Spring Lake September 2024

Spring Lake September 2024

Also Serving Sea Girt

A NATURAL TREASURE WRECK POND

GROWING WITH THE FLOW HELPING KIDS BUILD RESILIENCE

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Welcome Welcome to to our our Town!

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MRH

MARIE REED HOMES

From my Family to Yours,

Dreaming of a Beachside Home?

Let me help you find the perfect house for your family in time for summer!

As a realtor and local resident I offer all my clients a high level of expertise, knowledge and confidentiality for both buyers and sellers. My years on Wall Street allow me to negotiate confidently on your behalf and my expertise in design, renovation and custom home building will assist in your acquisition of the perfect seaside home for your family.

Marie

FEATURED IN

INDUSTRY MAGAZINE

Memories are made in Spring Lake, NJ 309 Morris Avenue Spring Lake, NJ 07762 (o) 732.449.4646 Untitled-2 1

Marie Reed

REALTOR ASSOCIATE

(c) 415.310.2330 mariereedhomes@gmail.com mariereedhomes.com 5/8/24 9:54 AM

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SEPTEMBER 2024

Contents

16

20 14 IN EVE RY ISSU E

6

Publisher’s Note

8

Book Nook SEPTEMBER READ-ALOUDS

10 Dining Guide GRAB A BITE CLOSE TO HOME 14

Wellness Watch GROWING WITH THE FLOW

28 Better Living AUTUMN’S FRESH START 32 Photo Op SUNRISE SURF

10 F E AT U R ES

O N T HE COVER

16

Together, Spring Lake residents John Fudge (seated) and Nick Sapnar form the Spring Lake Racing Team.

The Race of Gentlemen

This fall will see the revival of a classic car race that’s held on an area beach. The Spring Lake Racing Team will be there to compete.

20 A Natural Treasure

The restoration of Wreck Pond has come a long way, but advocates are working for more improvement.

PHOTOGRAPH BY MICHELLE WOLFE

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"Your Realtor at the Shore" Donna Fahy-Waters, a top Producing broker/sales associate for more than 20 years provides experience and excellence with energy and enthusiasm while embracing the new venues of technology. She brings her Wall St. background of finance and marketing to all of her clients. She has sold waterfront properties in every town from Monmouth Beach to Seaside Heights while understanding the nuances of every glorious location.

Her business acumen, commitment to clients and intuitive sense of every market are instrumental in her success. Donna welcomes the opportunity to share her knowledge and possibilities with buyers and sellers.

Call Donna, Your Shore Realtor today and Expect the Best.

Donna Fahy-Waters, Broker Sales Associate, Luxury Property Specialist Coldwell Banker Realty 1122 3rd Ave, Spring Lake, NJ 07762 Mobile (908) 601-0645 | Office (732) 449-2777 donnafw@cbmoves.com

SPRING LAKE

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Publisher’s Note

Spring Lake MAGAZINE

Dear Readers,

PHOTOGRAPH BY MICHELLE WOLFE

As much as I love summer, getting back into a routine is always a welcome change.

We are lucky we can sneak in an extra beach day here and there throughout the month as summer winds into fall—and I plan to do just that!

On this month’s cover, we showcase the resurrection of the Spring Lake Automobile Racing Club as they prepare to compete in the upcoming Race of Gentleman in Wildwood, New Jersey in early October. As a casual fan of this race for years, I always enjoy checking out the photos afterward. It seems almost unbelievable that an event like this takes place at all, let alone in New Jersey. It was exciting to learn about the Spring Lake team and I am thrilled to share this story with you all.

Special thanks to John Fudge and Maria O’Donnell for making it happen. We also share a story by Vinnie Dicks about Wreck Pond. I always learn so much from Vinnie’s stories and hope you enjoy this one.

Best wishes to all the students and teachers throughout the area as we head back to school. We hope everyone gets to eke out every last drop of Local Summer this month!

