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Photograph by: John
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iving in the indoor and outdoor spaces of your home has never been more peaceful, or possible, with Reynolds Garden Shop, Floral Market, Nursery & Landscaping.
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Publisher’s Note
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BI is an island for all seasons, but after this winter, we are all looking forward to spring. The photos in our “While You Were Gone” section say it all – ice, snow and record breaking cold kept us all indoors and longing for sunshine and warmer days. Finally, flowers are blooming, the winds are gentle and the days are longer. Mops and brooms are working hard to wash away the recent winter and businesses are enjoying a brisk weekend trade. Welcome back spring! We thought you would never get here.
We are all optimistic for the upcoming summer season. Several new businesses are calling LBI their home. While it is always hard to bid farewell to long-standing friends, such as Captain John’s, the new normal will usher in fresh faces. It is up to all of us to welcome them to our community. Change is an opportunity to begin again, just like spring. My family is the perfect example of change and new beginnings. We welcomed two granddaughters to our lineage, twin girls for my daughter Nicole. They join their sister to bring the total number of my grandkids to six! Even a harsh winter can’t put the freeze on happiness. As my family welcomed our new arrivals, we also welcome back our visitors to LBI, both old and new. Throughout history, the pineapple has been used as a symbol of welcome. That spirit is what Echoes of LBI extends to all of you: homeowners, locals, visitors and businesses. We may not have palm trees in this part of the world, but our spirit of welcome is as warm as any tropical breeze. That special feeling of a warm welcome can be felt from the moment you cross the bridge. Most people get a lift just driving over the causeway. That feeling continues wherever you go on LBI. The sea offers a big hello by offering up shells and colored glass. The bay greets us with calm waters for kayaking. The bike pass under the causeway creates smiles as we peddle the path, and the sun greets us each morning with its glorious rise over the ocean, and bids a spectacular farewell each night as it slips into the bay. Echoes of LBI also welcomes two new writers, Pat Dagnall and Ellen Hammonds. I am happy they have joined the fun along with our seasoned photographers, editors, and fellow writers. Feel free to contact us at Echoes of LBI with story ideas or bits of history and memories you want to share. We, like the pineapple, welcome your comments and friendship. After all, it takes an Island to reflect all of the special feelings we share about LBI. Enjoy the Sunset,
Cheryl Kirby, Publisher
First In • Sunrise Over the Bay, Long Beach Island, NJ Karen Korkuch photo
i n s i d e
Art 8 Photography 14 While You Were Gone 20 Poetry 24 Beach Paws 28 Lifestyle 32 Marine Science 48 50 & Counting 58 Looking Back 62 Lighthouse International Film Festival 72 A Shore Thing 74 Echoes of LBI Magazine • Cheryl Kirby - Owner & Publisher • 609-361-1668 • 406 Long Beach Blvd. • Ship Bottom, NJ • Echoesoflbi.com All content of magazine & website remains copyright of Cheryl Kirby. No part of publication may be reproduced. Advertisers: People collect Echoes of LBI - your ad has the potential to be seen over & over again for years to come! Email articles on history, nostalgia, poetry or art to: EchoesofLBI@gmail.com Magazine Designer - Sara Caruso • Copy Editor - Joyce Poggi Hager Photographers - Marjorie Amon, Sara Caruso, Ron Weise, Diane Stulga and Ryan Johnson Graphic Designer/Pre-press - Vickie VanDoren • Science - Richard L. Goldberg and Sara Caruso Contributors - Maggie O’Neill, Diane Stulga, Carol Freas, Frank Grasso, Pat Dagnall, Ellen Hammonds, Nancy Kunz and Marjorie Amon Cover and content photo by Sara Caruso, description on page 52
Pictured from left to right: Donna Bradley, Wade Bradley, Mark Simmons, Lisa Hill, Merry Simmons, Susan Kilcheski, Jenna Thomas, Colleen Panetta, Kathy Wells, and Debbie Rivas
Art
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olumbus was the first seafarer to not only discover a new island paradise, but a fruit which came to represent the succulence and sweetness associated with this new world and the good life. Over 500 years later, LBI is also celebrating its own “new world” after Sandy, and the pineapple reflects the continued hospitality the island offers to its visitors. From Europe to the American colonies years later, this symbol of hospitality was used to welcome visitors as both a table decoration and an exotic dessert at the end of the meal. Later, the image of this fruit would be permanently displayed in furniture carvings, china and embroidery patterns located in the main rooms of the home, and on bedposts and lamps in the bedrooms. Often during Colonial times, grocers would rent the fruit to those who could not afford to purchase this specialty item, but still wanted their guests to feel welcomed with its display. After visitors left, the pineapple would return to the grocer and be purchased for consumption by a wealthier patron. On Long Beach Island, we encourage you to not only display the symbol of the pineapple along with the usual nautical décor, but also to serve the fruit itself as a reminder to guests that our island continues its tradition as an 18 mile “paradise” here in New Jersey! —Artwork and text by Carol Freas
