Echoes of LBI 2012-2013 Superstorm Sandy Edition

Echoes of LB I Magazine

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Superstorm Sandy Special Edition Long Beach Island Arts and Lifestyle Magazine

Photograph by: John

Martinelli

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Publisher’s Note

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elcome to a special issue of Echoes of LBI. This is dedicated to everyone who helped residents of our island during and after Superstorm Sandy. For those of us who lived through the storm, the past few months have been something of a blur, from the evacuation to the rebuilding of our island. Many of us have had our lives re-arranged. Denis and I, along with our dog Gigi, the turtles and hermit crabs, evacuated with friends Maggie and Rena. We hoped for the best, but Sandy held us all hostage for much longer than we ever expected. Homes were lost or damaged, businesses were closed, and our off-season life as planned was put on hold.

Quite frankly, it was a scary and confusing few weeks. However, we are resilient. Through the chaos of Sandy, I want to acknowledge the phenomenal and dedicated service of our mayors, police, and volunteer fire and EMS members. From the safe evacuation to the resolute recovery efforts, we owe a debt of gratitude to our community leaders and volunteers. Governor Christie visited our area twice, showing us a true bi-partisan leader in our time of need. To quote Van Morrison, “From the dark end of the street, to the bright side of the road,” they were our guide.

I want to personally thank the Surf City and Ship Bottom firehouses for their hot meals and community efforts. After the storm, being able to get together in the Surf City firehouse for dinner with neighbors and friends was a life saver. We were tired, sad, confused, and hungry. The firehouse was our refuge. It’s hard to actually describe what life was like immediately following Sandy, so I will leave that up to the writers and photographers who contributed to this issue. Theirs is a first-hand chronicle of what we faced on the island.

At this point, LBI is open is for business! Even now, over 80 stores and restaurants are ready for your patronage. Businesses are cleaning out and gearing up for the summer. I want to thank the sponsors and supporters of this issue because without them, this publication would not be possible. They are always here for us, willing to help with any questions or issues you may have during the rebuilding of LBI. I hope you are as touched by the photographs and stories in this issue as I am. The message is clear: LBI is open for business! Come down and help our push to the summer. Dine out, spend the night, shop in local stores, rent a house, talk to our sponsors, or just let us know you care. We may have lost The Shack, but we have not lost our spirit.

Cheryl Kirby, Publisher Donations are being accepted for this special edition of Echoes of LBI which is dedicated to our firefighters and volunteer emergency responders. Profits will go to the firehouses on LBI.

Echoes of LBI

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First In — Barnegat Sunrise Scott Palmeri photo

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Echoes of LBI Magazine Cheryl Kirby — Owner & Publisher Photographer — Marjorie Amon, Pre-press, Writer — Vickie VanDoren Copy Editor — Joyce Hager, Magazine Designer — Pete Milnes Contributing Editors Maggie O’Neill, Diane Stulga, Sara Caruso.

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Marjorie Amon Photo: All of us on LBI are deeply grateful to our first responders; volunteer EMS and firemen, police and community officials for guiding us through the storm. Your Island salutes you! (Photo organized by Dave Voris)

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A Shore Thing

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Sherry Johnson Photo

8 • Echoes of LBI • SuperStorm Sandy

Super Storm Sandy F

or people living on the Jersey shore, the meaning of the word Sandy has changed forever. Prior to the 2012 storm, sandy toes, sand in your shoes, and sandy shores were slogans on keepsakes. Now souvenirs read “SANDY SURVIVOR.” Last March marked the 50th anniversary of the 1962 storm.

LBI magazines and newspapers retold the tales of those who lived through it. Since we thought we had another 50 years before the next disaster, the war stories of 1962 were fascinating but not scary.

Besides, Hurricane Irene had missed us in August of 2011.

We let down our guard. When weather reports called for another hurricane, some of us toyed with the idea of staying on the island and riding out the storm. But as the predictions grew grimmer by the minute, most islanders heeded the mandatory evacuation. We packed a few days worth of belongings and drove over the bridge on Sunday, October 28, 2012. That was the last time many of us saw LBI for longer than we ever dreamed — a dream that was, and for many still is, a nightmare.

Monday night the storm raged outside, the electricity went off, and the hours crept towards dawn with a menacing slowness. A brief respite came when the eye of the hurricane passed over, giving us false hope. Tuesday morning brought a grey reality to our world. Headlines screamed that the New Jersey coast was destroyed, parts of Manhattan were under water and Staten Island was crushed. The entire northeast coast was impacted by what was now being dubbed Superstorm Sandy.

The news was spotty due to the loss of electricity. We desperately hoped what we heard was more rumor than truth. At first, it was difficult to tell the difference between the two. It wasn’t long before the aftermath became our new reality. There would be no going back over the bridge on Tuesday or any time soon. The two days of clothes we packed would not be enough to see us through.

This was no Irene. This was Sandy, and she was a bitch.

Power was out all up and down the coast. There seemed to be no rhyme or reason as to which towns or houses had electricity. Cell phones were powered up by car chargers, providing the only means of communication. Hot spot power sources for Internet connections were more valuable than gold. It quickly became obvious that we severely underestimated Sandy. Online news sources gave somber reports of our coastline, while social media shared news from family and friends. The storm hit and ran, leaving us stunned, confused and shocked. We all had the same question: now what?

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The “what” turned out to be weeks of uncertainty, loss of power, scrambling for clean clothes and a yearning for a hot shower. Vanity was washed away with everything else. Headbands, ponytails and deodorant would have to see us through, because there were more important things we needed, such as medicine, gasoline, food and shelter. During the aftershock, we counted on the steadfastness of our state and community officials. This was beyond what most of us knew how to handle.

Governor Christie took charge, working with local officials to develop a plan that would guide us through the chaos. On LBI,

Marjorie Amon Photo our volunteer firefighters, EMTs, police and mayors worked round the clock, dealing with flooding, fires, roads blocked by sand, gas lines cut off, loss of electricity, heat, and even rescues.

The number of emergencies was unprecedented. Restricted access to LBI was necessary but difficult to cope with. LBI was now hosting the National Guard, something none of us ever thought we would see in our lifetime. Businesses were closed, school was canceled, daily life stopped short and time seemed to stand still for those of us who were evacuated.

