Echoes of LBI 2009 Premier Issue

Echoes of LB I TM

Premier Issue

Long Beach Island Ar ts and Lifestyle Magazine

Summer 2009

Inside: Guide to The Lighthouse Inter national Film Festival

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Blv h c Bea , N.J. g n Lo Beach 20 5 0 42 rant 94.21 B 09.4 6

First in Fashion for 64 Years Presenting sportswear, swimwear, social occasion attire & accessories

publisher's note

to the sea we go ...

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elcome to the premier issue of Echoes of LBI! My family came to Long Beach Island in 1906 and I am a third generation native islander. Part of my heritage is Lenape Indian, so perhaps some of my ancestors had spent time on Long Beach Island many years before my grandparents made Harvey Cedars their home. I have a passion and dedication to serve LBI due to my history, however, you don’t need to be a native to love Long Beach Island. Many fall in love with LBI on their first visit. What more could you ask for? For starters, we have beautiful beaches, great shopping, excellent restaurants and fun entertainment. Long Beach Island is also a wonderful place for families. I eagerly anticipate each summer when my customers, who have become friends over the years, return every season with their families. It is great to see the once young children that used to shop in my store, come in with their own children.

Whether you already know and love Long Beach Island or are visiting for the first time, articles in this issue will help you get to know LBI a little bit better. Ever been curious as to what the winters here are like? Read the article by Christine Rooney that details her first winter on Long Beach Island.

I would like to thank the many people that supported and encouraged me to publish this magazine.

Many thanks to my family for their help and support and a special thanks to Rena, Maggie and Pete for their many contributions.

Hope you enjoy the premier issue of Echoes of LBI. Have a nice sunset!

warm regards,

Echoes of LBI • 3

Pete Milnes photo

inside

art, by art, 6

garden state, 8

while you were gone, 18 green lbi, 28 marine science, 40

living well, 30

50 & counting, 14

history, 16

books, 20

lighthouse film festival, 23

poetry, 32

at home, 36

legends & lore, 44

sailing, 48

photography, 38

things a drift, 50

culture, 51

609-361-1668 • 406 long beach blvd • ship bottom echoesoflbi.com for online magazine and media kit Cheryl Kirby - owner & publisher contributing editors: Rena DiNeno, Maggie O'Neill, Ryan Marchese All content of magazine & website remains copyright of Cheryl. No part of publication may be reproduced.

Email articles on history, nostalgia, poetry or art to echoesoflbi@gmail.com

Ingela Nordlund cover photo

The sea does not reward those who are too anxious, too greedy, or too impatient. One should lie empty, open, choiceless as a beach - waiting for a gift from the sea. — Anne Morrow Lindbergh Richard Cardona art — ShoreisFineArt.com

Art, by Art

"Make a mess" said the art instructor ...

“M

ake a mess”, he said with assertion. I sat there puzzled. What I had in front of me were six bottles of poster paints, two brushes, and a pad of newsprint. I sat on an orange crate in a brightly lighted basement room in Greenwich Village in 1964. To me, a young doctor, organized, efficient, goal oriented, this was foreign language speak. But yet, I, with eight other puzzled thirty somethings, were equally impressed by this 74 year old Russian American artist. Well, we dove in, splattering and pushing the paint. So began my career as a painter. And a love was born. It took me to summers at Skowhegan, Maine, and San Miguel de Allende in Mexico; to workshops in Amagansett, Taos, Truro, and to teachers like Jules Olitski, Bryce Marden, and Jacob Lawrence. At first I used acrylics and oils; then discovered and settled on watercolor. I had no formal training, but what I lacked, I made up for by looking and doing art in Manhattan, while being a psychiatrist and psychoanalyst. I am truly blessed by having three loves; therapy, painting and playwriting. I’ve had a full production of a one act play at HB studios directed by Herbert Berghoff and a reading of a full length play at the Arc Light Theatre in Manhattan. Now, at LBI, where I come on weekends and summers, I have been sketching and painting houses, boats, docks, shells and non-objective abstractions of whatever occurs to me. I love the light, the ocean and the people who live here and I am fortunate to still sit down with my paints, watercolor paper, and brushes and start to “make a mess.” — Art & text by Art Liebeskind 6 • Echoes of LBI

Reflect Your Own Personal Style

Southampton by Wood-Mode.

1418 Central Avenue, Ship Bottom, NJ 08008 Consultations by Appointment 609-494-0011

For your home. For your life.

For our environment.

Š2009 Wood-Mode, Inc.

Garden State

State of mind, bird, shell, & fruit New Jersey State State Shell: Knobbed Whelk (Busycon carica gmelin) Adopted on April 13, 1995.

State Bird: Eastern Goldfinch (Carduelis tristis) Adopted June 27, 1935.

State Flower: Common Meadow Violet (Viola sororia) Adopted on February 15, 1972.

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he first attempt to designate the Common Meadow Violet as New Jersey’s state flower was in 1913. Originally a resolution by the New Jersey Legislature, a decision about the flower’s status was left unresolved in 1914. A second attempt in 1963 also failed to officially accept the violet, thus leaving New Jersey without a state flower for almost another decade. It was not until 1971 that the New Jersey Legislature declared the violet as its state flower. New Jersey’s garden clubs were influential in the 1971 decision declaring the Common Meadow Violet (Viola sororia) as the state flower that we all know today. — Art by Jacqueline McDonough

8 • Echoes of LBI

O

Seasons at the shore

ne of the best gifts living year round on the Island has given me is a renewed appreciation for the change of seasons. From equinox to solstice and solstice to equinox once again, living at the beach seems to magnify the contrasts Mother Nature paints as the earth spins into each new quarter.

Spring awakens slowly, stretching and yawning as the Island ends its winter slumber. Suddenly, there are places to go for coffee and treats, but only on the weekends. Neighbors emerge from their houses, smiling and nodding at the cool temperatures, declaring, “What a beautiful day”, though the temperature is barely out of the 50’s. Doesn’t matter - the sun is shining and we are happy. Happy to be walking outside, beating the rugs, raking the stones (where else can you say that happens?) and checking to see if the grill made it through the winter. I love to watch as the Island wakes up. It holds the promise of the sun and walks on the beach. We rise out of hibernation and join the outside world, bursting out of our homes like the daffodils on the lawn. It’s spring!

Our calendar does not entirely agree with Mother Nature as to when the summer season starts. We say it starts on Memorial Day weekend. She does not agree, but holds no grudge (other than some rainy, cool days that defy beach bathing). LBI races out of the gate on that very weekend, like a filly on a fast track. Grills are fired up, decks are filled with family and friends, bands are playing in the bars, drinks are frothy and topped with umbrellas. Summer dances in the light; giddy with attention, sure of herself, flirtatious, audacious, and wicked.

These days and nights are the stuff we dream of; the time we work for all year, the connection once again with the sea and the sand. We sit around with friends and family, raise a glass of wine, and talk about how much we love LBI, remembering when so and so did this, or the time we all did that. We are in full bloom, and we soak up life.

Come Labor Day, we once again take issue with natures calendar. Our autumn starts with the line of cars driving west over the causeway. The day after Labor Day is like turning off a switch – lights out. But not quite. For those of us who stay behind, there is a warm glow, a satiation much like the feeling you have after eating a wonderful meal. We slow down, sit for awhile longer, laugh at the past summer fun, and watch the sunsets that never cease to amaze. Fishermen and dogs reclaim the beaches. The days are gloriously warm and golden. The sea seems to sparkle brighter than ever and the water is finally warm, an Islanders secret. Weekends are shared with those who know the sacred sign, the beauty of LBI in autumn. Warm sunshine in the day and a lit fireplace at night. It doesn’t get any better than this.

And then old man winter slowly blows in. Turning

back the clock is never as stark as it is on the Island. As November spills into December, the winter sunsets burn like fire over the bay. The blazing colors are so fierce they look fake. It’s a time of community on LBI. We share holiday greetings, Christmas parades and goodbyes, as much of the Island closes up and heads south.

But for those of us still here, it’s a time of warm, comforting nights by the fire, good books, checking on our neighbors in a storm and snow parties in a blizzard. The Island is never more beautiful than in the thick of winter with cold sunlight glistening off a frozen bay. Like a treasured piece of Tiffany glass, we hold it in our hearts carefully, not wanting it to shatter. Yet once again it does with the coming thaw. And soon, it’s spring!

— text by Maggie O'Neill, photo by Kelly Andrews

Garden State

T h e A . J M e e r w a l d , p a i n t e d o i l o n c a n v a s 3 0 x 2 4 , N . J Ta l l e s t S a i l i n g S h i p , p a i n t e d b y L B I a r t i s t To n y D e s i d e r i o . T h e o r i g i n a l o i l i s o n d i s p l a y a n d f o r s a l e a t T h i n g s A D r i f t , 4 0 6 L o n g B e a c h B l v d , S h i p B o t t o m . T h e p a i n t i n g a n d o t h e r f i n e O i l s b y To n y a r e a v a i l a b l e a s o r i g i n a l o r m u s e u m q u a l i t y g i c l e e s p r i n t e d o n c o t t o n c a n v a s o r p a p e r.

USS Meerwald — our state boat

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he A. J. Meerwald is New Jersey's Official Tall Ship. The A.J. Meerwald is a Delaware Bay oyster schooner, designed for New Jersey oyster fisheries. She was a gaf-rigged oyster dredge. The Meerwald served her country in World War II as a Coast Guard fireboat. In 1959 she was outfitted for surf clamming until retired when she was donated to the Schooner Project in 1989. The A.J. Meerwald was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1995. •

10 • Echoes of LBI

Where is the dividing line between North and South Jersey?

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en Franklin called New Jersey, “A barrel tapped at both ends” in reference to the state’s geography between New York City and Philadelphia. This reference still holds true today.

There is no doubt that the two cities have a tremendous effect on New Jersey. And these influences do indeed meet in certain areas (usually referred to as “Central Jersey”). But by measuring what names locals call a sandwich (hoagie or sub?) to what sports’ teams New Jerseyans cheer; this small state has many conflicting characteristics.

Does the state possess a unique culture of its own? Is New Jersey simply a backwater for New York City and Philadelphia? It is questions like these that have caused New Jersey to have its own “identity crisis.” So while historically this great state has had to weather being the butt end of jokes from outsiders, it also struggles with itself.

So, can the state find any common ground that may help to unite it and ensure more cultural pride?

Follow Steve Chernoski, as he visits New Jersey’s wonderful towns, interviews colorful residents (including many mayors) and gets in the middle of town festivals and high traffic areas polling people on the often asked question: Where is the cultural dividing line between North and South Jersey? From rodeos to minor league ballparks, from boardwalks to speedways, from Cape May to High Point, see the real New Jersey in “New Jersey: A Barrel Tapped at Both Ends.” — www.newjerseythemovie.com

C a fe • C o f fe e B a r B a ke r y • D e l i 7801 Long Beach Blvd.

Harvey Cedars • LBI • 609 361-6300

JAY MADDEN ARCHITECT AND MT LBI'S FIRST

Jay Madden has designed a "green" home for his family in Loveladies and has applied for LEED Certification from the U.S. Green Building Council. Jay believes that "following the Council's construction guidelines will provide us with a highly efficient home...a LEED Certified home promises to be healthier, more energy efficient, and more durable...one that will leave a much smaller environmental footprint."

