenny. I commuted to Bucks County for work, staying on LBI long weekends. We spent one Thanksgiving there, Diane’s parents and Hawley flew in. We built a fire and cooked a turkey. My cousin Bill had a boat for a number of years and would take me fishing.
In the 1950s before Mignoni’s built their house, we rented jointly with them on the bay in Beach Haven and later each family rented an oceanside house not far from the Acme. I have memories of crossing from the mainland on a wooden bridge, clap, clap, clap, until the causeway was built. At least one year, probably more, when we shared a house, my father drove Profy’s delivery truck with a extra refrigerator, playpens, cribs, and beach gear. Maybe five kids, four adults squeezed into a small bayside house. A trip to a five and ten store to buy buckets, shovels and other beach things was a big treat. We played in the street, hung out on the ocean beach, shopped in the Acme, played miniature golf, took a trip to the grounded Lucy Evelyn which had been turned into a tourist store, and on a rainy day went to the movie theatre. One year I caught a flounder. I seem to remember more from my elementary school years than high school. Strange.
This year, after our visit to Mignoni’s old Harvey Cedar property, we checked in to the Williams Cottage. A Victorian, a block from the beach in the historic section of Beach Haven. The public rooms are quite ornate, lots of old wood, antiques, a great wrap around porch. Unpacked, we walked a two blocks to Pearl Street where there is a gazebo with benches. It was warm but windy. Quiet except for the surf, a few gulls and terns. We sat and enjoyed the ocean breeze for over an hour.
Later we sat on our private porch with wine and then had dinner at 6:30 at Tucker’s Tavern. Many places are closed for the season; we had hopes of eating at Stefano’s but they closed October 10. Tucker’s ambience was fine. We started with six dozen East Coast oysters, my entree was four small tuna tacos; both were excellent. Diane had a satisfying cod sandwich. Betty at the Williams provided chocolate chip cookies for dessert.
Tuesday I got up at five, following my typical morning routine I had coffee in the parlor, read email, newspaper, FB, wrote in my journal. At nine we had a gourmet breakfast. The prediction of clouds changed to a delightful sunny morning (and afternoon). We got chairs and walked a block to the beach. For a long time we were alone. We’d been told there were whale sightings just beyond a sandbar; would we see one? On a short walk I got talking to a couple who have been renting here for 35 years. Quite a few years in a house owned by Pat who owns Coral Seas, a motel a few blocks away. John and I had a good chat and in the afternoon I met Pat. The house is pretty much filled with regulars but he took my name and number, if there was an opening. Diane and I might entertain staying in a less expensive place like Coral Seas. About noon, while leaving the beach I met an 80 year old local, McGwinn. We had a nice conversation, historic and he answered a lot of questions I had. I was about to leave when he said, “There he is!” He was the whale rising up just beyond the sandbar. I watched him come up several times. Nice. He also told me several whales had washed up dead.
For lunch we headed to Buckalew Tavern. We were seated in a nice patio-like bright room. There was a large bar and several other rooms. At 1:30 there were about six tables occupied. We’d discussed with our Williams hosts and observed the difference between in season (June to September) and out of season; effecting the labor force (limited out of season), what’s opened, almost no seafood markets during the week, lots of restaurants and shops closed. That’s the difference between 20,000 year round and 130,000 in season residents. We also discovered that there are fewer Bed and Breakfasts. Changing tastes? The economy? Diane speculated that Airbnb rentals may be one reason. I was told there are more large commercial fishing boats because of overfishing and they must go further out to sea. And scallops are the main LBI catch although there is a decline in the catch this year and prices have risen. At Buckalew’s I had a cider and lobster roll; Diane had Caesar’s salad with chicken. I’m not having an easy time ordering my low carb/ sugar diet. Need to get better. Cider has more sugar than wine or beer.
After lunch we drove around Beach Haven. There is an interesting mix of houses. We stopped at the bay near Parker’s Garage. Back at the cottage we sat outside, inside, on the private porch, reading, writing, knitting. And then a glass of red before dinner at the Black Whale. It was crowded and loud but festive. Food was good. We had clams and I had fried oysters; Diane had salmon.
Thursday morning was overcast, strong winds, after breakfast we walked to the beach and sat on a bench. Surf was higher and stronger but it was warm enough to enjoy the brisk wind. The beach was deserted. We packed up, said goodby and headed to the bay. Diane found a small nature trail not labeled on the map in North Beach Haven at Nebraska. It lead to a paved walkway along the bay with benches, a small boat access, quite nice. Further along we stopped and sat for a while at Bayview Park. There is actually small beach areas, badge required in season. We were pleased to find the Surf City fish market near the causeway opened. We bought scallops, just filleted flounder and two stuffed crabs. A bit of LBI to take back to Yardley.
I was glad we took this trip. It brought back so many memories of the Jersey shore. I called two of my sisters to jog their memories about Beach Haven vacations. I’ll need to talk to cousin Ellen. I did find some photographs (see above). Photos from this trip. (below).
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