Eventually, online updates from town officials started to

Governor Chris Christie with volunteers at a press conference at High Point Volunteer Fire Company in Harvey Cedars.

clarify exactly what we were facing. Holgate was hardest hit of all, with homes and trailers knocked off their foundations. North Beach was impassible due to eight or nine feet of sand covering the roads from ocean to bay. Beach Haven was hit so hard, their municipal office had to move off island because the building was too damaged to occupy.

Mayor Huelsenbeck, speaking from the storm damaged

A Shore Thing borough hall of Ship Bottom, two days after the storm, said, “During the storm, three feet of water came into the building within eight minutes. That was the worst of it. Thankfully, our beach held. We have no major oceanfront damage. There was no breach on private property. Most of it was over wash. But 90% of the town had three to six feet of water, with major damage on the bayside. The visual of the town looks good, but when people open their doors, they are shocked. The first step we had to take was search and rescue. After that, securing properties was a priority and a block by block search was necessary.”

Police Chief Paul Sharkey of Ship Bottom said they made 40 rescues by boat during the storm. “The National Guard was phenomenal,” Sharkey added. “They stayed with us the whole time.”

Press conferences were held daily at Long Beach Township municipal building to disseminate news. Since the island was essentially closed, the news reports kept residents up to date via emergency texts and web sites. Mayor Mancini of Long Beach Township, speaking at one of the daily briefings, was emphatic on the importance of dunes. “Everywhere we had beach replenishment there was no damage. Everywhere,” he reported.

From one end of the island to the other, inventory of the beaches and property had to be assessed. It was no surprise that access to the island, and other hard hit areas of the Jersey shore, was restricted.

Homeowners and business owners waited impatiently for permission to return, not quite grasping how extensive an undertaking it was to declare storm hit areas safe for re-entry. Eventually, access to the island was granted to residents of several towns for a one-day “grab and go.” Grab important papers, medicine, clean out refrigerators full of spoiling food, and go. When owners drove over the bridge, they experienced the full impact of three to six feet of water on a home or business.

Don Myers, Long Beach Township Beach Patrol Supervisor and member of the OEM (Office of Emergency Management) team, had stayed on the island and witnessed the storm first hand. “I had no doubt from the predictions that this would be a bad storm. Everything about this system worked against us, from its size, the conditions that created the storm, to the full moon and high tides,” he said. Once again, the dune replenishment was cited as the saving grace for parts of LBI. “The dunes did their job. Where we did not have beach replenishment, from 57th Street to 96th Street, there was a great deal of property loss from the over wash,” he said. “At one point during Monday night, I walked up to 46th Street to check on the beach and the water was breaking over the dune. That is a 22-foot high dune! The allencompassing power of the ocean was unbelievable,” he said.

There was little time to reflect on what was, because the work ahead was so daunting. Workers from all over the country arrived to help put the Jersey Shore back together. A steady stream of

white utility vans came and went over the bridge. Red Cross trucks parked on the boulevard, offering food and necessary items to homeowners who struggled with the vast amount of work facing them. Businesses with fall and winter inventory began the monumental task of hauling out and cleaning up, hoping to salvage some of the holiday season sales they desperately needed.

Halloween was a washout and Thanksgiving was nothing like many of us had planned. The Christmas Parade in Ship Bottom, a longstanding tradition, was just not possible. Block by block, street by street, all up and down the island, piles of trash dwarfed houses. The amount and height of the debris was staggering and sad. It was not just 2x4s and insulation sitting at the curbs, but furniture, pictures and cherished memories for so many people. As the days passed, we grew numb from cleanout, FEMA forms and insurance policies.

But through all the chaos, something extraordinary was unfolding. Neighbors helped neighbors, strangers helped strangers, churches helped communities, businesses helped businesses, and officials cooperated with other officials, regardless of political affiliations. Everywhere you looked, groups of people where cleaning out homes for those who needed help. Shelters were loaded up with supplies. Homeowners of vacation properties opened their doors to those who lost their primary residence and needed a roof over their heads. If your home wasn’t damaged by the storm, you took in people whose house was devastated.

Fundraisers were organized and people donated ten, twenty, thirty dollars and more. News reports and pictures on TV depicting the damage took people’s breath away. It was almost impossible to imagine and most people reacted by wanting to help.

Slowly, day by day, with the asNOAA Image sistance of our leaders, neighbors, family and friends, we started to recover. The mounds of debris were collected, returning our streets to pre- Sandy clean. Restaurants and shops started to open. There were finally places to go for a hot meal, camaraderie and a drink. As Christmas approached, many businesses and homes made sure they put up their lights. “We are still here” was the message the holiday lights seemed to blink. “Jersey Strong” became a source of pride for us. The need for a successful 2013 summer season, both emotionally and fiscally, acted like a beacon of light from Ole Barney, providing us with the determination to sail through the aftermath.

LBI will be back and the Jersey coast will recover. Those of us who lived through Superstorm Sandy have a new appreciation for our communities, our beaches and our chosen lifestyle.

They are worth saving. As the saying goes, “It takes a village.”

The little village of LBI has shown us the best of people in our time of need. The incredible strength, humor, generosity and determination of the people of New Jersey and New York are traits Sandy will never be able to wash away. — Maggie O’Neill •

Super Storm Sandy

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Above: LBI Mayors, (left to right): Mayor Jonathan Oldham - Harvey Cedars, Mayor Joseph Mancini - Long Beach Township., Mayor William Huelsenbeck- Ship Bottom. Below: Patrolman Brian Tretola Ship Bottom Police Department, SGT McGhee, Army.

Marjorie Amon Photos

Lifestyle

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Staying Was Not An Option

ed Johnson, Captain of the Beach Haven Volunteer Fire Department during Superstorm Sandy, was one of the first responders to enter Holgate after the storm. As he drove down the boulevard in a 2 ½ ton military truck referred to as a Deuce and a Half, he had a small duck boat in tow to aid in rescues. The amount of destruction he witnessed overwhelmed him. Holgate was unrecognizable. Homes and streets were gone.

One couple he rescued reflected on how they were in their home looking out the window. They saw their car float by one way and return and float by the other way before disappearing. There

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were volumes of frightening, sinking sand as well as neighbors’ garages and houses that floated away.