Over the past 16 years, LBI MT has built over 70 homes, many of which

CALL JAY MADDEN ARCHITECT AT 609-494-0909 TO LEARN HOW HE CAN MAKE YOUR NEW OR REMODELED HOME "GREENER".

LEARN MORE AT WWW.JAYMADDENARCHITECT.COM

DEVELOPMENT TEAM UP TO BUILD LEED* HOUSE * Leadership in Environmental & Energy Design

Skip Tool and Joe Mack, partners of LBI MT Development, are very enthusiastic about building LBI's first LEED house for Jay Madden's family. "We are enjoying the challenge of working with new, more sustainable building materials and more energy efficient mechanical systems. This experience will help make our future projects "greener".

were designed by Jay Madden Architect. Above are are six of them.

COLORWAY #1

COLORWAY #2

LBI

LBI

Development Company

LEFT CHEST IMPRINT APPROX: 3.75”w x 3.15”h

Development Company

LEFT CHEST IMPRINT APPROX: 3.75”w x 3.15”

CALL JOE OR SKIP AT 609-384-3600 OR 609-384-3700 TO LEARN MORE ABOUT BUILDING A GREENER HOUSE FOR YOUR FAMILY.

It’s All In The Details! It’s All In The Detai FULL BACK IMPRINT APPROX: 13”w x 10.25”h

FULL BACK IMPRINT APPROX: 13”w x 10.25”h

50 & Counting

An Afternoon with Ms. Ellie I recently spent an afternoon with Ellie Cranmer Ollivier. Ellie grew up on 5th street in Beach Haven, across the street from where she lives today. Our conversation revealed a snapshot of Island life guaranteed to make you smile. Here is Ellie’s story, told with wit and appreciation for the simple joys LBI life provides ... was born in the house across the street. My mother and I were both born in the same bedroom. It was one of the first houses to have running water. My mother, Eleanor Walker Cranmer, went to grammar school in what is now the Island Baptist Church. There were three people in her graduating class. After high school she went to Rider and was the first woman from LBI to go to college. My grandfather had a large saltbox and Mom would sail the boat across the bay to Tuckerton for some social activities. Back then, as when I grew up, the bay was a big part of our life.

Life really was very different back then. For one thing, the Island itself was different. From the Boulevard west towards the bay was a vast amount of vacant land. It was almost all marsh land and ponds. The ponds provided one of our main attractions during the winter months. They would freeze and we would spend many hours ice skating.

When we weren’t ice skating we would go sledding down the dunes! Now you can’t even walk on the dunes, nevertheless sled down them. We seemed to have more snow back then and that’s what we did in winter.

Each spring the fire men would burn off the poison ivy from the vacant lots and all the kids would hop on their bikes and gather around the smoking land. Believe it or not, that was a big deal. As I said, life was different back then.

Every summer the circus would come to town and a huge tent was put up on the vacant land between Center street and the bay. The elephants were a highlight! Can you picture elephants in Beach Haven today?

The movie theatre was a central meeting spot and movies were very important to our weekends. Every Christmas the owners of the movie theater would host a Christmas party. Santa Claus would give out apples, oranges and candy and we would all be treated to a movie.

We lived our time outdoors, all year long. We rode our bikes every where, roller skated all over and walked the beaches in every season. We were always packing a lunch

I

and riding our bikes to picnic by the bay or on the beach jetties. Back then we had a boardwalk that ran from 7th street down past where the Engleside is today. At the end of the boardwalk there was a fishing pier and a gift shop. We spent many hours walking that boardwalk.

Roller skating was a big part of our social life. There was a skating rink in Manahawkin and there were many skating parties and school fundraisers held there.

Kendot, where Rommel’s liquor store is now, had a jukebox and it was the place to meet and hang out.

Kapler’s Pharmacy had a real soda fountain.

There were only two grammar schools on the Island, one in Beach Haven and one in Barnegat Light. I actually wound up teaching 3rd grade in Beach Haven, the same school I went to as a young girl. Since I had grown up here, many of the kids in my class were the children of friends and they knew me as Aunt Ellie.

During the war the Coast Guard would patrol the beaches on horseback. The street lights up near the beach were blackened so enemy subs off the coast could not see the land. It was a very small community and very close.

There were big houses right next to small bungalows and no one cared which one you lived in. Every one knew everyone else. You didn’t dare do something wrong, because you knew your neighbor would tell your parents and you would catch hell. There were no secrets in Beach Haven back then. Anne Gerber owned the small clothes shop in

town. She knew everyone’s size and exactly what style they preferred.

If you went in to shop for a gift for someone, Anne would ask who it was for and knew exactly what to show you. And no one locked their doors. People would leave for a few weeks vacation and not lock the door. It was just a different time.

During the 44 storm, the boardwalk was completely washed away.

I remember sitting in our house at the table having lunch. A piece of the boardwalk washed right past our house. A woman with a baby was clinging to it! Her home had collapsed in the storm and she was holding on to that plank for dear life. My father ran out and brought the woman and her child into our house to safety. The storm was so bad there were cracks in the sidewalks. And I also remember that my main concern was whether we would

get out of school the next day. Of course we did. After the storm we all had to go to the firehouse for tetanus shots.

During the 62 storm I was living with my husband and children on 11th street. The army came through Beach Haven with an amphibious truck, evacuating people to the firehouse. From there we were moved to Southern Regional High School. My brother-in-law came down from Moorestown and picked us up. We couldn’t get back on the Island for 3 days. The people who stayed behind held some notorious hurricane parties. But it really was a terrible storm. Living on the Island, sometimes you got tired of packing all your essentials in the car, ready to leave on a moments notice. Unless you have experienced a real hurricane on LBI, you can’t imagine the awful power of those storms.

But storms aside, it really was a wonderful place to live. The beach, sun, snow and bay were our constant friends. Crabbing, roller skating, bike riding, bonfires on the beach, dances at the fire house and Sunday afternoon movies were a way of life. To this day when we talk about it, my friends and I are truly grateful for the simple joys and close nit community we all shared growing up on LBI. — text by Maggie O'Neill, photo courtesy Ellie Cranmer

History

Miss Magic Long Beach Island

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ho remembers the Miss Magic Long Beach Island pageant? One of the highlights of the summer was the Annual Lifeguards Ball. The Long Beach Township Beach Patrol sponsored the event which was held the first weekend in September. At this ball, a young woman of good character and beauty was selected to represent the Island as “Miss Long Beach Island”. In 1958 the Long Beach Island Board of Trade assumed sponsorship of the event with Mayor Frank H Klein as director. “Miss Magic Long Beach Island” was born.

My year as Miss Magic Long Beach Island was 1961. It was a wonderful and exciting time. I was a third generation islander living in North Beach Haven. My grandmother, Annie Godshall, first came to the island in the late 1920‘s.

That summer I was working as a car hop at the Jet Stream, which is currently Stefanos. The year was filled with many gala events, parades and award dinners. I even met the Governor of New Jersey!

Mayor Klein and I were invited by Governor Robert B Meynor to his office in Trenton.

My pageant day began at the Long Beach Island Board of trade in Ship Bottom. We started out in a colorful motorcade of six Cadillac convertibles, covering the island from Barnegat Light to Beach Haven. Our motorcade stopped in each town where we were met with encouraging words and gifts from the Mayors and local business people. Final stop was the Sea Shell Motel where we were served a light supper. After dinner we were off to Widas Brant Beach Hotel. It was Pageant time and the butterflies were starting.

First the bathing suit competition (no bikinis allowed), then the evening dress and finally, the personality questions. I was feeling anxious. To win this title and the opportunity to represent the island I loved so much was my dream.

16 • Echoes of LBI

I heard my name announced, felt the crown being placed on my head, and received the Miss Magic ribbon. It was accompanied with an armful of roses. As they wrapped me in a beautiful red velvet cape, it didn’t seem real. I began my walk down the runway and felt my crown slipping. I dropped my prize money!

My Dad saw this and rescued it for me. That is how my reign as Miss Magic Long Beach Island began. Over the years I was privileged to be involved in many more important events. Like

"oh give me a house by the shining sea, by the waves and the sand and the sky..."

the first annual Long Beach Island Day (June 29 1968). We celebrated with a parade and had a presentation of the Island flag to the N.J. park officials. In 1976 I was honored to be a judge in that year’s Miss Magic Pageant, the final one.

Along the way I married, had three children and continued working in the music world. I landed a recording contract in Nashville and won some songwriting awards. The music scene was exciting and challenging, but my Long Beach Island memories are still the best.

Nowadays I spend lots of time at our home in North Beach Haven. My grandchildren like to look at pictures and hear stories of the Island as it used to be. It has been my pleasure to share these memories with you in this premiere issue of “Echoes of LBI” magazine. But this is only the beginning. Stay tuned as there is so much to come! — Madeline Rodgers We would like to hear from all former Miss Magic Long Beach Island queens so we may tell your story. Email: Missmagiclbi@aol.com or Echoesoflbi@gmail.com

Maggie M. O'Neill Real Estate Sales Century 21 Mary Allen Realty, Inc. Ship Bottom, NJ 609-494-0700 www.njbeachhouse.net

While You Were Gone

Island promises

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A First Winter on LBI

n Labor Day 2008, I watched as neighbors, friends, and guests packed up and departed in a caravan of SUVs and minivans, heading west across the causeway. I was filled with an unfamiliar mix of anticipation and trepidation. My friends from the Northern Virginia neighborhood that we had just recently left behind for good asked, “You sure you want to stay there all winter?” My summer neighbors warned ominously, “It’ll drive you crazy here all alone.” Many made the emphatic statement, “I know I couldn’t do it!” Amid the dire warnings and forecasts, the year-rounders just smiled and winked.

We had always planned to someday retire and live on LBI year round. But my own bout with cancer, my husband’s sudden illness, and a strong desire to get out of the “rat race” speeded up the process and prompted us to take immediate action. After 30 years in the Washington, D.C. area and a long teaching career, I resigned, sold our house, cancelled my library card and moved north to our second home in Ship Bottom - - the site of many a summer vacation from my youth. The mysterious rhythm of life was telling us the time for bold action had come, so we went.

As the assault-of-the-guests season closed, I realized for the first time in decades I had time. I now had choices on how to spend, manage and wile away my time, choices on those with whom I wanted to spend my time.

After a lifetime of being over scheduled, overworked and living by the calendar, I had time. Time could now be appreciated and molded, not dreaded. I vowed not to over- schedule myself, not to fill my time with ‘must dos’ and ‘should dos.’ In this new chapter of life, time was going to be savored. So, I made myself four Island Promises: 1. I will walk the beach everyday.

2. I will watch winter sunrises and sunsets as often as I can.

3. I will take the time to observe, record, and reflect.

4. I will live in the Present.

This was my time to re-invent, rejuvenate, and restore.

I was putting my life in slow, but deliberate, motion.