Brynn Coleman Publisher

Editor & Publisher Brynn Coleman Group Publisher Jodi Bruker Art Director Sue Park Writers Kate Czyzewski Vincent Dicks Michelle Garay Danielle Kutcher Maria O’Donnell Lead Photographer and Editorial Coordinator Michelle Wolfe Photographer Vincent Dicks WAINSCOT MEDIA Chairman Carroll V. Dowden President and CEO Mark Dowden VP, Group Publisher, Regional Thomas Flannery VP, Content Strategy Maria Regan Creative Director Kijoo Kim Associate Editor Sophia Carlisle Advertising Services Director Jacquelynn Fischer Operations Director Catherine Rosario Production Designer Chris Ferrante Print Production Manager Fern Meshulam Advertising Production Associate Griff Dowden

Spring Lake magazine is published by Wainscot Media. Serving residents of Spring Lake and Sea Girt, the magazine is distributed monthly via U.S. mail. Articles and advertisements contained herein do not necessarily reflect the opinions of the publishers. Copyright 2024 by Wainscot Media LLC. No portion of this magazine may be reproduced in any form without written consent.

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How to Transform Your Home with Windows and Doors It’s a given that windows and doors serve an essential function in your home—they keep you safe and can also be energy efficient. When you focus on design, your front door and exterior windows can dramatically improve the aesthetics of your home for years to come. We spoke to Antonio Aiello, Principal at New Jersey-based Devin Aiello Architects, to understand how windows and doors can transform your home.

Brighten Your Mood with Larger Windows One of the biggest trends Aiello sees in windows is creating larger openings.

“Larger windows are having a moment right now,” he shares. “Creating larger window openings is always a huge improvement for homes. We’re seeing a lot of floor-to-ceiling windows being used right now, as well as homeowners choosing to make their existing window openings bigger.”

Make a Powerful First Impression with Opaque Glass When it comes to doors, Aiello recommends a door with opaque glass.

“Opaque glass adds an element of style making your entrance unique,” explains Aiello. Opaque glazing on a front door has three benefits, Aiello goes on to explain.

“It still allows light in but provides security and privacy and it’s a stunning look overall.”

Incorporate Color into Your Windows Color plays an important role in the visual appeal of a home’s exterior. And the same holds true for your windows and doors.

“The color and style of your windows and doors makes a huge difference. It can change the entire look of the whole home,” explains Aiello.

Whether you stick to a neutral palette or choose a bold shade, don’t shy away from adding some excitement to your home with colored windows. Ultimately,

windows can contribute to a cohesive, well-designed exterior and enhance curbappeal.

Consider the Window System “Depending on the look you’re going for, windows are an accent that can have a dramatic impact on your home. Whether you want a more traditional or more modern look, windows can make that happen very easily,” says Aiello.

Aiello notes a shift over the past few years regarding which window system is most popular. “It used to be more casement windows, but I’m seeing double- and single-hung window systems more and more at the moment.”

Go Modern When asked which front door style is making its way into more homes, Aiello says homeowners choose to go modern.

“One of the most popular doors is a modern door with opaque glass and thin horizontal lines that repeat going up and down the door. This is the most trending look right now.” Natural materials like wood, as well as doors with glass elements are both great ways to bring a modern touch to your front door.

Whether installing floor-to-ceiling windows or adding a front door with opaque glass, updating and upgrading your windows and doors can transform your home.

Patrycja Maras Owner B&B Siding and Roofing Patrycja’s core focus is to elevate the home exterior industry to a style-guided experience where our advisors work with you to co-imagine your dream exterior.

She inspires our design team to discover and incorporate the latest style trends while honoring timeless remodeling approaches.

She is the voice of the customer, drawing on our core values of transparency, integrity, and lasting quality.

Over the last 30 years, we have transformed over 6,000 homes with siding, roofing, windows, and doors and have earned hundreds of 5-star reviews. We offer $0 down financing and industry-leading lifetime material and labor warranties.