The day before he and other rescuers were busy rescuing over 100 people who thought that staying was an option when in reality staying was not an option. At the first high tide and major flooding, it was clear to see this was not like any other storm. As the waters rose, the ocean breeched the sand dunes and the ocean and bay waters met. There were so many calls for help. When the Sea Shell Motel was completely swamped and flooded, people were saved and brought to The Engleside Inn

right next door. It was here that the Hilman Family allowed the first responders and The National Guard to set up an emergency site. They had two generators so they never lost electricity. People stayed there safely, charged phones, and got a hot beverage and hot food.

When the flood waters became too high, it was then that Ted resorted to using a jet ski to continue his rescue missions.

Ted Johnson of Beach Haven fire department, He rode from Center Street all the way Sarah Collins, Surf City police department, and Ed down to 117th Street to aid victims as Hazleton (“Bigger”), Ocean County fire marshal calls were received. He also witnessed office and a firefighter for Stafford. a 26-foot Wahoo boat with no one at the helm floating down the boulevard.

Countless other unmanned boats floated down the boulevard, too.

Sherry Johnson (Ted’s mom) had decided to stay during the storm with her husband, dog and cat. She felt like she had to be there to care for her home and check on all of the neighbors’ homes after the storm. She remembers how the water was up to her chest when she went out on her front lawn and how much water surrounded her entire block. After the water receded, there were weeks of muddy cleanup. She went to all of her neighbors’ homes and cleaned out their refrigerators and freezers at their request. She then took all of the food she could salvage to the Engleside Inn for the rescued people and first responders.

Marjorie Amon Photos In her Beach Haven community there was no gas, water or electricity for weeks. An eerie silence surrounded her home. They lived in total darkness.

The only sound was the running generators at The Marjorie Amon Photo, aboard Engleside Inn. She and her husband survived, but Jim Lonergan’s Cannibal Queen she and he both decided that they would never stay again if another storm were to occur. They know now that they made the wrong choice and should have left. They both felt emotionally and physically drained for weeks after the storm.

Thankfully, there were no casualties reported on LBI due to Superstorm Sandy. The volunteer first responders from the Beach Haven Fire Department and National Guard need to be commended for an outstanding job. They selflessly risked their lives to search and rescue all those who needed help, regardless of the fact that those people should never have remained on the Island.

It is because of these brave men and women like Ted Johnson that LBI continues to be a safe haven in any storm. There will now be more footprints in the sand and many more years of family traditions to be made as a result of these unselfish men and women here on LBI. Countless lives were saved and miracles were witnessed. We are truly blessed to have our dedicated, professional and committed volunteer first responders in our Beach Haven community. They’ve proved to all of us that their mission is to keep each and every one of Sherry Johnson our citizens safe and sound and that is exactly what they did. — Diane Stulga •

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Marjorie Amon Photo

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Lifestyle

Working Together And Giving Thanks.

“

We knew it was going to be bad, but the utter devastation was just overwhelming,” said Mark Reynolds about his first days on LBI after Hurricane Sandy. As part of the initial response team, Reynolds Landscaping — with all their trucks and loaders and manpower — was allowed on-island within a couple of days, working alongside the building department, police, and the National Guard.

Initially, he said, “We needed to make the island accessible. Now it’s habitable, and becoming livable. I’m honored that we were one of the first trusted contractors called on

by Long Beach Township.”

The LBI Reynolds saw was unrecognizable, “something you’d see in a war zone”: roads impassable, debris everywhere, houses mangled, boats piled up miles away from where they had been left. “Our beach we have enjoyed our whole lives relocated itself at the boulevard in North Beach and other places,” he said. Reynolds grew up on those beaches and has never wanted to live and work anywhere else.

With less than a month from storm strike to Thanksgiving, everyone who could lend a hand was looking to do just that, and they were grateful they could. Day after day, what Mark’s son Luke noticed was the camaraderie, the strength of the community. “The people, all the contractors — it was incredible to be a part of such a strong cooperative desire, that need to fix ‘our’ place,” said Luke Reynolds. “Everyone dropped everything else to make it happen.”

Although, all these weeks later, the roadsides continue to tell a story of loss and destruction, businesses are reopening, people are moving back into their homes. They are beginning the process of rebuilding — inside and out. Although the horticultural damage won’t really be clear until spring, “most plants,” said Mark Reynolds, “aren’t even fond of standing water, never mind salt. The degree of salinity and the length of time plants were either under or surrounded by water really effect survivability. But what’s not questionable is the survivability of this place. We’ll all come back, and stronger. It’s how we’re made.

This is a uniquely beautiful place with great people, and we all feel very lucky to be here.”

— Annaliese Jakimides • Photo by Tanek Hood of his son Cullen.

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Lifestyle

T

The Wayward Rabbit

he waves rise in the night, each one greater than the last. The water rises and rushes into every street, alleyway, crossroad and doorway.

Cracks and crevices soon flood and buckle. Roads swell and debris is tossed around like the flakes in a snow globe. The new becomes old as wood rots and rust forms over a life once regarded as paradise. A wayward traveler is lifted from its home of soft grass and flowers and begins to float down the street carried by the rushing tide. It passes sand-strewn vehicles, overturned boats and fallen power lines as it tosses and turns in the relentless mud and muck washing in from the bay. The traveler finally comes to rest by the side of a gray shed as it is encased in a foot- thick tomb of pine needles and mud. Time passes, water recedes, and the traveler waits until finally a ray of sunlight pokes through the mud. It is undamaged, but it is far from home, wherever home may be.

Two years ago on October 15, 2010, Dorothy Tolan lost her husband of fifty years. Though it was a devastating blow to the family, they moved on by remembering the times they spent together at the beach house. It was their second home and yet it was first in their hearts. On October 28, 2012, four feet of water penetrated beyond the door and years of dreams floated away.

It is a story happening up and down the East coast: homes lost, memories destroyed, people gone, and hope forgotten. Superstorm Sandy, almost overnight, ripped apart the lives of millions, and one of those lives is my Aunt Dorothy.