Did I have concerns about wintering on a desolate barrier island? Absolutely! I wondered if I’d be providing 24/7 entertainment for a bored husband. I worried I’d find myself addicted to daytime dramas and cooking shows. I fretted about how I would respond to the question, “What do you do?,” now that I had left my chosen

profession. The dire warnings of friends, neighbors, and family wandered and snaked their way through my thoughts, at times taking a choke hold. What did I need in order to live a happy, connected life? Starting over at 55 was a daunting task. I reflected on these worries and concerns, begrudgingly validated their existence, and moved on. In my experience, worrying is a waste of time and energy. I did not want to squander my time; I wanted to use my time wisely.

I did all the things newly- arrived transplants do. I joined a gym, connected with my year- round neighbors, volunteered and booked a cruise. I signed up for tap dance lessons, lectures and computer classes. Not to be out done by my X Generation kids, I joined Facebook!

I was settling in for the winter. My husband, thankfully, decided to pursue a Master’s degree in History. I reminded myself of my Island Promises, and I was determined not to over schedule my days. This year, I was going to de-clutter the calendar and I was going to take the time to observe as time unfolded before me.

Winter creeps up slowly at the shore in stages. Summer residents pack up. The traffic lights are set to blinking. The causeway is drivable anytime. Businesses shorten hours or close. Chowder Fest gives the Island a brief, illusory return of summer. Snowbirds head south.

Only the stout- hearted remain. By December, winter has descended quietly ‘down the shore.’

I thought I’d dread winter storms, but it turns out I love them. The greatest surprise was an eight inch snowstorm in March. The thought that I did not have to get dressed, get out, and get to work made me appreciate being retired at the shore that day like nothing else. I grabbed my camera, snapped a few pictures, and settled down in front of the fireplace with a good book and my computer.

The best things about a winter day on LBI are the unexpected, small pleasures. Having a coffee and conversation in the middle of the day with neighbors - something I could never find the time to do in the past - - became something to which I looked forward. Never having to wait in line, now that is priceless! Watching an injured seal on the beach being rescued thrilled me in an unfamiliar way. I learned the value of good neighbors you can always call on, and I learned that some neighbors are better not called on at all. I learned the beach is a solitary, peaceful place and that it is all yours for the taking.

I also learned I am good company for myself. I can slow down. I am a better wife, mother, daughter, friend, and sister, now. My conversations with friends and family are no longer just brief news bulletins of my life events and current stresses. They are untimed conversa-

Cheryl Kirby photo

tions. I’m in a time and place that allows me to listen carefully and to speak unhurriedly. I have fewer ‘would’ve,’ ‘should’ve,’ and ‘could’ve’ moments in my relationships with friends and family. I have the time to decide: Should I? Will I? Or, should I just do what I feel?

As the days grow longer and part-time residents begin to return, I am looking forward to the hustle and bustle of the summer. It was in the summer days at the shore that my romance

with LBI began. But in the back of my mind, I feel a slight sadness and I utter a sigh. This is the end of private walks on the beach, dark and quiet nights of star-gazing, and zipping up and down the island. I’ll miss winter at the shore…...until it returns.

Next year, I’ll make more Island Promises. I’ll work out more.

I’ll volunteer more. I’ll read more and relax more. Well, maybe……. Who knows what the Island promises for next winter?

— Christine Rooney

Books

Why Do Birds Chirp?

“A

ll kinds of creatures live in your backyard. They forage, provide food, water, and places to raise young. You won’t believe how much wildlife you will discover in your yard!” These are the fundamental lessons learned in a new children’s picture book, WHY DO BIRDS CHIRP? Are You Listening To Your Backyard Habitat? In simple narrative, author Tina Dougherty Overman takes children on a backyard expedition and shows them all the wonders there, then explains how they can enrich the environment by attracting additional wildlife. The need is growing for more environmental sustainability.

There is a page at the end of the book to “plan your own backyard” and bring the ideas from the book to life.

Tina Dougherty Overman was originally from LBI and currently lives in Lawrenceville, N.J. She is a mother of two, an elementary school teacher, and a wildlife advocate. “I was inspired to write the book after certifying my own backyard with the National Wildlife Federation,” says Dougherty Overman. “I’m a fourth grade teacher and wanted a way to get kids involved in nature. The best place to start is your own backyard. Once a habitat is set up, it’s unbelievable how much wildlife appears.”

Aside from serving as a grade school teacher, Dougherty Overman is an Outreach Assistant for The Marine Mammal Stranding Center. The Center rescues, rehabilitates and releases stranded marine mammals and sea turtles. They also educate children about the importance of saving these animals.

Kelly Travis, a psychologist who currently resides in Loveladies and works as a counselor at St. Francis Counseling Service welcomed the opportunity to illustrate this book. “It is so important for parents to read books with their children and encourage them to seek fulfilling activities,” says Travis. “This book allows children and parents alike to learn about habitats and offers a chance for them to create something meaningful together.”

To learn more about WHY DO BIRDS CHIRP?, and how to order your copy, visit www.whydobirdschirp.com. •

An Unlikely Suspect

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ike good pasta, an excellent beach read is a compelling page turner that sticks with you long after the final page is consumed. An Unlikely Suspect by Lisa Long Martelli is the perfect novel for you to digest this summer.

Locally set, this gripping mystery/thriller has a psychological core and a splash of romance. From embezzlement to murder, a series of crimes has a common denominator: Lauren Shaw, a caring, bright, successful young executive. But what demons lie in wait?

When the battered, crumpled heap of a man’s lifeless body is found, Lauren is kneeling at his feet, her hands bloodied and swollen, her clothes disheveled and torn. She had the opportunity and an undeniable motive, but does she possess the ability to inflict such misery? Does that much hate reside in her soul?

Ultimately inspirational, this richly woven novel celebrates the courage of survival and the strength and perseverance of love.

Autographed copies of the book are available at Things-A-Drift on Long Beach Boulevard in Ship Bottom. The novel is also available through major booksellers and online at Amazon.com. •

Drivers Want-

Island Surf Classic Surf Shop • 1301 Long Beach Blvd • N. Beach Haven • 609-492-3070 • Islandsurflbi.com Skateboards, Sunglasses, Clothing, Surfboards, Surfing Lessons & Rentals, Bike Rentals ($15 a day ...)

Since 1974.

Footwear, watches, dvds Womens, mens & kids clothing Surfboards, sunglasses, wetsuits

609-494-3555 • Surfinglbi.com 1820 Long Beach Blvd • Ship Bottom

The Lighthouse International Film Festival was founded by a collection of filmmakers, film critics and film industry professionals who share a passion for film and wanted to create an event aimed first and foremost at film enthusiasts. The 2009 festival will present feature films, 20 shorts, documentaries and family films, as well as panel discussions with leading film industry professionals. Taking place on Long Beach Island, N.J., — one of the East coast’s most popular surfing destinations — the festival celebrates four days of new, exciting and challenging films in honor of Long Beach Island’s historic Barnegat Lighthouse.

Film Festival Guide Next Page

Echoes of LBI • 23

Pulling John

Thursday, June 4, 2009- Lighthouse International Film Festival Time: 6:00 PM

LBI Foundation of the Arts and Sciences

7:00 PM

STUDENT MADE FILMS [TO BE ANNOUNCED]

8:00 PM

STUDENT MADE FILMS [TO BE ANNOUNCED]

9:00 PM

Friday, June 5, 2009 - Lighthouse International Film Festival Time:

St. Francis Center Opening Night Film: Big Fan

7:00 PM 8:00 PM 9:00 PM 10:00 PM 11:00 PM Midnight

SPOTLIGHT: Missing Person

Ship Bottom Boat Ramp

Beach Stadium 5

Surfing: Musica Surfica Pulp Poo & Perfection Midnight

Saturday, June 6, 2009 - Lighthouse International Film Festival Time:

9:00 AM

Surflight Theater

LBI Museum

Stuart Little

10:00

KIDS FIRST! Junior Film Critics Workshop

11:00 Noon 1:00 PM

Special Event: Big Fan

2:00 PM

(followed by Q&A with Former Giant Howard Cross)

3:00 PM

Special Event:

4:00 PM 5:00 PM 6:00 PM 7:00 PM 8:00 PM 9:00 PM 10:00 PM 11:00 PM Midnight

Surf City Library

A Talk with the Real Gidget

Narrative: Badland

Narrative: Four of a Kind Documentary: Wages of Spin Narrative: Eve

KIDS FIRST! Dr. Doolittle’s Million Dollar Mutts

Lighthouse Center

St. Francis Center

Ship Bottom Boat Ramp

Breakfast with Filmmakers

Documentary: The Pine Falcon & Time Apart Documentary: This Dust of Words Narrative: Stephanie’s Image

Dark Star Café

Beach Stadium 5 SPOTLIGHT: Made in China

[TBD]

SPOTLIGHT: Wild Wonderful Whites of West Virginia

SPOTLIGHT: Pulling John

Surfing: The Rocks Kooks Surf Magazines Don’t Talk…

Badland

Marina of the Zabba-

Musica Surfica

Sunday, June 7, 2009 – Lighthouse International Film Festival Time:

9:30 AM 10:00 AM

Surflight Theater

LBI Museum

SPOTLIGHT: Wild Wonderful Whites of West Virginia

11:00 AM 12:00 Noon 1:00 PM

Narrative: Marina of the Zabbaleen

2:00 PM 3:00 PM

Visitor Center at Lighthouse

KIDS FIRST! Tugger the Jeep 4x4 Who Wanted to Fly

Narrative: Beneath the River

KIDS FIRST! Dragon Hunter

Documentary: Facing the Fat Documentary:

4:00 PM 5:00 PM 6:00 PM

Harvey Cedars Bible Conf.

[TBD]

Narrative: Award Winners

St. Francis Center

Ship Bottom Boat Ramp [TBD]

SPOTLIGHT: Pulling John

Dark Star Cafe Breakfast with Filmmakers Beach Stadium 5 [TBD]

SPOTLIGHT: Made in China

Venue Locations Surflight Theatre Beach & Engleside Ave Beach Haven, 609-492-9477 LBI Historical Museum Beach & Engleside Ave Beach Haven, 609-492-0700 St. Francis Community Center 4700 Long Beach Blvd.

Brant Beach, 609-494-8861

Beach Stadium 5 Herbert Avenue & Long Beach Blvd Beach Haven Park, 609-6413595 LBI Foundation of the Arts and Sciences, 120 Long Beach Blvd.

Loveladies, 609-494-1241

LBI Branch Ocean County Library 217 S. Central Ave.Surf City, NJ

Boat Ramp 10th Street & the Bay Ship Bottom Barnegat Lighthouse Interpretive Center, Barnegat Light-

• Movie times subject to change. Check www.lighthousefilmfestival.org for final schedule • Movie Reviews Next Page

Spotlight movie reviews Big Fan

Paul Aufiero, a 35-year-old parkinggarage attendant from Staten Island, is the self-described "world's biggest New York Giants fan". He lives at home with his mother, spending his off hours calling in to local sports-radio station 760 The Zone, where he rants in support of his beloved team, often against his mysterious on-air rival, Eagles fan Philadelphia Phil.

His family berates him for doing nothing with his life, but they don't understand the depth of his love of the Giants or the responsibility his fandom carries.