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BOOK NOOK

September Read-Alouds To support children as they begin a new school year, we’ve selected enjoyable books that cover topics like anxiety and self-confidence.

BY KATE CZYZEWSKI

“No matter what people tell you, words and ideas can change the world.” - Robin Williams in “Dead Poets Society” It’s hard to believe that we’re at the start of another school year! Here are a few family read-alouds to help get your children ready to take on a new school year.

MILLIE FLEUR’S POISON GARDEN

By Christy Mandin For fans of Lemony Snicket and Wednesday Adams, you’re going to fall for Millie Fleur! Up on a scruffy hill, beside a ramshackle house, Millie Fleur plants her marvelously strange garden, filled with Sneezing Stickyweed, Fanged Fairymoss and Grumpy Gilliflower. Millie encourages us to embrace the “weird” as that is what makes us unique!

THE REFLECTION IN ME

By Marc Colagiovanni and Peter Reynolds Both authors continue to release books that give students the boost of happiness and confidence they need. This book encourages readers to remember how special they are. Positive affirmations, starting each day with a smile, and trying your best are all you can ask of yourself !

GOODNIGHT, THOUGHTS

By Max Greenfield and James Serafino What do we do when we can’t fall asleep? The child in this story has racing thoughts—funny, silly and scary—that are running on a cycle they can’t stop.

Sleep only comes when they begin to think to themselves: “Do any of these thoughts have merit?” This book helps readers acknowledge anxiety in a way that is accessible to them.

I’M SORRY YOU GOT MAD

By Kyle Lukoff and Julie Kwon Jack wants to apologize for hurting Zoe’s feelings. He just can’t seem to find the right words. Turns out there’s more to an apology than just saying “I’m sorry.” Teaches readers about the importance of an apology that goes deeper than just words.

THE YELLOW BUS

By Lorn Long Probably my favorite children’s book released this past season, this beautifully written and illustrated book will tug on your heartstrings. At the start of the story, the bus is brand new and ready to take on a new school year with its student passengers. As the years go by, drivers change and the bus ages. No matter where the bus ends up, she finds new people who love and care for her.

Kate Czyzewski is the event and store manager of Thunder Road Books.

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DINING GUIDE

Grab a Bite Close to Home Rod’s Tavern 507 Washington Boulevard (732) 449-2020 Channeling a refined seaside energy throughout, Rod’s is a friendly, indoor-outdoor place for all. Find an escape on the expansive deck or within one of its two bar areas. www.rodstavernnj.com @rodstavern Parker House 290 First Ave., Sea Girt (732) 449-0442 Local fresh seafood and tavern favorites. The raw bar is perfect for a post beach snack. Head downstairs for some live music and merriment as the day rolls into night. www.parkerhousenj.com

Spring Lake Seafood

SEA GIRT: Fratello’s Italian Restaurant & Lounge 810 The Plaza, Sea Girt (732) 974-8833 Italian fixture in Sea Girt with a wide-ranging menu of steaks, seafood, and wines.

Early bird dining is available every day. www.fratellosnj.com @fratellosrestaurant Harrigan’s Pub 703 Baltimore Boulevard (732) 449-8228 Neighborhood Irish pub offering over 25 craft beers and happy hour specials. Give the house-specialty Sizzling Sliced Steak Sandwich a try the next time you pop in. www.harriganspub.com @harrigans.pub

SPRING LAKE:

Little Dom’s 529 Washington Boulevard, Sea Girt (732) 449-2917 A new bring-your-own spot, where traditional family recipes take form through pizza, pasta, and more.