After working a lifetime to have a beach house, more than eighty percent of it was compromised. The refrigerator flipped over and filled with a brown soup of mud and sewage water. The walls, furniture and floors buckled and grew forests of black mold. And outside, the big gray shed caked with an inch of clay

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Sara Caruso photo mud was surrounded with so many pine needles it looked as if an evergreen exploded in the yard.

While cleaning the mess, Dorothy began to reveal pieces of shattered dreams, but none of them her own. A red picnic table sits upside down under the clothing lines, which miraculously still stand, while a flower pot stands upright perfectly centered in the middle of the driveway. A red thermos along with the sheet metal roof of an outdoor shower casually lies next to somebody’s fence. None of the objects belong to my aunt, however, there was one item she found and decided to keep.

Made of carved stone and encased in the muck was a fourteeninch tall rabbit.

Obviously someone’s garden ornament had floated with the rising tides into her yard and came to rest by the shed. It is completely intact and very heavy, but it became a symbol of survival in the face of an uncertain future. The wayward rabbit became a sign from above for my aunt. Always a spiritual person, she believed in a higher power looking out for us. After my uncle died, this power became even more evident. Even the littlest things became “signs from Bob” she saw as his way of keeping her head, for lack of a better phrase, above water.

An avid beachcomber, scavenger, and what most would define as a hoarder, Bob was always bringing home something even

“oh give me a house by the shining sea, when they didn’t need it. Once an FBI agent, Bob would look for the tiniest fraction of evidence in a case, and after he retired this translated into finding that which many cannot see: the smallest pieces of sea glass in the rarest colors, a strange shell, or even a golden wedding band which became an anniversary present for Dorothy one year. Those memories were being torn out and left at the curb along with mountains of warped furniture in front of everyone’s yards after the chaos that was Superstorm Sandy. Perhaps this rabbit was a sign, Aunt Dorothy thought, that hope was not lost in the storm.

Some peace of mind began to wash over LBI as the storm clouds cleared and power slowly returned. Lines of traffic backed up for miles as residents and sightseers poured onto the forlorn island alongside contractors and aid workers. Aunt Dorothy began to clear out her house, removing photographs from walls and sorting through dry linens in Rubbermaid tubs. The most fun part of this whole ordeal for me was using a hammer to rip open the swollen drawers in the bedrooms and find what treasures survived. A little ceramic dish made by one of her grandchildren in school, though wet, survived being stuck in a swollen nightstand and thrown against the bedroom wall.

The charity group Christ In Action (CIA) helped clear out most of the heavy furniture and bedding, as well as tearing out moldy walls which were slowly creeping to the upstairs. As the long day dwindled to night the group got ready to leave when one of the workers was pulled aside by my aunt. “Here, please take this,” she said, handing him a check. “I know you did this for free but I could not go to bed at night without giving you this as a donation to your group.” The worker, an off duty police officer from Ohio, who had volunteered two of his personal days to help with the clean up in Sandy stricken areas, was stunned at Dorothy’s kindness. Many of the aid workers had jobs, homes and families waiting for them at home, but out of the kindness of their hearts had come to aid LBI. He stated he could not directly accept the check but gave her an address to mail it. “You know Ms. Tolan,” he said, “we have been to a lot of homes by now and of all the people we have met your hospitality has been one of the greatest.

And I believe that somewhere inside you, though you may not think so, you are a strong woman.” A glint of hope shown in her eyes as he continued. “You have had a smile on your face since we got here and watched as we destroyed your home by tearing out the walls. That’s strong.”

In the back of the house is an outdoor shower filled with window screens and sitting near them was the wayward traveling rabbit, which we fittingly named Sandy. Aunt Dorothy still sees it as a sign from her husband Bob that things will get better and return to normal. It will take a long time, but wounds will heal, objects can be replaced, and families will rebuild LBI. We still do not know whose rabbit it is, but if the owner is reading this now, please know that your simple garden ornament has brought hope to tragedy and a family from the brink. — Sara Caruso •

by the waves and the sand and the sky...”

Maggie M. O’Neill Real Estate Sales Mary Allen Realty, Inc. Ship Bottom, NJ 609-494-0700 Lunasea32@gmail.com

The Shack, long an LBI icon, was carried away by Sandy’s wind and tides.

You can keep the memory with this watercolor by Carol Freas (freasart@aol.com).

The artist depicts herself hanging from a billboard by the shack painting a cerulean summer sky.

Stop by Things A Drift to purchase a print of Keeping the Memory.

22 • Echoes of LBI • SuperStorm Sandy

Marjorie Amon Photo

surf city marina “Our Newest Edition”

The Yamaha FZS- Born Race-Ready.

Open and taking reservations for slips! Call ahead for hours in the show room.

LBI locations For Sales, Repairs, Slip Rentals

Surf City Marina • 325 S 1st St, Surf City • 609-494-2200 Surf City Marina Boat Sales • 337 W 8th St, Ship Bottom • 609-361-5200 Bombardier Dealer • Sea-Doo personal Watercraft • Showroom in Ship Bottom

24 • Echoes of LBI • SuperStorm Sandy

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Sherry Johnson Photo

Lifestyle

Beach Patrol Cleanup

Marjorie Amon Photo

Employees Return to the Long Beach Township Beach Patrol After Hurricane Sandy Strikes

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n November 24, 2012, former and current employees of Long Beach Township Beach Patrol returned to the lifeguard headquarters to help clean up after Hurricane Sandy wreaked havoc on the bay front property on 79th Street. Usually a ghost town with only a few winter employees, roughly 40 individuals filled the yard to assist in the clean-up. Jobs included stabilizing surf rescue boats, scrubbing down equipment and the garage floor, and much more. Assistant Chief and Competition Director Joe Howarth and former Assistant Chief Dr. Matthew Edson organized the event through the social media site Facebook.

“I knew there was considerable damage. We organized the event because we knew that so many people would want to give back to the town in some way,” said Howarth who was a lifeguard from 1975 to 1980 in Holgate.

Edson added, “The beach patrol was a big part of my life. I made tons of great friends there who remain some of my best

26 • Echoes of LBI • SuperStorm Sandy

friends even today. I thought it would be nice to help out.”

Edson was also a lifeguard in Holgate from 2003 to 2004 and served as Assistant Chief from 2008 to 2010. This clean-up effort was one of many which continue to occur on Long Beach Island.