One night, Paul and his best friend Sal spot Giants star linebacker Quantrell Bishop at a gas station in their neighborhood. They impulsively follow his limo into Manhattan, to a strip club, where they hang in the background, agog at their hero. Paul cautiously decides to approach him, stepping into the rarefied air of football stardom--and things do not go as planned.

The fallout of this chance encounter brings Paul's world crashing down around him as his family, the team, the media and the authorities engage in a tug of war over Paul, testing his allegiances and calling into question everything he believes in.

Meanwhile, the Giants march toward a late-season showdown with the Eagles, unaware that sometimes the most brutal struggles take place far from the field of play.

Following up his first filmed screenplay, THE WRESTLER, writer-director Robert Siegel once again demonstrates a unique and potent vision of the human experience, in all of its harsh truths and hopeful humanity. •

Pulling John

'Pulling John' is the universal story of a champion, who after 25 years of domination is now burdened with the inevitable transformation of aging. John Brzenk, the legendary Armwrestler, the real “OVER THE TOP” champion who works as an airline mechanic by day must decide whether to leave the sport he was raised on or wait to be defeated by 2 up and coming titans.

Voevoda from Russia, Bagent from West Virginia have been raised on the legend of John Brzenk and now seek to take his crown. These men define themselves by not becoming champions but by defeating the legend that is known as Brzenk. In a philosophical and thrilling ride, 'Pulling John' culminates at the Zloty Tur Championship in Warsaw, where Bagent and Voevoda have the chance of their life, to dethrone the conflicted Brzenk. •

Made in China

Slinkys, Pet Rocks and Ant Farms … behind every great novelty item is a great Novelty Inventor.

Co-written and directed by Judi Krant (in her directorial debut), MADE IN CHINA is a comedy about one such inventor, Johnson (Jackson Kuehn), a self-styled novelty inventor from a small town in East Texas, who is determined to bring his big idea - "a humorous domestic hygiene product" - to the world.

Johnson's journey takes him to the Mecca of the novelty world: China, where anything is possible and everything has its price. Lost in the backstreets of Shanghai, Johnson discovers that it takes more than a million dollar idea to make it to the big time. It takes guts, determination, and a fist full of sneezing powder. •

Let's go for a spin. :-)

Summer 2009 on Barnegat Bay. 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

Green LBI

Anyone who has shopped in the U.S. in the last few years probably has a closet full of plastic bags. They seem to multiply by themselves like rabbits. They are everywhere!! In our ocean, on the dunes, around the sea gulls neck, and even in fish bellies.

My solution to all those plastic bags — Sister Susy’s Bags. They are cloth bags from recycled clothes. Did you ever have a favorite shirt or pair of pants that you can’t live without? I make a bag out of them. All size bags from all size clothes. Contact me supearlie@yahoo.com. •

Did you know that cigarette butts are made of plastic, take years to biodegrade, and contain harmful chemicals?

Beach Butts are back again. If you haven't heard of them, they are small containers to dispose of your cigarette butts (or pick up littered butts) and help keep our beaches free of harmful debris. You can pick them up free at the Southern Ocean County Chamber of Commerce, Alliance for a Living Ocean, or Things A Drift. — Pete Milnes photo

No ifs, ands, or butts… It‘s a Challenge ! Walk along the Boulevard, stroll the beach, saunter down to the ice cream store and what will you see littering your path?

Cigarette butts everywhere. It’s becoming a huge problem. Well, 6th Street in Ship Bottom has come up with a solution…….. and the residents are challenging you to follow their lead!! 6th Street has put out a bucket filled with sand and a sign to encouraging smokers to “Park Your Butts Here.” We challenge you to put out a flower pot or a bucket filled with sand to encourage smokers to “park their butts.” •

28 • Echoes of LBI

Environmentally-Safe Soy Wax

I

am one of those people blessed to have a neighbor who watches my home and waters my plants whenever I go away.

She does so out of the goodness of her heart and will not accept recompense. Still, I occasionally try to give her some token of appreciation. Recently, I gave her a large soy candle that I purchased at a gift shop; she was thrilled. I thought, “It’s just a candle; why is she making such a fuss?” But, it was a soy candle, and the only kind she used. After learning more about them, I began to realize why.

Soy wax is not only the fastest growing part of the candle business, it is the healthiest. Soy candles are made from soy wax, which is hydrogenated soybean oil. In fact, candles of 100% soy waxes are so pure you could melt them down and use them for cooking or skin care. Soy wax is completely natural, clean burning and non-toxic, and made from renewable resources. They have no petroleum; therefore, they do not secrete black smoke or soot which can sometimes be found on ceilings or fans, or worse yet, in your lungs!

Candles made of bees’ wax are also a great alternative to paraffin wax (petroleum) candles, but far more expensive than soy.

In 1992, when looking for a cheaper alternative to bees’ wax candles, Michael Richards invented soy wax. He realized the growing demand for natural wax candles. Additionally, soy wax can be easily mixed with natural fragrances to produce scented candles while still remaining healthy to burn.

Soy candles are not only healthy, but they burn more efficiently than paraffin wax candles. Soybean oil lowers the melting point of the candle so it burns cooler, lasts longer, and has more scent dispersion. The lower melting point of soy wax results in a larger size of the liquid wax pool around the candlewick. This enables the candle to last longer, burn evenly and produce less waste. It is from this liquid wax pool that the essential oils evaporate into the atmosphere. The next time you purchase a candle, you will breathe a little easier if it is made of soy. — Rena

Organic 100% Soy Aromatherapy Soaps • Candles Available at:

Things A Drift

406 Long Beach Blvd • 609-361-1668

Living Well

Got mental shoes?

I

had a professor in my graduate education who always said to us, “be prepared”. He ranted on the importance of preparation frequently. At the time, I found this speech of his rote, and just, well, obvious (of course you always want to be prepared, similarly I advise you to always fill-up your tank before you go on a long drive!@#). I now hear the drawl of his words in my head and smile. Although rather simple, I think “be prepared” is likely one of the best pieces of advice I have ever heard.

"Being prepared" for life and its challenges is indeed a fairly simple idea. It is simple, but not necessarily easy. Being prepared takes practice. It takes commitment and it takes discipline. Sort of like dental care, if you don’t want cavities, you brush and floss every day, not just right before your dentist appointment or whenever you have a toothache. Nope, you brush each day. You pay attention to your teeth a little bit every day.

Likewise, being prepared for life takes much of the same effort; it is a daily practice. You never know when you’ll be hit with a crisis, a major decision, a serious conversation or confined to the beach house with relatives. But I'm certain that you will want to have every bit of your emotional equilibrium in check. You’ll want to be prepared.

How can you “be prepared” for what life will serve up? You practice. Mindfulness meditation practices can prepare you for life’s ups and downs. Jon Kabat-Zinn, who has been researching the benefits of mindfulness practices since the 1970's at the University of Massachusetts Medical Center says, mindfulness is "The awareness that emerges through paying attention on purpose, in the present moment… nonjudgmentally to the unfolding of experience moment by moment" (2003).

When you pay attention to yourself a little bit everyday, you garner what is known as presence. Presence is simply the ability to be with what is, to be with whatever is in your experience at this moment, rain or shine, without resistance. Being present is being prepared.

Chogyam Trungpa Rinpoche’s son once asked him, “Why do we meditate?” Rinpoche explained to his son, "It's easier to put on a pair of shoes than to wrap the earth in leather". When we meditate we help ourselves let go of the expectation that the environment (the weather, other people or circumstance) must change in order for us to feel good, bad, sad, mad or glad. We begin to accept that what we experience has much to do with the mental shoes we are wearing.

The real world, and even the beach, a place we go for vacation and relaxation, is not wrapped in leather. In other words, you can still feel anxious and depressed- even at the beach. So we practice. We garner presence.

How does this happen? What’s happening to the brain when you meditate? When you meditate- the orbitofrontal cortex(OfC), the executive control center in the brain which modulates emotions, social reactions, and other decision making and memory areas relaxes.

30 • Echoes of LBI

The OfC gets to chill out and operate at full capacity. Reflexively, when you are stressed, the OfC is not operating at full capacity, your thinking is less clear and you are more “reactive”. You are more likely operating from amygdala driven, lower-reptilian brain functioning and less from your higher executive functioning abilities. With a regular mindfulness practice (meditation), the relaxed, high functioning state can become more frequent. Thus, we are better able to operate at full capacity. We are able to think more clearly and respond the way we truly intend, instead of mindlessly reacting.

Another super cool thing about meditation is you begin to switch

"When you pay attention to yourself a little bit everyday, you garner what is known as presence. Presence is simply the ability to be with what is, to be with whatever is in your experience at this moment, rain or shine, without resistance."

your mode of being. Typically we try to avoid different experiences in life, especially painful feelings and sensations. When you practice, you attend to all sensations. You allow them to be. That is “the practice” of mindfulness meditation. This formal practice begins to translate to the way you experience the world. Instead of always attempting to run from, anesthetize or numb oneself from feelings and experiences (sadness, anger, happiness, or fear) you instead allow yourself to feel. You will become more alive. Slowly you will begin to notice things happening, like different things happening in your body for example. It’s absolutely trippy. It’s kind of like becoming a sober person after years and years of intoxication. I love this quote, it’s actually about new sobriety, but I think it fits for new meditators too. “Being clearheaded is such a peculiar novelty that it’s almost like being on some subtle, intriguing new drug” (quoted from Tim Kreiger’s witty blog article about living life sober http://proof.blogs.nytimes.com/2009/03/30/time-and-the-

bottle/ ). Put on your mental shoes.

Tips for mindful living: 1. Practice: try some yoga (this is movement meditation). Check out some local yoga classes here on the Island.

2. Beach read: get this book: “Full Catastrophe Living” by Jon Kabat Zinn. This is a great mediation starter book. Jon Kabat-Zinn also has many other books and mediation CD’s. Jack Kornfield is another great reference for books and meditation CDs. 3. Three breaths: become present in the moment, no matter where you are or what you are doing, your breath is always with you. You can always take a quick time out to re-connect to yourself.

Stop what you are doing and pay attention only to your breath, your body, your experience. Mindfully take a breath. Follow the sensation of the breath. How does it feel? Pay very close attention.

If your mind wanders away, just gently bring your attention back to the sensation of the breath. Complete a full inhale and exhale three times, especially elongate each out breath.

4. Go outside, go to the beach or look out a window and focus fully on every detail of the object you are looking at. If it's a tree, what color is it? What about the leaves? Describe the tree bark.

How tall is the tree, can you see the roots, how is it sitting in the ground etc.? Focus your mind fully on describing the object. Spend a few minutes on this. This is a great activity for the beach! Pick up a sea shell and fully describe its texture, colors, shape, etc.

5. Wash dishes: believe it or not, this activity can be a meditative exercise. After accumulating several dirty dishes, fill your sink with very warm soapy water, and begin to wash your dishes- only this time- pay extremely close attention to cleaning each dish - clean them like you've never cleaned them before- fully participate in the activity; include all of your senses. Give it your full attention.