Perfect for informal dining or takeout! @little_doms_seagirt Ray’s Cafe 523 Washington Boulevard, Sea Girt 732-449-1717 Cozy atmosphere serving classic breakfast and lunch favorites. Blueberry pancakes are a can’t-miss! www.rayscafenj.com @rayscafe

Amelia’s By The Sea 1505 Ocean Avenue, Spring Lake (732) 769-5700 Situated inside the Grand Victorian Hotel, Amelia’s By The Sea pairs fine dining with Atlantic Ocean views.

The intimate space is a great venue for a variety of celebrations, too. www.ameliasbythesea.com @ameliasbythesea Dune Donuts and Bagels 1408 3rd Avenue, Spring Lake (732) 359-8000 Freshly made every morning, Dune’s mini donuts are a sweet treat to always be welcomed. Don’t overlook the breakfast sandwiches, or the opportunity to have one delivered to the beach by Dune’s branded buggy! www.dunedonuts.com @dunedonuts

Honey Berry Cafe 1321 3rd Avenue, Spring Lake (732) 359-7700 Lively downtown cafe for breakfast and lunch. From Morning Classics to The Benedicts, there’s something for everyone at Honey Berry. www.honeyberrynj.com @honeyberrynj The Sea Crest Grille 700 NJ-71, Spring Lake (732) 449-3666 The comfortably modern dining room is only the starting place for an excellent evening at The Sea Crest Grill. Pro tip: start your meal off with the Calamares Fritos. www.seacrestgrille.com @theseacrestgrillenj Spring Lake Seafood 1300 3rd Avenue, Spring Lake (732) 449-4233 A vibrant, seaside-inspired destination that provides guests with fresh, sustainably sourced fish. The sushi menu is worth the exploration! www.slsnj.com @springlakeseafood Spring Lake Tap House 810 NJ-71, Spring Lake (732) 282-1530 Spring Lake Tap House adds a dose of modernity to the typical sports bar. You’ll want to pencil in weekend brunch plans here! www.springlaketaphouse.com @sltaphouse Tom Bailey’s Market 1323 3rd Ave, Spring Lake (732) 282-0920 A New York-style deli in the heart of Spring Lake.

Whether it’s a sandwich or full-service catering you’re after, Tom Bailey’s is the onestop shop for it all. www.tombaileysmarket.com @tombaileysmarket

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WELLNESS WATCH

Growing With the Flow To help students improve resilience and confidence, Brighde Dougherty teaches them yoga, reiki, meditation and Quigong.

BY DANIELLE KUTCHER

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PHOTOGRAPH COURTESY OF BRIGHDE DOUGHERTY

Lifelong Sea Girt resident Brighde Dougherty, founder of Flow Leadership Academy.

Stress and anxiety have been rampant among kids and teens now more than ever. Our postCOVID-19 world has presented new challenges in emotional dysregulation and resilience in sports arenas, classrooms and the world in general.

Fortunately, these challenges have brought about programs that offer tools and strategies for individuals to intentionally connect with their nervous system to de-stress and mentally reset.

Brighde Dougherty, lifelong Sea Girt resident and founder of Flow Leadership Academy, knows firsthand how pressures on student-athletes can impact their performance on the field. As a former lacrosse coach at William Smith College, Dougherty observed that many athletes came in with strong athletic skills but poor emotional resilience and challenges dealing with failure.

Through her philosophy of person first, player second, she focused on self-empowerment, a skill critically important for performance, and asked her players, “Who are you at your best from the inside out, and how do you bring that back to your team?” She believes that sports are a playground for life, teaching life lessons.

Fostering Empowerment After completing her master’s in leadership, Dougherty went on to create a curriculum for classrooms based on wellness, outdoor education and movement. It includes yoga, reiki, meditation and Quigong. From there, she created Flow Leadership Academy, which fosters empowerment in individuals through play for enhanced team performance. Dougherty defines team as “two or more people working together for a common goal.” This can be on a sports team or in a relationship, family, workplace or classroom situation.