The beach patrol was one of thousands of properties damaged by the superstorm, but Beach Supervisor Don Myers has confidence they will be ready to take on the busy summer season one step at a time. For more information regarding clean-up efforts, visit www.lbieoc.org.

Long Beach Township Beach Patrol employs roughly 340 seasonal workers. More information can be found at www. lbtbp.com. — Katie Callahan, former LBTBP employee from 2003 to 2010 • Above Photo - Front Row: Ryan Farley, Katie Callahan, Don Myers, Billy Maloney, Juliana Perello, Andrew Howarth Middle Row: Jake Mitchell, Ben Mitchell, Shannon Kane, Julian Willis, Sam Driben Back Row: Madeline Myers, Josh Bligh, Fran Campana, Matt Edson, Joe HowarthMiddle Row: Jake Mitchell, Ben Mitchell, Shannon Kane, Julian Willis, Sam Driben

Family owned for more than 53 years, Walters Bikes is LBI’s only full service bike shop.

Check out our huge selection of mountain and road bikes, hybrids, cruisers, townies, and BMX bikes. All in stock.

Famous brands like Trek, Schwinn, Giant and Eastern & more. Open all year with sales, service & smiles!

418 Long Beach Boulevard • Ship Bottom, NJ 08008 • 609-494-1991 Performance Bikes For All Levels!

Looking forward to 2013!

show your colors.

We Now Carry Pedego Eletric bikes!

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Marjorie Amon Photo

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Save The Date!

June 6-9, 2013

Lights!

Camera!

Action!

The 5th Annual Lighthouse International Film Festival will take place on Long Beach Island on June 6-9, 2013. A weekend of award-winning films, discussions, parties and breakfast with the filmmakers is sure to entertain and inspire you. Our outstanding line-up includes features, dramas, documentaries and shorts from prestigious festivals around the world including Sundance, South by Southwest, Cannes and more. Films and events will be hosted at venues and businesses on Long Beach Island. Support the arts on LBI and check our website for festival updates at www.lighthousefilmfestival.org.

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JERSEY SHORE. JUST SUPER!

SUPER STORM

SUPER RECOVERY

SUPER BEACHES

SUPER SUMMER

SUPER STATE

SUPER BOWL (2014)

Cover photo by Marjorie Amon: Only an echo of The Shack remains where the iconic landmark once stood. Over the years, while conversations dragged on about who, what, and why it should be saved, the structure slowly deteriorated. Superstorm Sandy had the last word on the subject and silenced the debate once and for all. Now, only the pilings remain.

Perhaps one dark and misty night, The Shack will shimmer in the moonlight over the marsh water once again. Until then, as we gaze out over its grave, we can only bid our old friend “farewell and Godspeed.”

Shells Are My Game.

Natural Nautical Design by Cheryl

Things A Drift, 406 Long Beach Blvd , Ship Bottom, NJ, 609 361 1668 • Reopens April 30, 2013

32 • Echoes of LBI • SuperStorm Sandy

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Sherry Johnson Photo

Lifestyle

The Hermit’s Hurricane Survival Guide

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hen a strong storm hits, one of the first things on a person’s mind is the well being of their pets. If an evacuation order is put out, many will take care to remember their animal and its food, toys, medicine and everything to keep their animal calm in a tough time. While many storm shelters don’t allow pets, most animal lovers would never imagine leaving their animals alone to fend for themselves during a horrifying event such as Superstorm Sandy.

However, while saving a dog, cat, or even your child’s hamster makes sense to people, when you tell them you have to save a bunch of hermit crabs, they look at you funny. These little crustaceans, often thought of as souvenirs and “throwaway” pets, are rarely looked upon as a conscious living being that needs care. No, they are not going to show you unconditional love or curl up near on the couch, but they are a living thing nonetheless. The thought of going through the trouble of saving the animals from freezing to death during the power failures of Sandy must be mind boggling. But for those out there who do believe hermit crabs are more than souvenirs, this is a guide on how to save your crabs for the next evacuation.

First, if evacuated, always take your pets with you. In most cases, animal shelters will take in the animals temporarily during a disaster. Hermits require different care, however, and at first, it almost sounds like animal abuse. If your house loses power or heat for an extended period of time, first take the hermits out of their habitat. Crabs need temperatures of 70-80 degrees Fahrenheit to be happy, but can dip as low as 65 degrees for a short period of time. Then find some bubble wrap and gently roll them up in it. The bubble wrap should not be taped up in a way that does not permit air to circulate.

34 • Echoes of LBI • SuperStorm Sandy

Try to avoid using paper towels as they will soak up what little moisture they have.

Hermit crabs can survive over a week without food and water is stored in the back of their shells. This keeps their gills moist, but since they are land hermits they can also breathe air. Once rolled up in bubble wrap, their shells and fragile legs will be safe from damage. Then place them in a soft lunch bag.

The same insulation that kept your drink and sandwich cold can keep the crabs warm and well insulated. Like reptiles, crabs are cold blooded and may slow down substantially in the winter or if the temperature drops. If the mercury continues to fall, place the lunch bag with crabs inside in another soft lunch bag or wrap them in a flannel blanket. Make sure the bag is closed tightly as the crabs will instinctively try to escape. (Never place a living animal in a plastic bag!) Finally, place the insulated bag at a high point inside house such as on top of a washer or dryer, on your bed, or desk. The temperature on the ground, especially near a window or air duct vent, can be up to two degrees colder than a few feet off the ground. So keeping them up high, even in bed with you at night, is a way to help them regulate their body heat. Just make sure that they are not near your body because you give off too much heat and are in the bag at the time.

Walking around with them in your pocket during the day can also help them warm up after a long night. It sounds crazy to go through all this for an animal, let alone a hermit crab.