If you find yourself thinking about other things, simply bring your attention back to what you're doing. Take notice of how the water feels. How does the dish feel in your hand? Take good care to place each one delicately into the rack. Participate in the experience of washing dishes fully. This is especially great if you are packed in a beach rental with many people; you can volunteer to do the dishes, tune in to this activity and tune out the chaos.

6. Listen to the body scan: in the back of the book: "The Mindful Way through Depression: Freeing yourself from chronic Unhappiness" by Mark Williams, John Teasdale, Zindel Segal & Jon KabatZinn, there is a great mediation CD. Track #2 is a body scan. This is a very straight forward way to begin your practice.

— Regina Huelsenbeck, PhD Dr. Huelsenbeck has 10 years of clinical experience. Her private practice is focused on mindfulness practices, coping with terminal and chronic illness, overcoming trauma and depression, and creating life meaning. She completed her doctoral research on the experience of living with cancer and additionally authored a chapter on this topic for the book Hope Begins in the Dark, created by award winning NEWSWEEK journalist Jamie Reno. She is currently a clinician at the University of California at San Diego outpatient psychiatry clinic, focusing on posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) research. Dr. Huelsenbeck is also the co-chair of the San Diego Psychological Association’s Mindfulness group, an avid writer, blogger and a professional speaker. www.RitualsofHealing.com.

Supervised by Dr. Carrie Jaffe, PSY 18811

Poetry

Poetry is a deal of joy and pain and wonder, with a dash of the dictionary - Kahlil Gibran LBI SUNSET Sunset silhouettes the pines and sparkles the inlet fingers of Beach Haven West.

An Islander's window reflects splinters of light that catch the eye.

Orange, yellow and golden, Sun begins its meld into Barnegat Bay. A puddle on the road mirrors the clouds as a sparrow splashes down and bathes in the ruins of its reflection.

32 • Echoes of LBI

Pete Milnes photo

Pilings and masts of fishing boats blacken in harbors as shade by shade, degree by degree, dusk and the calming cool of night descend on heat weary crowds.

The evening star appears. Along that thin strip of sand where daring Islanders live from Barnegat Light to Beach Haven Heights--light lights & life

— Frank Finale

echoes gives back.

Marine turtles Global voyagers threatened with extinction

World Wildlife Fund • www.WWF.org

Poetry

dark leaves soon will fall, ending summers fest, beach chairs packed to cobweb til spring, seven month slumber, until green leaves splurge, & april birds sing — Kirk Jarvis poem & photo

The Beach Path

The path where barefoot tracks once lay, now a memory, I have to make my own way The crashing of waves is the only sound, for miles it seems no one’s around The air is crisp and winter fresh, I breathe in deep with every step The palette has changed from bright blue to gray, it's layered with white, and it’s bright today As the grains of sand emerge from the snow The laughter of summer rises from below — Kelly C Travis, PsyD

34 • Echoes of LBI

Diamante Poem Contest ATTENTION: Young Budding Poets!!!

Echoes of LBI Magazine Announces Its First Annual Diamante Poem Contest

PEARLS TO PARADISE Luminous strings of pearls to paradise Saltry smell of the sea Crisp cool crosswinds On the bridge to Long Beach Island Feet swallowed by the dunes Sand seeping between the toes Sea spraying smiling faces On the beach at Long Beach Island Fish, clams, scallops, and crabs Sandpipers, seagulls, sea stars Bayberry bushes, sea grass, pine trees Nature's treasure on Long Beach Island Bursting bright beginnings Soothing, settling, subtle endings Sunrise, sunset, on the water That embraces Long Beach Island Awaken to an orange burst See dolpins jumping on the horizon Say goodnight to the sun's irredescent glow on the bay at Long Beach Island A string of pearls carves the way Traveling over a glistening bay Have a beautiful sunset As you say goodbye to Long Beach Island — Rena

L.B.I. Hot bright sun So much fun Tanning on your towel Can’t hear the dogs howl

Going to arcades And on shopping brigades Eating lots of ice cream All to the extreme

Playing in the water Digging with your daughter Finding different shells Ones that look like bells

Miniature golfing And body surfing All from day to night With, in hand, a flashlight

Soft wet sand Running through your hand Digging for the sand crabs “Put it down,” your mom blabs

LBI is the best With a lot of great guests All summer long You’ll have to stay strong — Shelbi Woods, age 12

A diamante is a poem in the shape of a diamond. It can be about one subject or two opposite subjects. It does not have to rhyme, but it does have to follow a specific format and have seven lines: • • • • • • •

Line one is a noun and names the first subject.

Line two describes the first subject using two adjectives.

Line three describes the first subject using three words ending in “ing.”

Line four consists of four nouns. The first two describe the first subject and the last two describe the ending subject.

Line five describes the ending subject with three words ending in “ing.”

Line six describes the ending subject with two adjectives.

Line seven, the last line, names the ending subject.

The first subject and ending subject can be opposites (antonyms) or about related subjects.

An example of a diamante using opposite subjects in line one and seven: Hot Steamy, smokey Sizzling, burning, melting Sunburn, flames, popsicles, ice cream Chilling, freezing, snowing Cool, crisp Cold

An example of a diamante using related subjects in line one and seven: Sand Dry, soft Blowing, drifting, playing Sandcastles, dunes, tides, saltwater Spraying, splashing, roaring Salty, foamy Surf Please submit your diamante poem to cheryl@thingsadrift.com, or drop it off at Things A Drift at 406 Long Beach Boulevard in Ship Bottom by Sept. 1, 2009.

Top entries will be featured in our next issue.

Submissions will be judged in the following categories: (1) Age 7 and under. (2) Age 8 – 12. (3) Age 13 – 18.

At Home

Movies & cocktails — I'll drink to that!

M

ovies impact many areas of our life, including our beverage of choice. They have often catapulted a specific cocktail to stardom. Take a look at some of the famous happy hour drinks and the movies that branded them with a special aura of ‘Cool”.

Is there any drink more tied to a movie than James Bond’s “shaken, not stirred” Martini? Over the years, Bond, James Bond, has never strayed from his chosen libation. And the Martini has remained the ultimate, cool cocktail.

The most recent star on the Hollywood cocktail circuit is the Cosmopolitan, brought to life by four single women living in the city. Carrie and her friends in Sex and the City lived their lives through this rose colored cocktail. Cosmos made it chic for women everywhere to order this very female version of the very male martini.

From the city of Manhattan to the Manhattan cocktail, Tony, Jack and Marilyn brought this drink to fame in Some Like It Hot. It was the drink of choice on the happy hour circuit in 1959 and to this day remains the defining cocktail of the 1950s.

Long before this glamorous trio immortalized the Manhattan, Marilyn and her co-star Tom Ewell put their famous stamp on the Tom Collins in The Seven Year Itch, making it a favorite about town in 1955, although not nearly quite as popular in bars today.

In the 1961 film Blue Hawaii, a frazzled Angela Lansbury imbibed one too many Mai Tai cocktails when her son, played

by Elvis, would not settle down in the company business. True to form, Ms. Lansbury’s Mai Tai’s were served in tall glasses with tiny umbrellas perched on the rim.

Surely no movie has ever been more successful in promoting the wine industry than the wonderful, 2004 Sideways. Paul Giamatti and Virginia Madsen did more for Pinot Noir than all the advertising in the world. Just goes to show what a little movie magic will do! So break out the shaker, whip up some famous cocktails, and raise a toast to some of the coolest libations ever to grace the silver screen. Cheers! — Maggie O'Neill

vermouth). Strain into in a chilled cocktail glass and garnish with twist or, of course, maraschino cherry.

M a i Ta i

Manhattan — 2 oz. rye whisky, 1 oz Italian vermouth, 2 dashes Angostura bitters. Shake the rye, vermouth, and bitters well with cracked ice. (Some insist that a proper Manhattan must be stirred, so as to prevent "clouding" or undue fraternization between the whiskey and the 36 • Echoes of LBI

James Bond Martini — ½ oz lillet, ½ oz vodka, 1 ½ oz Plymouth gin, large slice of lemon zest. Add all ingredients (except lemon zest) to a shaker filled with ice and shake rapidly for up to two minutes. Strain into a chilled Martini glass and garnish with lemon zest

Cosmopolitan — ½ oz lime juice, 1 ½ oz vodka, 1 oz Cointreau, 1 oz cranberry juice, orange peel. Mix all ingredients (except orange peel) with ice in shaker or blender. Strain into a chilled cocktail glass. Garnish with orange peel.

Tom Collins — ½ oz sugar syrup, 1 ½ oz Plymouth gin, 1 oz lemon juice, club soda, Maraschino cherry. Mix all ingredients, except

soda and cherry, in a tall Collins glass with ice, fill with club soda, and garnish with cherry.

Mai Tai — ¼ oz orgeat syrup, ¼ oz rock-candy syrup, ½ oz curacao, 1 oz dark rum, 1 oz light rum, juice of 1 lime, lime peel, mint sprigs, pineapple stick. Mix all ingredients (except lime peel, pineapple) with ice in a shaker or blender. Pour into a chilled double Old Fashioned glass. Garnish with lime peel and pineapple stick. •

The organic garden state

W

hat did you have for dinner last night? Did you happen to take advantage of the great seafood available on Long Beach Island and have lobster, shrimp, or blue claw crab? Keep the shells they came in and add them to your compost pile and start an organic garden! Too much seaweed on the beach today?

Gather some up, rinse the salt off, and add it to your compost pile. You don’t need to compost to start an organic garden, but having your own compost pile can make organic gardening easier and less expensive, keeping kitchen and garden waste out of the landfills.

Composting is important for organic gardening because it all starts with the soil. Composting will help build a great soil for your garden. Having an “organic” garden simply means not using synthetic chemical pesticides or fertilizers. Not needing these chemicals means no residue on kids and pets as they roam through the garden and no chemicals washing off into the bay and ocean. When you compost you are basically taking once living things, helping them to be broken down by microorganisms and using this material to make a rich soil for whatever you choose to grow.

Creating a compost pile is simple. You can make your own container using something as simple as chicken wire or buy a container made specifically for composting. All you need now

I

are pulled weeds, leaves, or grass clippings along with some kitchen scraps and you have the start of a healthy compost pile.

To begin, alternate layers of plant material and kitchen scraps in your container. Next, add in some topsoil or a commercial compost activator and mix the compost to aerate the pile at least every week, keeping the microorganisms that are building active and preventing it from overheating. Your compost pile may already be moist enough just from the matter you added, but if it gets dry, add some water. Depending on what you put in your pile and how much you aerate, your compost can be ready in as little as six weeks. You’ll know it’s ready when it looks a lot more like soil than the seaweed, leaves, or coffee grounds you put in. Mix the compost material with your soil and you have a healthy start to a great organic garden without the need for synthetic fertilizers. — Nicole McGann

I'll have more crab cakes please!

f you like crab cakes these will please you. They are held together with heavy cream and butter ... no fillers! Found in the New York Times years ago.

Basic Ingredients: Two pounds Maryland Lump Crab Meat 1 1/2 sticks of butter 1 cup of scallions Ok to use some green stems 1/2 to 3/4 cup Jalapeno peppers ... your call 3/4 cup heavy cream 2 teaspoons dry mustard Pinch or two cayenne Saute: 2 tbsp butter/ 2 tbsp olive oil, 2 eggs beaten 2 plus cups bread crumbs plain or seasoned

Melt 1 1/2 sticks butter in large skillet over med/high heat.