Page 8 • Echoes of LBI
Artist Carol Boyer
Art
Artist Pat Morgan
Page 10 • Echoes of LBI
Artist Robert Sakson
Artist Carol Freas
Art
Artist Karen Bagnards - Cards available at Things A Drift Page 12 • Echoes of LBI
Photography
Page 14 • Echoes of LBI
Sailboats for Sunfish National Regatta, Brant Beach Yacht Club – Sally Vennel photo
Photography
Cheryl Kirby photo Page 16 • Echoes of LBI
Marjorie Amon photos
Photography
Sara Caruso photo
Wild rose bush in the dunes. Sally Vennel photo Page 18 • Echoes of LBI
Since 1974 Long Beach Island's only custom surfboard company and largest distributor of wave riding vehicles for over 30 years. Stop by and watch boards being shaped! Free Surf Lessons! Call store for details.
Footwear • Watches • DVDs • Women’s, Men’s & Kids’ Clothing • Surfboards • Sunglasses • Wave Riding Vehicle Sales/Rentals • Large Selection of Wetsuits Uggs and so much more! 609-494-3555 • Surfinglbi.com 1820 Long Beach Blvd Ship Bottom, NJ 08008
Cheryl Kirby photo Page 20 • Echoes of LBI
Ryan Johnson photo
e lov a I and mans ! h s e u o is J my h ith m e s namt give ome w y I Hi mnow! stay h s CT! o t e E h e F t nc RRcha U P
Photo and Text byDiane Stulga
"Santa Claws" Sara Caruso photo
While You Were Gone
Diane Stulga photos Page 22 • Echoes of LBI
wyndecrest home interior design & home furnishings lee industries, ralph lauren home, jonathan adler, visual comfort lighting, jill rosenwald, dash and albert rigs, john robshaw textiles, bungalow 5, currey and co., baatrice ball, julian chichester, & unique vintage finds
please come and visit our expanded showroom bay ave and 2nd st, beach haven 609.492.7030
Poetry Gretel Kneeling on a wooden bench like a small girl waiting for communion, she bows her head, looks up, begins to print on the chalk board— specials for the day. Tac... tac... tac... A neat line of luminous white letters emerge from the black. A white dust sifts down from where the chalk stick clicks slate and scrapes another letter. When finished, she steps away, brushes her hands on her jeans. Her blond hair sways as she tilts her head to gain perspective. There! she smiles. Pleased, she bounces back behind the bar of the Dutchman's where she lifts the spirits to folks gathered round. Hi! What can I getcha? -Frank Finale
Pat Morgan painting Winter Tarries
Searching Early morning, Alone with Self-important gulls, I walk the beach Searching For sea glass, Hoping For treasure, Finding only Fractured shells, Sea stones And frustration, Wishing I could find Something More whole. At my feet
Page 24 • Echoes of LBI
A clam – two Soup bowls Hinged, Tightly closed Protecting An inner soul. In my hand Its hefty weight Says I am alive. I heave it As far as I can, Returning it To the sea, Feeling for the moment Connected And less Alone. —Richard Morgan Hebrew Lessons: Poems From My Jewish Heart
Winter tarries in the folds of spring, Shorebirds squat on a melting lake, Six birds ascend into a silver sky. Rainbow colors flash in liquid sunshine, Sentries to the languid lake, Mergansers slope on a lamppost. One lone duck lingers, Companion to the ice, Waiting…waiting, For a fishy meal. —Lynn Reebe
Relationships and raindrops that linger on surfaces after a storm are a lot alike. At first glance each is unique, full of promise and so heartbreakingly beautiful you'll find yourself wishing the miracle of their presence could last forever — even if you're not the type who believes in miracles. But nothing lasts forever — and that goes for raindrops as well as relationships. Forces of nature and circumstances of time can conspire and cause each to slip away and evaporate into thin air. Sometimes the best you can do is wait for another round of stormy weather to pass, believe in miracles, and hope with all your heart for another round of raindrops. Marjorie Amon photo and text
Unrequited Love
As The Sun Will Shine As the sun will shine, so the rain must fall, Shadows will silhouette on pavement walls, Moonlight will glow as summer night falls, You’ve surely been blessed, if you’ve seen them all. The whisper of the wind, against the ocean’s mighty roar, The pounding of a hail storm, on boardwalks by the shore, And the sounds of children’s laughter, muffling the cry of one’s fall, You’ve surely been blessed, if you ve heard them all.