But for those of us who care about our animals’ lives, it is important. Either way, three little hermit crabs of mine made it through the storm this way for four long cold nights of no power. They survived better than the eggs in my fridge and, with this little guide, yours may survive too. — Sara Caruso •

LBI Storm Fundraisers

Marjorie Amon Photos Clockwise from top: Joe Piscopo with Lori Letts (Rossell) at the Beach Haven and Manahawkin fund raiser (Comedian Joe Piscopo, who rode a Beach Haven garbage truck long before he became famous for his performances on Saturday Night Live, returned to perform at a sold-out fundraiser to help raise money for emergency responders affected by Hurricane Sandy). Kathy Henderson and Donna Baker (both native Ship Bottom residents, now living on Oahu) collected 6000.00 to donate to the Ship Bottom Fire Co. Dave Sodano. Wayne Henderson, Robert Branchaud, Tim Butler, Frank Ascollio, Hans Kampert, Danny Enllish, Melissa Menig, and Nancy Henderson. Surf City Fire Co. Peter Hartney (yellow shirt). Dave Sodano and Alice Stockton Rossini.

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Marjorie Amon Photo

36 • Echoes of LBI • SuperStorm Sandy

WHAT DID YOU GRAB ON THE GO?

T

wo years in a row, those of us who live on LBI have had to evacuate. We are getting good at it. It is always interesting to find out what people grab when they know they have to go, with no idea when they will be back. For Superstorm Sandy, I grabbed the tickets I had for a Patriots game. It was over a month away, but I wasn’t leaving it to chance. I packed my evacuation bag, grabbed my football tickets and was out the door! What was the most unusual, funny or extravagant item you took when evacuating for Sandy? Let us know at echoesoflbi@mail.com. By the way, the Pats won that game! •

Poetry

Anchor in a Storm I didn’t believe it would come.

I went through the motions of preparing to leave our home.

We got everything in order to evacuate.

The forecast remained the same.

Still thought we would be all right.

Even the day when the rain and wind came didn’t seem so bad.

Nighttime brought the rising water.

I was not there to see it.

I was spared that sight for it must have been horrific.

In the shadow of night it came and destroyed.

Early the next morning we went, still not believing.

Approaching the house told the awful truth.

There was a water line on the outside of the house.

Opening the front door made me face my worse fear.

Heaviness came over me and near crushed me.

The day brought numbness and an overwhelming sadness.

I would go through the motions of mopping up water, sorting, discarding belongings, and shedding silent tears.

I could hear people talking but could not remember what they said.

Almost instantly, belongings were being hauled out to the curb.

Neighbors came one by one and followed the same ritual.

Sadness overtook me.

Then anger came to mix with the sadness.

Time blended day to night then over again.

I repeated the process of cleaning and discarding.

People helped and their strength sustained me.

I was worn from work and emotions.

The same scene was all around.

I was changed.

Walking in the morning helped me feel some routine.

But the scene around me seemed like black and white images.

I had to change the person I saw within me.

I had to go so deep within and I wasn’t sure what would be there.

I was battling with myself to beat this.

I wanted to be stronger and better.

Today I walked and saw brilliant autumn colors.

I didn’t see them before today although I am sure they must have been there.

It was a turning point.

I am creating my anchor – the security and stability to hold fast.

I choose to moor my spirit in a hopeful place.

One step at a time I will entrench deeply in faithThe way an anchor embeds steadfast to secure.

Storms will continue to come.

But anchors can join one to another and a community holds together.

Spirits are battered but the anchor will hold strong and weather the storm.

— Carol Krom, November 15, 2012

38 • Echoes of LBI • SuperStorm Sandy

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40 • Echoes of LBI • SuperStorm Sandy

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Marjorie Amon Photo, aboard Jim Lonergan’s Cannibal Queen

Poetry Under The Shrink Wrap The wind was blowing and gusting. What was happening? I could not see under the new shrink wrap stretched from my bow to stern to protect me from the winter elements. As the wind increased, I felt my hull rocking on the trailer. I could hear the raindrops hitting the plastic. Feeling insecure even wrapped up tight as a clam, I listened for any human voices. Nobody was out there, only wind and rain. I would have felt much better had someone checked on me. Were my lines secured?

I had an eerie feeling as my hull continued rocking, rocking... then Snap! went the line holding me to the trailer. The hull scre-ee-eeeched as it tore from the trailer. I felt myself rocking in water, a lot of water, fast water, rushing water!

Ouch! Something hit me. Wait. There, it ripped the cover and I could see what was happening. Oh no! Other boats were loose too and bumping into each other. Wow! The giant waves pushed us along unwillingly. I had never been on waves that big. Nothing I saw was familiar—just lots of water, wind and all sorts of objects blowing around: pieces of docks and decks, cars on their sides, parts of houses floating.

Too much rocking. I hoped I didn’t tip over and feared something would take a chunk out of my hull. Look out on the starboard!

Whew, that was close. Crash! I couldn’t get my bearings. Nothing was right. My keel was up and my deck down. A telegraph pole smacked dab against my side. Peeking out I saw boards, an open refrigerator, and a car stuck front end down in a huge sand pile.

I was sure to be a long way from my marina and hoped my owners would find me. Everything changed but I made it in one piece, just upside down. I decided to rest, knowing my people would find me soon and fix everything up for next summer.

— Kathy Crocker

Rebuilding the Shore If we lean on each other, we will once again smile.

At times, life is a hardship, agony’s trial.

The dunes are gone, our possessions not there, Our sorrow and memories, together we share.

We pick up a shingle and cradle a brick.

We wipe away a tear, feeling physically sick.

Life will get better, we certainly know.

We recover our losses, resilience we show.

As a team, we rebuild the isle we adore: the landmarks and treasures of the Jersey Shore.

Homes are rebuilt, whatever the cost, But cherished memories are never lost.

— Lynn Reebe 42 • Echoes of LBI • SuperStorm Sandy

Promise Broken I am uneasy with you now.

The angry waves and screaming wind, an unexpected rage.

My trust is shattered, shaken.

Love was blind.

I did not see the wrath beneath your surface.

Yet, in the aftermath of your fury I am still by your side.

Now, we share a cautious love.

You whisper, “I am sorry.”

I answer, “I know.”

I can forgive but not forget, unable to hide the wariness in my eyes.

Like a promise broken, it will take time.

— Maggie O’Neill

Bright Outlook Amid the clean-up of debris in masks to protect from the aftermath, we mark twenty-seven and a half inches the Atlantic rose in Do Me a Flavor and House of the Rising Bun. Degreaser from storage comes in handy now.