Saute scallions and jalapeno a couple of minutes until bright green, add cream; bring to a boil. Stir over medium heat 3-5 minutes, until mixture thickens, remove from heat; stir in mustard and peppers. Cool at least 5 minutes. Place crab in large bowl; stir in scallion mixture, using ice cream scoop. Place scoop of crab on cookie sheet, place in freezer until firm, even frozen. When ready to serve, remove cakes from freezer, thaw a bit. Beat eggs, place bread crumbs on a cookie sheet. Melt butter and oil in a large fry pan (electric one works well) medium heat. While still firm, dip crab cakes in egg, roll in bread crumbs and saute` until golden brown. While frying, press crab cakes gently to form traditional shape. Enjoy! — Joe Mack

Photography

Sandra Anton photo, lbimemories.com

Ashley Smith photo Patty Gawronski photo, Captured Moments, PattyGawronski@comcast.net

Pete Milnes photo

Marine Science

A

Myth of a man-eating monster

fin breaks through the water and someone shouts “SHARK!” The first image that pops into everyone’s head is that of the man-eating monster great white shark made infamous by Steven Spielberg’s Jaws. Panic ensues, the lifeguards whistle screams, and anyone caught in the water rushes for the safety of the shore. This fearful and misunderstanding view has led to the endangerment of numerous species as a result of overhunting (that’s right overhunting, not overfishing). Although the Florida Museum of Natural History (FLMNH) has published that most shark attacks occur in 0-5 feet of water, it is important to remember that by nature sharks are not man-eaters. It is impossible to refer to a shark as a man-eater, because humans do not naturally exist in the same ecosystem as sharks. Over the years the media has brainwashed us all into thinking that sharks are out to get us, when in reality they don’t even like the way we taste. To put things into perspective, an article I read by David Johnson states, “In the U.S., your chances of getting killed by lightning are 30 times greater than dying of a shark attack.” There are even more statistics on the FLMNH’s website that compare shark attacks and fatalities to attacks by alligators, and dog bites in N.Y.C. You’d be surprised at the truth in the numbers. Television programs like those seen on the Discovery Channel’s Shark Week or Animal Planet provide the public with an insight of the complexity of shark behavior.

Whether it is for recreation, sport or occupation, we share the ocean with marine life; this being said, we are responsible for potentially putting ourselves in harm’s way with an animal that has almost become the perfect predator through evolution. From underneath, a shark sees a surfer as something that resembles a delicious 40 • Echoes of LBI

seal or sea lion. Because it associates this shape with food, a shark will strike. Yet, more often than not, it will swim away after the first bite, realizing we’re not nearly as tasty as it thought. Some sharks have been known to cause fatalities, but that is usually because of the bite location or size of the wound. Still, there are always some exceptions to the rule. Some species, like the tiger shark, Galeocerdo cuvier, are very aggressive and don’t care what they eat so long as their stomach is filled. They are like the dumpsters of the sea. Tiger sharks have even been found with license plates in their stomachs.

Sharks eat everything from large marine mammals to the microscopic plankton drifting in the water column. The prey of any animal is a major deciding factor in the habits and characteristics of a predator. What a shark eats can determine what time of day it is active, its jaw structure, its shape, even coloration. A shark that hunts and swims through the water column will be camouflaged with counter shading. This entails dark coloring on the top half of the shark and light on the bottom. Camouflage such as this is used to make the shark blend in with the darkness that accompanies the ocean bottom and the brightness that is seen looking up at the surface. Bottom-dwelling sharks that are active during the day may have a mottled appearance to blend in with the substrate while they lie in wait to ambush. Some of the biggest sharks eat the smallest organisms in their diets. Whale sharks and basking sharks, which can grow to 40’ and 32’ respectively, feed on planktonic organisms.

Because plankton are so small, it makes sense that the bigger the body size of a shark, the bigger the jaw, and the more food that can be consumed.

When you are an animal specialized to eat something that most other species don’t, modifications have to be

made. An alteration that the gentle giants of the shark family and some deep sea predatory fishes possess is referred to as gill rakers. Gill rakers are a special feeding apparatus that strains plankton from water exiting gills. Bottom-dwelling sharks as well as rays have plates of teeth that are better designed for crushing up the hard exteriors of crustaceans and other invertebrates. But if you’re a shark that doesn’t vacuum up its meal or grind up invertebrates, it’s a good idea to have sharp teeth and a lot of them. Row after row, sometimes up to several hundreds of teeth can be found in the mouth of a predatory shark. Sometimes the teeth will just fall out, other times they may become lodged in the thick blubber of a whale carcass. Now, you may think that the whiter the tooth, the fresher it is, but you’d be wrong. When a tooth fossilizes, it takes on the color of the surrounding sediment, in most cases a gray, light brown, or near black appearance.

In order to use those sharp teeth, sharks must rely heavily on their senses to find prey. Smell plays the greatest role in locating prey at a distance. National Geographic has reported that the great white shark, Carcharodon carcharias, has such a keen sense of smell it can detect a single drop of blood in 25 gallons of water and trace amounts of blood three miles away.

At closer range, sharks depend on the use of the lateral line system and ampullae of Lorenzini. The lateral line system runs the length of the shark or fish and is composed of neuromasts which detect motion in surrounding waters. The ampullae of Lorenzini are an especially amazing adaptation that enables sharks to detect faint magnetic fields produced by other fishes.

This not only aids in the detection of fish nearby in the water column, but hiding under the sand as well. Another unique feature of sharks is the development of a nictitating membrane which protects the eyes. This makes sharks virtually blind when they strike, but their other senses assist in the success of a meal.

Sharks have stood the test of time. They have ruled the seas since dinosaurs walked the earth. However, since the dawn of mankind, they have faced many conflicts for the first time. The introduction of fishing on large commercial scales has led to limited food sources, ghost nets to become entangled in, and something which makes me cringe: shark fin soup. Remember, it is not the fault of a shark for attacking a human. If a surfer or swimmer is attacked and killed, the shark responsible should not be hunted down and strung up for some big, courageous fisherman to take a photo with so he can brag of his valor. Responsibility needs to be taken on the part of anyone who enters an environment to which they do not naturally belong. The reproduction habits of sharks results in the live birth of only a few pups, shark babies. When a shark only has a few young at a time and the reproduction periods are few and far between, replenishing their numbers lost each year can be an impossible fight. However, with the knowledge we have at our disposal and the research being done, I believe we can assure a future for these magnificent fishes.

— Ryan Marchese, NOAA Gulf of the Farallons art

18 Miles of Smiling The Long Beach Island Business Alliance recently adopted Long Beach Island, 18 Miles of Smiling, as their official song for LBI. The song is written and sung by Karen Klakowicz. Klakowicz has been a summer visitor to LBI all her life. She decided to convey her love of the Island through music and lyrics. The result is an up tempo piece of joy that touches on the highlights of Island life. Bouncy, catchy and fun, Long Beach Island, 18 Miles of Smiling, is the perfect souvenir. Take home a bit of Island sunshine in the music and play it all winter long. The CD is available for purchase at local retail stores or you can contact Karen at chippimusic@yahoo.com

Karen did not stop there, though. She has recently recorded a song about the history of Ship Bottom. The song was recorded at Vividleaf Recording Studio. Producer and Drummer, Wayne Campbell; Engineer and Guitarist, Keith Rounds; Bassist, Mike Klakowicz; Music and Lyrics, Karen Klakowicz. The new recording will be debuted on June 11th for the 5th annual Ship Bottom Merchants Associations’ Meet and Greet at Joe Pops, 20th and Long Beach Blvd. in Ship Bottom. The event will feature a night of good music, happy hour drink specials, bar snacks,door prizes and the annual give away of a surf board from Ron Jons. Tickets $10.00 at the door.

Proceeds benefit the Ship Bottom Beach Patrol and the Alliance for a Living Ocean.

LONG BEACH ISLAND BUSINESS ALLIANCE VISIT www.njlbi.com

Marine Science

Megalodon tooth

ach Island

found on Long Be

On the hunt for fossilized teeth

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on’t get bit by a shark…while walking on the beach!

Keep your eyes out for prehistoric shark teeth fossils. They may not be as common and easy to find as your favorite local shell, but they are out there if you know what to look for.

Scientists believe that sharks evolved about 390 million years ago. Since sharks are made up of cartilage and not bone, the soft skeletons do not fossilize well and do not get the chance to leave much evidence of their long history behind. However, shark’s teeth fossilize very well.

Sharks have a hard enamel on their teeth that makes them very durable. Prehistoric sharks have not changed too much from the sharks we have today. Like the sharks of today, prehistoric sharks were constantly growing new teeth behind the old that moved forward when a shark dropped a tooth. Young sharks replace each tooth almost once a week, so over millions of years, you can imagine the amount of prehistoric shark teeth out there just waiting to be found.

Shark teeth fossils were

42 • Echoes of LBI

created when a prehistoric shark dropped a tooth which landed in sediment and was protected from the elements. Due to the protection from oxygen and bacteria that would normally destroy the tooth, it is preserved over the years and eventually becomes a fossil. A shark tooth can be millions of years old, but it takes at least 10,000 years for a tooth to become an actual fossil. Be on the lookout for a tooth of any color. Depending on the type of sediment the tooth had been buried in, it can be different colors. The most common colors found are grey and black, but they can be red or even have yellow tones to them.

It is a rare treat to find any prehistoric shark tooth fossil, but the diamond of all is the carcharodon megalodon.

This is the largest of all predatory sharks to have ever lived. It is described in appearance as a very, very large great white shark. So large in fact that scientists believe it grew to up to 60-feet long and fed partly on whales! You can imagine it had some pretty big teeth. A fossilized tooth found from this shark will generally be between 1 ½ to 4 ½ inches from the tip of the tooth to the root, although they have been found up to 7 inches in length.

Next time you are about to step on a dark colored rock or shell on the beach, take a closer look, as you never know what you’ll find. While you won’t find a fossilized shark tooth with every step, they have been found in our area. Knowing what to look for will help in your treasure hunt. Good luck! — Mark McGann

Seining — rain or shine

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et’s face it; the weather forecast isn’t always as accurate as we’d like it to be. There’s just those days that are supposed to be hot and sunny, but aren’t. Overcast and ominous skies often leave the beach vacant, with the exception of a few dedicated surfers. Yet, there are options other than fleeing to the nearest mall or catching a flick at the movies. A trip to a local bait and tackle shop can bear a hidden gem.

Seining is the art of spreading a net and pulling it through the water. The sea life brought to the beach are treasures indeed. All one has to do is ask where to find a seine net. Accompanied with a pole at each end, a seine net can serve as a fun and educational activity. Once you have the net, you just need a partner and you’re ready to go! The best locations to go seining are areas in a calm estuary, or bay. Regions that are thick with vegetation will most certainly yield the greatest number of organisms.

When you arrive at a spot that looks good, the technique used is very essential to the haul. Each person goes to an opposite end of the net, once at the desired depth, and moves toward shore.

