Long Beach Islanders Eager To Show Off Rebuilt Businesses

Map of New Jersey highlighting Ocean County (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

The members of the iconic Beach Haven Marlin & Tuna Club were determined to open their new building before the start of summer, the second since Hurricane Sandy washed out their former home.

They got their certificate of occupancy Friday afternoon, just in time for a planned grand opening the next day, coinciding with an annual striper fishing tournament known as the LBI Cup.

On Sunday morning, the day after 500 people flooded the club’s new three-story headquarters, Vice Commodore Tim Irons walked around the bare rooms, proudly showing off the bathroom tiling and the views from the top floor.

“It’s completely paid off,” he said. “We just don’t have any furniture yet.”

Read more at http://www.philly.com/philly/news/20140526_Long_Beach_Islanders_eager_to_show_off_rebuilt_businesses.html#gb5PvxZu02CUrVaA.99

Ocean City Tops New Jersey’s Best Beaches

Kites on the Ocean City, New Jersey beach at 12th Street (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Ocean City has reclaimed its status as New Jersey’s most popular beach in an annual online voting contest.

The Cape May County resort took top honors in the New Jersey Top Ten Beaches contest. Results were announced Thursday.

The contest is sponsored by the New Jersey Sea Grant Consortium and Stockton College as a way of making people feel more connected to and protective of the state’s 127-mile coastline.

Ocean City, which calls itself “America’s Greatest Family Resort,” won the contest in 2009 as well.

Read more at http://www.philly.com/philly/news/new_jersey/20140523_Ocean_City_tops_New_Jersey_s_best_beaches.html#vUkM9YDKhPyAljsU.99

C’mon Down, The Jersey Shore’s Just Fine

Atlantic Ocean shore at Atlantic City, New Jersey (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Before we do anything, let’s address the giant elephant in the room – and we’re not talking about Lucy of Margate.

Nearly seven months ago, Sandy wrought devastation on the Jersey Shore like never before:  The largest Atlantic storm on record created more than $30 billion in damage up and down the state’s 127-mile coastline. More than 346,000 structures were damaged or destroyed when Sandy whipped across the state on Oct. 29.

Some of the places that held memories so dear for many of us – beaches, homes, boardwalks, piers, shops, amusements, and restaurants – got washed away.  We wondered whether we’d have the chance to enjoy our beloved Shore again.

Well, just as surely as the air and sand and sea will be delightfully warm again, there will be plenty to celebrate this summer.  There are still dozens of great destinations and plenty of fun at the Shore this year.

Read more at http://www.philly.com/philly/travel/shoreguide/20130517_C_mon_down__the_Shore_s_just_fine.html#DPMkWhhvuP2Zxs3V.99

Jersey Shore Rentals Up, Down Due To Sandy

NEW YORK — Superstorm Sandy shifted the sands of the New Jersey shore‘s summer rental landscape, where some resort towns are suffering lasting effects of the barrage and others are, as they say, cleaning up.

Summer rentals are a backbone of the tourist season along the 127-mile stretch of coastline and barrier islands, where vacationers flock to the beaches and boardwalks that are convenient to New York and Philadelphia and more affordable than the celebrity-studded Hamptons on New York’s Long Island.

Some 59 million people visited the Jersey Shore last year, according to state figures.

In Ocean County alone, which is one of the four shore counties and boasts of 44 miles of coastline, the population typically doubles in the summer months to 1.2 million.  In some of its small towns, the population grows ten-fold in the summer, according to county statistics.

Read more:  http://www.mcall.com/news/mc-jersey-shore-sandy-summer-rentals-20130419,0,2941227.story

More New Jersey Shore Residents, Students Return

Map of New Jersey highlighting Ocean County (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

The slow process of recovery from Hurricane Sandy continues in New Jersey.

Students were reportedly back at school this morning on Long Beach Island, where residents were allowed to return Saturday and stay, if conditions permitted.

Power is back on for 99.8 percent of the 2.7 million who lost power after the Oct. 29 superstorm.  Still in the dark this morning were about 4,400 Jersey Central Power & Light customers, and only about 80 between PSE&G and Atlantic City Electric.

Traffic backed up this morning heading into Seaside Heights, in northern Ocean County, as residents were allowed to return to assess damage from Hurricane Sandy.

Read more:

http://www.philly.com/philly/news/breaking/20121112_More_Shore_residents__students_return.html

The Jersey Shore Under Mandatory Evacuation

Image via Wikipedia

New Jersey’s popular seaside destinations are normally full of tourists this time of year.  Hundreds of thousands of people swell the population along the New Jersey coastline in the summer.  Right now residents and tourists are being told they must leave because Hurricane Irene is expected to cause major damage and flooding along the coast.

Tolls were suspended on the Atlantic City Expressway to move people away from the shore points as quickly as possible.  The Atlantic City Expressway is the fastest way north and west toward Philadelphia from many beach resorts.  Some state roads are closed to southbound traffic so all lanes can be used by northbound traffic.  Eastbound Route 72 will be shut down tonight so that all lanes can be used to move people off Long Beach Island.

Cape May, the Wildwoods, Ocean City, Atlantic City hotels and casinos, Long Beach Island and everything in between is emptying out.  Governor Christie declared a state of emergency yesterday.