Rip off the drywall.

Flood water fills a bin at Chicken or the Egg. Hot sauce that makes their wings famous lines the counter.

Throw out trays of bagels at the Bagel Shack.

The Show Place ice cream parlour demands heavy-handed attack, as does the costume storage area of Surflight Theatre.

No one adds salty tears to the remainder of Sandy’s wrath.

It’s dig in! Clear out! Shape up!

Another bright promise awaits next Spring!

We’ll be back!

— Norma Paul

Submissions with a nautical theme accepted.

Send to EchoesOfLBI@gmail.com

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Marjorie Amon Photo

O

True Landscape of LBI

n Black Friday, when a lot of people were shopping, I drove down to LBI to help a friend whose house suffered damage due to Superstorm Sandy. As I drove east on Route 72, I saw trash trucks going west with items that had been the contents of homes on LBI. Flatbeds hauled waterlogged vehicles to their final resting place.

As I drove closer to the Causeway Bridge, the euphoria I usually feel was replaced with uncertainty, sadness and loss. The Shack disappeared and the roadway leading me over the Causeway Bridge was littered with debris deposited by the extreme high tides, which flooded the roadways. I had watched news reports about the island broadcasted on 44 • Echoes of LBI • SuperStorm Sandy

TV and the Internet but, before I would help my friend, I needed to see first-hand what happened to our island.

After turning right on Barnegat Avenue, I headed south toward the homes of people I know, hoping Sandy’s wrath spared them of damage.

When I turned at the Ship Bottom School, I saw huge piles of debris on the curbs in front of houses damaged by Sandy. I stopped and had a brief conversation with a couple who were taking inventory of what used to be the contents of their home.

There was a sense of eeriness as I continued south on Central Avenue and eventually turned on Long Beach Boulevard where I saw more

items on curbs, once the contents of homes and businesses. My next stop was at the marina where we keep our boat. We fortunately had our boat towed inland days before Sandy arrived and were spared the damage that so many of the remaining boats on the island sustained.

Holgate was off limits to anyone except contractors and residents.

Part of me was relieved since I’m not sure I wanted to see the devastation Holgate was reported to have had. I’ve strolled many of the beaches, mostly on the south end of the island, and the week before Sandy I decided to walk out to the inlet. The walk was a much longer than I had anticipated. As long as that walk was, I am glad I did it since the southernmost part of island will never be the same.

Heading back north, I took the ocean road. Even though sand was

still piled up on porches and front yards, I felt something different away from the construction vehicles that had been the primary traffic on the boulevard. People were on bikes or walking. When I stopped to look at the beach and the erosion of the dunes, I witnessed other individuals surveying the island in quiet reflection of the wrath of Sandy to our barrier island.

LBI will feel the effects of Sandy for years. On the beach road, it was much easier to see the work completed by residents and contractors, eager to restore a sense of normalcy. As I neared my friends’ house, the feeling of uncertainty left me. In its place rose a sense of hope and community which makes up the true landscape of LBI. — Vickie VanDoren •

Lifestyle

Down The Shore I

f you’re from Jersey, it’s “down the shore.” We all know that.My visits to the shore started when I was very young and my parents took me to Seaside Park. We rented a bungalow a few blocks from the beach. I still remember how bright everything was — no lawns — just white stones in the front yard and no trees to block out the sun. That was when I first became a beachcomber. I loved finding shells and putting them on the windowsill in my room.

When I turned 18, my friends and I drove down to Seaside Heights. We usually took Route 9 to avoid paying tolls on the Parkway. We slept at the Trenton Motel. Well, it wasn’t actually a motel. There was a street called Trenton Street and at the end of the road was the boardwalk and we slept underneath it. Obviously, if we didn’t have money for tolls, we definitely didn’t have money to spend on a real motel.

At age 21, we started going to Belmar and hanging out at D’Jais, the Osprey and the Surf Bar. Making $1.50 an hour at a summer job enabled us to take the Parkway, stay in a real motel and still have enough money for a couple of beers. Body surfing, hanging out and drinking beer with friends and getting a killer tan was all that summer was about then.

Then I grew up and at age 25, married a Jersey girl and had kids. Money was tight again what with a family to raise, so the Jersey shore was our spot for vacations. Cheap bungalows in Ortley Beach or Lavalette, flying kites with the kids late afternoons, getting tans and playing in the sand with my two boys

46 • Echoes of LBI • SuperStorm Sandy

was how we passed our summer days.

Finally, when I reached my forties, life got easier. Work was good, I started making money, and the kids were older. Who needed the Jersey shore? Vacations meant Disney World, Key West, Belize and Bermuda.

Years later, after my Dad died, my Mom started renting a place on LBI. I remember thinking: Where the heck is that? I was re-introduced to the Jersey shore and started loving it again.

Did I really ever stop loving it?

So here I am all grown up, wiser and enjoying my life “cause down the shore everything’s all right.” I can afford the Parkway tolls, although I still take Route 9 occasionally for old time’s sake. I can afford to stay in the best of motels when we travel, and even afford imported beer. I still collect seashells and put them on my windowsills.

Since Hurricane Sandy hit Jersey, everything’s not all right … at least not yet. But I have faith that someday the Jersey Shore as we knew it will come back and life will go on. Things may not look quite the same. There’s a long road ahead for a lot of us, and our friends, relatives, and neighbors, but it’s already starting to get better. The New Jersey Shore was and will be great again because of our Jersey Guys and Jersey Girls working hard to make that happen. We couldn’t imagine summer any other way. And I know that next summer I’ll be hanging out on the beach and collecting seashells again.

— Frank Grasso •

Frank Grasso Photo

A Time to be Truly Thankful

T

he Southern Ocean County Chamber of Commerce would like to gratefully acknowledge our municipal leaders and first responders who bravely handled the effects of Hurricane Sandy.

Our sincere appreciation to Stafford Township for allowing Heritage Park to become our Regional Business Recovery Office where the Chamber provided businesses and residents a dedicated next step resource at a time when it was needed most.

We are proud and thankful to call this our home.

To live and do business in a place where neighbors rise to the challenge of helping neighbors and where our future looks brighter each day.