Dougherty’s programs focus on providing tools to improve confidence, self-image, stress reduction, energy and more. She provides strategies to foster emotional regulation and empowerment through awareness of the nervous system, which she calls “bodyfulness.” According to Dougherty, “The more you get to know your nervous system, the sooner you can catch the shift from excited to scared to anxious to panic.” She adds, “Learning to listen to your body—to come back to resilience, communication and trust—is actually learning to listen to yourself.” When a person tunes into their nervous system, that person’s self-confidence, how they show up and their emotional state improve.

In addition to her private practice, Dougherty has brought her talents to the students in the Spring Lake and Sea Girt elementary schools, with assemblies and mindfulness programs. She emphasizes that tuning into the nervous system is impactful and does not need to take time out of the classroom. These tools can be utilized in the moment and it may take only 30 seconds to 2 minutes for a child to feel self-regulated and empowered. Awareness, intention and finding the pause are key, as is identifying what the nervous system needs. Dougherty suggests utilizing breathwork, tapping and intentionally connecting with the senses as some potential strategies.

To find out more about one-on-one personal development, team sessions, school assemblies and additional programs, visit www. flowleadershipacademy.com or email Dougherty at Brighde@flowleadership.com.

Danielle Kutcher is a local mom of three and a retired elementary school teacher. She enjoys theater, reading and going on adventures with her family.

SEPTEMBER 2024

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The Race of Gentlemen This fall will see the revival of a classic car race held on Wildwood Beach. The Spring Lake Racing Team will be there to compete.

BY MARIA O’DONNELL

The Race of Gentlemen is a

worldwide event started by Mel Stultz, who is from Keyport, New Jersey. About 20 years ago, Stultz was gifted a wellknown car club called the “Oilers” from California. The Oilers were a famous group of elderly men knowledgeable about antique cars. Stultz researched them, flew out to California to meet them, and was entrusted with the car club’s incorporation to keep its legacy alive.

I sat down with Stultz and Spring Laker John Fudge to talk about how the Race of Gentlemen started and where it is headed.

Fudge is part of the five-man Spring Lake Automobile Racing Association, which participates in the Race of Gentleman as the Spring Lake Racing Team. In addition to its two drivers, Fudge and Nick Sapnar, the club includes a three-man pit crew comprised of three of Fudge’s high school friends: Bob Adams, Carl Bodine and Gavino Siciliano.

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PHOTOGRAPHS BY MICHELLE WOLFE

John Fudge and Nick Sapnar revived the Spring Lake Automobile Racing Association; their cars proudly display their racing team pride.

SEPTEMBER 2024

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In the Beginning Stultz and Fudge reminisced about Stultz’s journey from being an Asbury Park rock-and-roll club owner to promoting car races at Raceway Park in Englishtown, New Jersey. The Oilers first began racing on that eight-mile track. The races are coupled with Stultz’s artwork, which includes vintage-inspired signage and large props celebrating racing and the Oilers. Stultz’s sign work can also be seen locally on the side of the Spring Lake Tap House.

Fudge explained the history of New Jersey beach racing. The beaches in New Jersey were a huge testing ground for vintage cars. Henry Ford used to race cars in Wildwood, New Jersey,

where the beach provided a safer testing ground than hard roads. The first Race of Gentlemen, created by Stultz with his Oilers club, was held in Allenhurst, New Jersey, about eleven years ago.

Unfortunately, Hurricane Sandy destroyed Allenhurst beach, and the race moved to Wildwood, where it has remained, drawing over ten thousand people annually.

To participate in the Race of Gentlemen, one must have a car with pre-1954 parts or a motorcycle with pre-1945 parts. Tech inspections ensure authenticity. Fudge entered the race in 2021 with his second-owner 1931 Ford Model A from California, rebuilt for optimal performance. His love of cars

began in 1986 with an old VW bug, and his passion was further sparked by his friendship with Merrill Yeager, owner of Yeager Automotive in Belmar.