The crucial thing to remember is to keep the poles as close to the bottom as possible and slanted on a 45 degree angle away from the direction of motion. This technique ensures that no animals slip out of the net. Moving inshore, continue to drag the net until the water gets too shallow, then with a quick scoop up, the net will hopefully contain all sorts of treasures.

The best part of seining is searching through the net after a haul. I’ve found so many different things the few times I’ve gone this summer. Shore shrimps of the genus Palaemonetes are the most abundant animal I have seen. They like to cling to any sort of algae present. Another organism that comes in very strong numbers is the ctenophore, or comb jelly. In the sand they seem to be transparent, gelatinous masses, but have fascinating shapes in the water. Comb jellies rely heavily on currents for movement, because their rapidly beating, iridescent cilia can only move them so fast. Lush vegetation provides shelter for

so many different organisms. Tiny amphipods, or more commonly a beach flea, are crustaceans which reside on the algae.

Some bony fishes such as the northern pipefish and the lined sea horse, Hippocampus erectus, take advantage of this and feed on them. The northern pipefish, Sygnathus fuscus, bears a very close resemblance to a grass when it is still, which serves as a very good form of camouflage. Juvenile conger eels seek refuge here as well until they can reach adulthood. I have even caught a juvenile tautog, Tautog onitis, which was hiding in some very dense red weed.

Many other critters can be spotted while seining. Polychaete worms wriggle their way through the water when they aren’t amongst the substrate. Blue claw crabs, mud crabs, hermit crabs, and nassarius snails scuttle or crawl across the sandy bottom.

Shoals of bunker swim just out of arm’s reach. Finding a whelk (snail) is a pleasant surprise. Sometimes after a storm has come up the coast and brought turbulent waters with it, pieces of red beard sponge can be found scattered here and there. But be careful not to touch them. Micronia prolifera can cause a burning sensation, redness, and swelling on contact.

So remember, even if it’s not the most beautiful day out, seining is always an option. This activity can allow for a survey of the local marine life and their interaction with each other as well as their environment. However, keep in mind that they are living animals and some of them cannot survive out of the water for too long. Be sure to return whatever is caught back to its environment and show the respect that is deserved. If you follow these simple guidelines seining can be a great group activity for all ages, rain or shine. — Ryan Marchese

Look for this new "I love LBI" bumper sticker at Things A Drift.

Legends & Lore

Sven Olsen the headless norseman as told by Joe Smithwick ...

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here was a beautiful sunrise over the bay when I rose for work. It was late October of 1782, and the American colonies had turned the tide of the war a year earlier when Cornwallis surrendered at Yorktown. The new American government diplomats, Ben Franklin and John Adams, were in Paris signing a peace treaty with the British. It was the end of a long war, and the American army was still paying good money for salt to preserve their beef and make gun powder for the troops. This is where my story begins with my good friend Sven Olson and me (Joe Smithwick).

We met on the main road between Waretown and Barnegat and headed to the saltworks on the edge of the bay. It was a cool, crisp early morning with a strong west wind, which made us happy because we knew it would blow away the mosquitoes and flies. We would be able to work hard and gather a lot of salt. We were proud to be “salters;” it was a good job and very patriotic. Walking to work, we talked about the doins around Waretown and Barnegat; and Sven would always bring up his love for Ingrid Johanson. Sven had it bad for Ingrid, and it was easy to see why; she was the most desirable girl in town. Her father, Captain Lars Johanson, had a big merchant ship and a whaling boat. The family was very prosperous and active in the building community.

Sven Olson was a very strong and handsome lad with broad shoulders. He could lift two large sacks of salt, one in each arm and work all day under the hot summer sun.

Ingrid was a typical red headed Viking firebrand. She crewed on her dad’s smuggling boats for the local militias’ patriotic cause.

She was seventeen, strong, beautiful and well built, and Sven wanted to marry her. Ingrid had a real fast quarter horse with a light Spanish saddle and she would often race the men about town and win. She was a bit of a tomboy; one of her best tricks was throwing a whaler’s harpoon. Ingrid won last years harvest festival harpoon throwing contest and took home a big turkey.

She dressed like a man, carried a short dagger on her belt and had a pistol in her saddle bag. Ingrid didn’t have much religion, but it didn’t matter because the free church had no minister and everybody just called themselves Quakers.

My dad, Joe Smithwick Sr., was the owner of the Waretown saltworks and a true patriot. He marched with the Toms River militia at the Battle of Monmouth in 1778 and took a musket ball in his left arm. This horrible wound left him with a crippled hand, but it only enhanced his hatred of the British and their 44 • Echoes of LBI

Illustrated by Kelly Travis

Tory Loyalists. He ran the saltworks with a feverish passion of revenge and even though the British had destroyed the saltworks on two previous raids, he hastily rebuilt it and continued to boil and gather the salt for General Washington's troops. Everyone was glad the war was over, but New Jersey was still in a bitter grip of a civil war between Tory Loyalists and Patriots.

Sven and Joe joined in with Reuben Smithwick at the saltworks. It was still early; around eight o'clock in the morning when Ingrid came galloping up with exciting news. Captain Andrew Steelmen was a privateer from Cape May on board his ship, the Alligator. It had come across a grounded cutter loaded with Hynson tea from India. This was a great prize and would fetch a lot of money in New York and Philadelphia. Steelmen only had a small crew, and he needed some local men to help offload this valuable cargo. This was just the opportunity Sven and Ingrid needed to get married. If Sven could get in on this booty, it would be enough money to buy some land, start a farm and build a place all their own. Sven and the two Smithwick brothers hastened to the Waretown landing and signed on with Captain Steelmen's crew. Although Ingrid was excited when

she left Swen, she was still worried. She knew there was danger and she embraced Swen with great passion and tenderness; kissed him as if it was their last. “We’re moving out!” they then heard Reuben Smithwich yell.

Sven was all a twitter in the boat talking to Joe about Ingrid’s long kiss. She was all he could think about. There was a festive atmosphere on both of the boats as they rowed across the bay.

The west wind was at their backs and it blew them, and the mosquitoes, across in a timely fashion. With Captain Steelmen bellowing, we hit the beach running. We crossed over a short set of dunes through a wooded area, a small salt marsh and then over more dunes. There she was, the Belgian cutter heeled over on her side. The last of the storm waves broke around her but; she was perfect for salvaging.

Sven and the two Smithwick brothers stayed together and worked tirelessly until sunset. The water was cold and the air crisp, but Sven just kept working, with thoughts of Ingrid fueling his fire. Captain Steelmen had the men build a fire on the lea side of the island behind the dune. There was so much cargo left on the cutter, they decided to spend the night on the beach and resume their efforts at the first light. They had plenty of rations on board. The casks were quickly tapped, and the salvagers reveled on the beach. The grog, salt air, and exhaustive work soon put the men fast asleep. Captain Steelmen noticed that Sven and the Smithwick boys didn’t drink the demon rum, so he set them atop the dunes as lookouts. They agreed to take turns.

Hearing of the patriots privateering party, Captain John Bacon got his band of cut throats together and loaded them into his whaling boat, “Heroes Revenge”. They rowed quickly and landed on LBI just before dawn. Captain Bacon ordered his men to surround the camp and leave no one to tell the tale of the heinous massacre which was about to take place.

Sven thought he heard some rustling, but didn’t think much of it. The waves and wind made it hard to hear anyone walking in the sand. He got more comfortable and returned to his thoughts of Ingrid. Sven was dreaming about how beautiful Ingrid would look in her white wedding dress. Just then Sven heard some clanking and rustling. He opened his eyes, but it was for the last time. Suddenly, SWOOSH, THWACK, UGHAR, THUMP! Captain John Bacon’s sharpened cutlass had detached Sven’s head from his body in one horrific blow. Pistols and musket shots rang out with a loud thunderous cacophony of bloody murder. Reuben Smithwick was shot dead by Bacon before he could get out from under his blanket. Joe Smithwick was shot, but managed to roll down the dune wrapped in his blanket. Just before he crawled into the briar thicket, he looked back to see Bacon carrying Sven's head into the ring of murder that was befalling the patriot group. Badly wounded and in shock, Joe Smithwick was hung up in the briar thicket. He saw everything; the warming fire now illuminated Dante’s inferno with the Satan, John Bacon, dancing with demon delight while swinging Sven’s head around by his hair. Joe had heard Sven’s last gasp, “Ingrid”.

The slaughter went on for what seemed like an eternity, but only lasted a few minutes. The defenseless patriots were butchered as they slept. Only Captain Steelmen got off a shot before he was shot three times by the scurvy band of cut throats. Joe Smithwick slowly and quietly pulled himself through the briars.

The pirates would not give chase through the thicket and marsh.

Joe would learn later that four others would also escape to tell the terrible tale. As the island sand soaked up the blood of his brother and good friends, Joe saw John Bacon fix Sven’s head on a pike and lower it into the fire. With Sven’s long hair on fire, Bacon hurled it into the marsh; a grizzly site. The pirates took great delight as they danced around the illuminated massacre site, then quickly went about their looting ways, picking over the dead men under their feet. They would get the prized tea the patriots had worked so hard for, but now it was tainted with blood.

Joe Smithwick and a few others made it back home with the ghastly news. Barnegat and Waretown villages would never be the same. To have their young men killed all at once was crushing. The hatred toward the Loyalist and Tories was fueled by this incident. Governor Livingston increased the bounty on John Bacon, who, with his band of pine robbers, would move into the woods of Manahawkin. The last battles of the Revolutionary War were fueled by the Long Beach Island massacre.

The Battle of Cedar Bridge and the killing of John Bacon at Roses Tavern in Parkertown ended the hostilities long after the peace treaty in Paris had been signed.

After the massacre, the villagers of Barnegat and Waretown gathered their dead and buried them at the Quaker’s friends’ meeting place in Barnegat and the Waretown Baptist church.

Joe Smithwick recovered from his wounds and continued to run the saltworks. His father died of a broken heart over the death of his son. Ingrid was devastated and never married. In June of 1785, Ingrid and her crew were rammed by a whale. Their boat was destroyed and she drowned with the rest of her crew.

In the years that followed, there were strange sightings of a headless tattered hulk wandering aimlessly among the sand dunes on the northern end of the island. The villagers would look for what they thought was a ship wrecked soul that had foundered upon the beach, but they never found anyone. The local Lenapes that used to inhibit the Island in the summertime left and never returned. They said they saw the headless norseman several times. They considered the island haunted

by Captain Steelman’s crew and said it was cursed and bad medicine. The Viking whalers of Barnegat said they would see the headless body every late October, around All Souls Day, wandering the dunes. Sven’s spirit never caused any trouble and was considered to be a friendly ghost.

Everybody has their own theory why Sven still looks for his head. Some say it’s Ingrid sending him back because she refused to marry a man who has lost his head. If you are digging around in the sand on LBI and you find Sven’s head, turn it into your local lifeguard’s Lost & Found. — Denis Kirby

Legends & Lore

E

Things that go bump in the night

veryone loves a good ghost story. Picture yourself standing alone on a beach at dusk as a fog rolls in, while an unseen buoy sounds a mournful wail. You feel a shiver run up your spine. Somewhere in the distance a hound starts to bark. As the shadows melt into night, you glance around, feeling foolish, but still somewhat unnerved.