265 West Ninth Street, Ship Bottom 609-494-7211• visitLBIregion.com Follow us as LBI Region on Facebook For updates listen to LBI Regional Report, WBNJ 91.9FM, every Monday at 6pm or wbnj.org LBI Regional Report video series on LBITV.com

COUNTING DOWN TO A CENTURY OF SERVICE thank you ad_occc.indd 1

1/15/13 6:59 PM

48 • Echoes of LBI • SuperStorm Sandy

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Marjorie Amon Photo

Lifestyle

M

Sandy & My Dad

y 86-year-old father was sleeping around. He’d been in six different beds within four weeks. All because of Sandy. She showed her wrath unlike any other. She was unforgiving, violent, and obliterated everything in her path.

She forced my dad to pack up his bags and go to the Holiday Inn in Manahawkin. There he waited in darkness as Sandy ravaged the Atlantic coast and sucker-punched Long Beach Island.

My sister kept him company in the hotel room that once-ina-lifetime night of Frankenstorm. She broke his stressful mood when she shuffled her way in the darkness to the bathroom, went to sit down on the toilet and fell in. She cursed and laughed while trying to climb out and search for a towel. Our dear father awoke and rolled over in bed chuckling, realizing he’d left the seat up. After that scene, she anointed herself with the title of “Favorite Daughter.”

The next morning she and Dad made the two-hour drive west on Route 72 to her house in Pennsylvania. There Dad slept for a week before travelling north to my house in Massachusetts. He slept comfortably in the guest room appointed with all things LBI. Although I didn’t compete for the Favorite Daughter crown, I doted on Dad by serving him hot meals and ensuring he had a stash of chocolate. We brought the recliner up from the basement and positioned it directly in front of the TV in the family room so he could watch Fox News at high volume. He was surprised when we went to Wal-Mart for his prescription renewal and paid only four dollars compared to the fifteen dollar charge in New Jersey. I reminded him that we take good care of our senior citizens in the Bay State. He stayed with me a week before gas heat was restored to his house. Back we went to his little abode in Ship Bottom.

However, the pleasure and relief of returning to his home was short-lived. He slept in his own bed one night before we discovered the next morning that the house was not safe due to damaged ducts in the crawlspace underneath the house and wet carpet. Fearing mold, we packed up and moved to my cousin’s summer cottage a mile away in Surf City. There I stayed with Dad a few nights before leaving him alone in bed number five for yet another week.

The fourteen steps to the lovely raised ranch took a toll on Dad so he accepted the gracious offer from his next door neighbor to stay in her house, which has electric heat. We packed Dad up again and moved him to bed number six. “This is the most comfortable bed ever,” he said, sounding like Goldilocks. There he stayed until the contractors finished their work on Dad’s house, seven weeks after Sandy struck.

Witnessing the devastation on the island from the hurricane was heart-breaking. One of Dad’s favorite restaurants, Sco-Jo’s, flooded and wouldn’t re-open for weeks. His go-to store, Wawa, remained in darkness. Patient records were destroyed at his doctor’s office at Ocean Medical, so the staff set up temporary quarters next to Southern Ocean County Hospital, off-island. Areas

50 • Echoes of LBI • SuperStorm Sandy

in our old neighborhood of Holgate look like Lego toys piled randomly. We kept reminding Dad (and he himself would do the same) that his house damage and the inconvenience of relocating his living quarters multiple times was nothing compared to many other homeowners’ ordeals.

My husband, two sisters and brother completed a long day of cleaning and restoring Dad’s house on December 15 while he supervised from his favorite chair. “Where’s my lamp?”

“Where’s the clock?” So eager to get settled back into his home, we couldn’t answer his “where” questions fast enough. We moved furniture, which had been stored in the garage, back into the house. We unpacked boxes, unwrapped glassware, wiped down every surface, sorted, bagged, discarded, folded and returned items that seemed to multiply as we worked.

Then, still dressed in our grungy clothes, we ended the day with a Christmas dinner unlike any other we’d ever shared because all four siblings live hundreds of miles apart from each other. We feasted around the table and shared gifts while listening to an oldie but goodie: Peggy Lee’s Christmas Carousel. In the midst of this ordeal, we found comfort in being together and appreciated our blessings more than ever. — Joyce Hager •

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52 • Echoes of LBI • SuperStorm Sandy

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Sherry Johnson Photo

Lifestyle

Shore Connection The ocean, sand and sky all look different today.

No one can believe that Tom has passed away.

He was the anchor, the captain in many a storm, A true friend to all from the day he was born.

Gone is that green F10 pickup parked in the sand And those Irish eyes smiling with a rod in his hand.

He fished those tides faithfully for so very many years.

He left everyone with many laughs and so many tears.

He’d be on the boat with Rocky sailing around the bay, Or seen in his Falcon cruising to a car show along the way.

Watching the Phillies or Eagles is somewhere he’d be, Either at the Dutchmans, Gateway or on his own TV. The footprints Tom made throughout his life on LBI Are now imprinted forever in heaven up in the sky.

At night when we look up at the stars and make a wish, We know that the brightest star is our beacon named “Fish.”

The passion Tom had for LBI was undeniable, it’s true.

He lived his “bucket list” - no need to plan things to do.

His shore connection truly a blessing from above, And time spent with Rocky filled with unconditional love.

Laurene was the heart and soul of Tom’s purpose in life.

His focus everyday was caring for his wonderful wife.

To each and every person he was so very many things, To Laurene, he’s the wind beneath her wings.

(Dedicated to Laurene Lally in memory of Tom Lally.)

— Diane Stulga • Sadly, Tom Lally passed away suddenly on October 29, 2012. He had a special shore connection with LBI that grew stronger every day and is truly missed by all. A hurricane fund has been set up in Tom’s name by the family. All proceeds go to helping local victims of Hurricane Sandy.

Checks can be made payable to: TOM LALLY HURRICANE RELIEF FUND c/o Shore Connection 304 Forge Rd., Unit 10 West Creek, NJ 08092

54 • Echoes of LBI • SuperStorm Sandy

Post-Superstorm Sandy Cleanups

• Excavation begins after finding the perimeter of the pool beneath the sand.

• Post-Sandy version of three men in a tub.

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Marjorie Amon Photo

Storms rearrange our landscape, but not our spirit.

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