Fudge’s classic racer, capable of reaching speeds up to 90 mph, honors his Uncle Ted, a D-Day war veteran. Friend and pit crew member Siciliano inspired the car’s dedication, painting a copy of Ted’s WWII Third Armored Division patch on the car. Fudge also wears his uncle’s dog tags while racing. In 2021, Fudge won 11 out of 14 races on day one, although he was eliminated in round three of the bracket racing on the second day. Fudge drives his classic racer around town yearround, proud of its original Ford flathead with supercharger for 300 horsepower.

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TROG PHOTOGRAPHS BY DAVID CARLO/COURTESY OF JOHN FUDGE

Racing Roadsters Sapnar joined Fudge in the race, with both men driving the same car—a 1931 Ford Model A roadster—but with different motors. Sapnar’s car features a hopped-up Model A motor while Fudge’s is powered by a rare 1945 supercharged flathead motor. Together, they form the Spring Lake racing team for the eighth-of-a-mile drag race.

Fudge and Sapnar are also resurrecting the Spring Lake Automobile Racing Association, displaying its initials on their racers along with “Spring Lake” on the car hoods.

The Spring Lake Racing Team is eager to compete in the Race of Gentlemen this year and beyond.

Fudge describes racing as a “snow day” filled with freedom, fun and excitement. He loves the beginning of the race, where racers drive through a tunnel onto the beach, inviting spectators to touch and feel the cars.

The Race of Gentlemen is hands-on, celebrating the use and enjoyment of the vehicles.

The race attracts participants and spectators worldwide, with about 50 cars and 75 bikes entering annually.

Held in early October, the beach is prepared with bulldozers to level the sand and create pits for the cars.

The race was canceled in 2022 due to Hurricane Ian and wasn’t held in 2023 because essential beach structures were damaged by the hurricane and had to be rebuilt. The 2024 Race of Gentlemen is scheduled for October 4–6 in Wildwood, New Jersey.

The event is about more than racing; it’s a celebration of mechanical history, passion and community. It’s a time machine for car lovers, transporting them back to an era of classic cars and unbridled freedom. The spirit of these classic car enthusiasts ensures the race will never truly end.

John Fudge in The Race of Gentleman in Wildwood in 2021.

Photography by David Carlo.

Maria O’Donnell is a local gardener and food-writer. She lives in Spring Lake with her husband and 2 children. Find her on Instagram @foodwritergirl.

SEPTEMBER 2024

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A Natural Treasure

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The restoration of Wreck Pond has come a long way, but advocates are working for more improvement.

PHOTOGRAPHS BY VINCENT DICKS. HISTORICAL PHOTOGRAPHS: MARRIOTT MORRIS COLLECTION, LIBRARY COMPANY OF PHILADELPHIA

BY VINCENT DICKS

Bald Eagles have returned to nest in the Wreck Pond Nature area. Alewife herring are spawning up a new fish ladder near the Old Mill. Swans, loons, egrets and bufflehead ducks are the visible signs that the Wreck Pond watershed is slowly coming back.

“We have made great strides with flood control and improving migrating fish into the pond, but there is so much more work to be done to preserve this beautiful part of our area,” says Diane Anthony, president of Sea Council.

Sea Girt, Spring Lake, Spring Lake Heights and Wall Township share the pond and its picturesque watershed. Rack Pond Inlet was first mapped in 1717. In Old English, the word “rack” means flat or shelf. This is a good description of the shallow pond and a source of many of its problems over the years. Spilling streams carry water down to the 70-acre pond by the sea, which was open at its eastern mouth to the ocean. Winter storms opened

and closed the mouth of the unstable Sea Girt Inlet which was too shallow for large boats.

The name was still Rack Pond when James Tilton married Lydia Allen and purchased most of the adjoining 150 acres in 1832 to farm. In the late 1840s, the cargo ship Manassa ran aground 50 yards off the beach. Its wreck and cargo were visible for thirty years until Henry Yard salvaged the cargo—sunken Italian marble.