Your friend comes up behind you and says, ``hey, wha….``, and before they can even finish the word you let out a frightened ``ahhhhh``, leaping six feet into the air, eyes wild and heart pounding as loud as the waves. Your friend, of course, thinks you are crazy and tells you so. You laugh off your embarrassment and walk back up the beach. But just before you hit the down side of the dune, you cast one quick glance back over your shoulder and scan the dark and foggy beach.

Most of us are more afraid of seeing a ghost than encountering a stranger on the beach, yet crime statistics show the irony in that! Encountering something we cannot explain, something out of our realm of understanding is terrifying. The thought of ghosts are the stuff of spine shivers ... always have been and always will be.

But have you ever wondered why? What is it about the spirit world or ghostly realm that is so entrenched in our psyche? Most of the ghost stories we read or hear about are 46 • Echoes of LBI

simply harmless visions of a loved one who has passed on, or a series of sounds and bumps in the night (Hollywood blockbusters being the exception). For the most part, ghost stories are about sad and lonely spirits looking for a friend or a connection in this world. Ghosts scare us but don’t hurt us, so why do they instil such a sense of dread or fright?

Long Beach Island, like all good nautical ports, has its share of ghost, legends and pirate lore. From the villainous pirates of yesteryear to the countless sightings of a little girl in white, we embrace our spirits fondly and enjoy retelling their stories. Barnegat Light has even put up a historical marker on the site of what is commonly referred to as The Long Beach Massacre.

The Long Beach Massacre is the story of a Colonial ship during the revolution that was patrolling the waters off Barnegat Light, captained by Andrew Steele. As Steele’s ship, the Alligator, cruised by the shore, they came upon a deserted ship in the water. The crew searched the empty ship and found it full of supplies and cargo. The men began transferring goods from the deserted vessel to the Alligator. After many hours of the back breaking work, two dozen or so of the crew rowed to shore for some sleep on the beach before beginning again the next day. What

they didn’t know was that Captain John Bacon, head of a nefarious group of local buccaneers, got wind of the cargo and headed out to claim its booty.

That night, as 26 of the crew slept exhausted on the beach, Bacon’s men crept onto shore and slaughtered the slumbering men in true pirate fashion, pilfering the cargo and slashing their throats.

Only five of the crew survived that mass murder.

Today, questions still remain…Are the spirits of the crew forever walking the beach at Barnegat Light? Is it the departed souls that stir when strange lights and sounds suddenly manifest? Is it the wind or the slaughtered crew whose wail is heard on some dark nights when standing on the 8th Street beach?

Throughout the Island there are stories of hauntings; from Beach Haven’s beloved Little Girl in White, to Surf City’s bad, bad Edward Jennings, who robbed shipwrecked passengers as they lay dead in the sand. That treacherous act alone has provided the Borough with one of the great ghost legends of the Island.

I have been on ghost tours all over the US, England and Amsterdam. From the hundred years of torture and death in Europe to the new spirits on the block in the US, a ghost tour provides fascinating stories of unexplained phenomena, as well as an excellent way to explore the local history. Whether you believe in ghosts or just want to take a lantern lit tour of the town, ghost tours provide a fun night, a stretch of the legs and food for conversation.

As science and technology become more advanced, we discover more ways to seek out the truth surrounding the world of the unexplained; laser heat thermometers, motion detectors, infrared cameras, to name but a few. As a result, perhaps in the not too distant future, science will finally solve the mysteries of the paranormal world.

Ghosts? Electrical energy? Power lines? Dust on a camera lens? Who knows? But no matter how much science may someday quantify, I hope they leave at least 10% unexplained. I hope we always have some bit of doubt, some experience that cannot be explained by physics. Because sitting around the fire on a cold night, or standing on a foggy beach at dusk is still the stuff of which true legends are made.

So, leave us that little bit of wonder, that small piece of the unexplained that sends the chill up our spine. And may all the best stories forever begin with…``It was a dark and stormy night ...

— Maggie O’Neill

The author, Maggie O’Neill, is a full time resident of LBI and real estate agent for C-21 Mary Allen Realty in Ship Bottom.

O’Neill runs INTO THE MYSTIC, a ghost and legends walking tour of Beach Haven. Tours are held each Tuesday and Wednesday night from June 16th – Labor Day, 8:00pm till 9:30pm.

Tours meet at the LBI Historical Museum, Engleside and Beach Ave, Beach Haven. Tickets go on sale 7:00 pm each night of the tour at the Museum. For more information about the tours, call O’Neill at 609-709-1425. Private party tours are available. •

Sailing

Royce Weber — champion sailor from LBI

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48 • Echoes of LBI

oday, I spoke with a national champion and world ranked sailor from LBI, Royce Weber. Royce learned sailing from his three older brothers at the young age of six and eventually reached the ranks of third on the U.S. Sailing Team.

Royce Weber, an LBI native, is an avid sportsman. He loves all sports, the outdoors, and competition. Growing up on LBI, he became extremely good at water sports, specifically sailing. Royce started sailing an Opti when he was six years old. Many of the local yacht clubs on LBI offer lessons for young sailors. Children usually start on an Opti, or a Sunfish if they weigh more than a hundred pounds. Also, most clubs let you use their sailboats the first year so that a parent does not have to go to the expense of purchasing a sailboat if their child doesn’t take to sailing.

Royce sailed an Opti until he was about thirteen, at which time he outsized it. He then moved up to a Laser Radial, which is a smaller version of the standard Laser. Then finally, he moved into the Laser, which is a one-person sailboat that requires much skill, strength, and coordination to operate efficiently.

Being the great athlete he was, Royce excelled in a Laser. He would easily rank in the top five or ten, nationally, with little or no effort. It wasn’t until he started sailing a standard Laser that he began to really step up his efforts. His skills took him around the world, which made sailing even more gratifying for Royce because he enjoyed traveling. He visited England, Canada, Korea, Japan, Brazil and several other countries. In 2008, shortly after the Olympic Pre-Trials, Royce broke his ankle, which severely hurt his chances to qualify for the Olympics. He never was able to do a full Olympic campaign, as the cost was too exorbitant. The U.S. Sailing Team is not as generous with its funding as other countries such as England or New Zealand. Royce qualified for the Youth World Championship in South Korea in 2005; however, all the U.S. Sailing Team would pay for were his accommodations. The cost of a full Olympic campaign is about $40-50,000 and for a college student like himself, this figure is well out of reach.

Currently, Royce coaches sailing at Bay Head Yacht Club, who has also been very supportive of him. Occasionally, he’ll participate in local sailing events on LBI, where his love for sailing began. Last summer, he came in second in the Atlantic Coast Championships even though he had not competed for a year and a half. Throughout all his ventures with sailing, he has always had the support of his family. In addition to sailing, Royce is a competitive surfer and is sponsored by Farias Surf and Sport of LBI. He still loves sailing, but being a young college student, surfing fits into his time schedule and budget. Royce and his family still reside on LBI where he continues to enjoy sailing, surfing and skateboarding. — Rena

by

Hutchison Fiberglass Pools & Spas Sale • Service • Installations Joe Hutchison

Long Beach Island 619 Long Beach Blvd Surf City N.J. 08008 • www.HutchisonPools.com 609 361-0202 • www.VikingPools.net

Things A Drift Robert Sakson is one of New Jersey’s most accomplished watercolorists. He is a fellow of the American Watercolor Society and the New Jersey Watercolor Society. Sakson’s love for Long Beach Island is reflected in his art. He shares his love of LBI by portraying local landmarks and historically significant buildings in his paintings. Robert Sakson’s work is available for viewing in the art book, Long Beach Island Rhapsody, and many of his originals will be shown throughout the summer at Things A Drift.

Long Beach Island Rhapsody Paintings of the Island by Sixty Contemporary Artists. A beautiful coffee table art book featuring more than 280 paintings of Long Beach Island, available at Things A Drift. Join us Oct. 3 for a Long Beach Island Rhapsody book signing and art show.

Meet the artists and have your book signed! Oct 3, 10 a.m. - 3 p.m at 406 Long Beach Blvd. in Ship Bottom. Plus meet author Frank Finale. For more information call 609 361-1668.

Things A Drift Shells, coral, jewelry, hermit crabs, gifts,driftwood, and local history books by local authors. Nautical design consultant - indoors and out. Kitchens, family rooms and mantels are our coastal design specialty, incorporating nautical art, shells, mermaids, natural sea driftwood and more. Feel free to bring pictures of your home for a no obligation consultation. We have a large selection of shells from all over the world, from tiny specimens to the largest Tridacna gigas (525 lbs). Bring your camera in and have a picture taken while sitting in this giant clam.

Culture

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Celebrating 50 years of Ron Jon Surf Shop

n 1959 on the Jersey Shore, a young man named Ron DiMenna was discovering the sport of surfing with fiberglass surfboards. When he wanted his own custom surfboard from California, his father suggested, “Buy three, sell two at a profit, then yours will be free.” His dad was right, and Ron Jon Surf Shop was born.

Ron sold his first boards at the DiMenna family’s grocery store located in Manahawkin on Route 9 and old Route 72. The first two boards displayed in front of the store sold quickly, so Ron bought five more to sell. Those boards didn’t stay on the shelves long, and soon there was a new challenge; finding a location large enough to handle the rapidly expanding inventory of surfboards. After selling boards briefly out of the attic in his house, Ron rented one half of the existing Ron Jon Surf Shop site in Ship Bottom and sold boards out of a trailer. Surfboards were placed on A-frame stands around the outside of the trailer making it like a drive-thru surf shop.

There was no stopping the success of Ron Jon! In 1962, the trailer was traded in, and “The Original” Ron Jon Surf Shop was built at 9th and Central in Ship Bottom. Over the years, the tiny Jersey shore shop expanded and has now become a four-level surf emporium filled with a colossal selection of active lifestyle apparel and board sports equipment. It even features one of the

world’s largest surfboards (more than 24 feet in length)!

Ron traveled to Cocoa Beach, Fla., in 1963 and opened the “One Of A Kind” Ron Jon Surf Shop. This flagship store location is now the world’s largest surf shop and is open 24 hours a day, 365 days a year.

Ron Jon Surf Shop continues to grow, bringing its legacy of surf and fun to people from around the globe. The addition of stores in Fort Lauderdale, Orlando, Key West, Fort Myers and Panama City Beach, Fla., and Myrtle Beach, S.C., brings the Ron Jon surf experience closer to loyal followers in those areas.

The Ron Jon Surf Shop logo has been recognized around the globe for nearly 50 years with only minor revisions. It has been spotted on the space station Mir 200 miles above the earth, and has purportedly embraced one of the long slender legs of the Eiffel Tower. Every day it is seen on vehicles ranging from ’65 Ramblers to ’09 hybrids.

Ron Jon Surf Shop is an icon for people from all walks of life shrugging off the mundane and getting back to the undeniable appeal of the beach and endless possibilities to relax, to play, to push the envelope. No stress, no strings and no boundaries. That is the mystique that is Ron Jon Surf Shop. And it all started with a surfboard on the Jersey Shore ... • Echoes of LBI • 51

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