From that time forward, the name Wreck Pond was used.

As homes were built in the area starting in the 1870s, the pond had its first problems. The shifting sand would close the Sea Girt inlet in the fall and winter storms would overflow its banks flooding the southern end of Spring Lake, where the marshy part of the pond had been filled in with beach sand from Spring Lake’s northern dunes.

A dam at the Old Mill prevented the spawning of the alewife, a salt-water herring that returns to freshwater to breed.

SEPTEMBER 2024

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Growing Challenges From the 1890s to the 1920s, men with shovels would reopen the inlet to prevent flooding. Beach erosion and storms were slowly moving the mouth south and the Sea Girt Lighthouse was threatened. Silt from erosion further lowered the depth of the pond. Exposed clam flats gave the pond a distinctive odor in the summers of the 1920s In 1931, Sea Girt and Spring Lake passed ordinances to permanently close the Sea Girt Inlet and place a culvert and pipe under the dunes. They planned berms and waterworks to control flooding. Due to the Depression, the project was delayed until 1939.

As more homes were built upstream after the 1960s, runoff became a more serious problem. Lawn fertilizer contributes to algae blooms. Bacterial

growth from birds polluted beaches after rains and reduced fish stocks.

Clam and oyster beds were closed to harvesting.

Roofs, paved roads, driveways and other non-permeable spaces accelerated the erosion of banks. The migrating fish could not get through the dark pipe.

By 2002, 0.1 inches of rain would cause beaches to close. Recreational activity was limited to crabbing.

A larger and longer pipe was installed in 2006. This helped to dilute the pond water at the shoreline but did not help fish or address water quality in the pond. In 2012, Hurricane Sandy brought massive flooding and damage to the waterworks, even opening up the inlet for a short time.

The American Littoral Society and the Department of Environmental

Protection (DEP) embarked on a multi-faceted plan to restore the pond. A lighted box culvert and fish gate were built in 2016 to allow the alewife back into the pond. Bulkheads were reinforced to reduce erosion and pollution sources were identified. The fish ladder was added in 2021. Flooding has been greatly reduced and beach closures have been virtually eliminated.

Leaders want more. They know that runoff from the dense population surrounding the watershed still seriously affects silt deposits and degrades water quality in the pond. After discussions with Sea Girt Borough Council members, Diane Anthony coordinated a recent meeting in her home with officials from the surrounding towns to reinvigorate the efforts for further improvements.

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The Fight Continues “It’s a multifaced problem,” says Councilwoman Anthony. “We need to consider water quality, potential dredging, runoff and active management of the ecology of this special body of water.”

The Sea Girt Conservancy, a private charity dedicated to Sea Girt’s parks and open space has hired a landscape expert to evaluate plans for a “living shoreline” on the Sea Girt side of the pond along the Terrace.

Invasive escapees, some from our gardens, have outcompeted the natural plants that support migrating species, including certain birds and butterflies. The Conservancy hopes to replace the invaders with natural shoreline plants. Spring Lake also has plans to improve its public shoreline.

The Conservancy has begun testing the pond’s water quality weekly via Coastal Lakes Observing Network, through Monmouth

University Urban Coast Institute, to establish baselines and comparisons to other Monmouth County oceanside ponds, most of which have similar challenges.

Anthony is a realist, “We are still in the infancy of this phase of the restoration.

Public awareness of the challenges to the watershed is important. As stewards of this purposeful body of water, we have an obligation to review the data collected in the NJ DEP Wreck Pond Restoration Action Plan, with partnerships with USFW and the New Jersey-based American Littoral Society, to continue to improve the watershed.

Wreck Pond can be an even greater source of passive recreation for kayaking, fishing, paddleboarding and bird watching. It’s a natural treasure.”

Vincent Dicks is a local author and historian, visit vincentdicks.com to learn more.

SEPTEMBER 2024

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