The ocean does not need me. It does not need me for the tides to ebb and flow, Or waves to wash up on the beach, Or for its shore to exist. The ocean is unconcerned with my life. It was here long before I knew its power, And will go on long after my last breath.
A gentle gasp of a newborn child, upon the hands of one so strong, The clam warm breeze of a summer night, Humming to the tune of a one note song, Blessed be the children who sing along.
I am inconsequential to the sea.
-Victor V. Costa
-Maggie O’Neill
The ocean does not need me. But oh, its beauty fills my soul.
Submissions accepted at echoesoflbi@gmail.com/Please include writer’s name
Poetry The Beach Won’t Go Away
The Sea Captures My Soul
I still remember the beach house Always painted blue Running to the beach We didn’t bring our shoes Too cold shower water We didn’t care at all Sand between our toes Bare feet in the hall
The beach is where my heart is, the place I relate to home and comfort.
I remember going home Crying ‘till our eyes were dry But grandpa said to us You don’t have to say goodbye ‘Cause next year we’ll be here again In the same place we will stay Don’t worry little children The beach won’t go away Every year the same story Just add another page Acting like little kids No matter what our age But this time was different Crying ‘till our eyes were dry When grandpa didn’t say Not to say goodbye Next year we didn’t come again Not in the same place we always stay But don’t worry little children The beach won’t go away
I look to and long for the days when sand fills the gaps between my toes, and wave’s crash and flow together creating music to my ears. Each shell is a mosaic of nature; hand picked and tumbled by mother earth. Calm, peace, serenity, and warmth. I relax in the calm; quietly enjoy the peace; I drink in the serenity; and nap in the warmth. I smile at the sight and smells and sounds reminiscent of the ocean pure. Time stands still when I am at the beach, though in reality- time never waits; this does not bother me when I am at home with the sea. Hourglasses tick away at each moment ever so slowly, and I am drunk in awe of the natural beauty and love that surrounds me and captures my soul. —Alexys Cloran
—Anna Cerutti, Age 14
Shells There are millions of shells in the sea, Each one is beautiful and unique to me, There are just so many types of shell, Each one has their own story to tell. Some shells stay forever in the ocean’s sand, While others come on shore and stay on land, There are clam shells, conk shells and oyster shells too, They are all of my favorites, how about you? —Meghan Hall, Age 10 Tom Lynch / Angry Fish photo Page 26 • Echoes of LBI
Blue America
Beach Paws
"Thank You Doc Sharon" from Tiny "Sophia Katherine" From the photo collection of Sharon Dailey and Pat Dengler
Gigi's Canine Beach Safety Tips • Provide plenty of fresh water and shade for your dog. • Limit your dog's exposure to the sun and apply sunblock to his ears and nose 30 minutes before going outside. • Check with a lifeguard for daily water conditions – dogs are easy targets for jellyfish and sea lice. • If your dog is out of shape, don't encourage him to run on the sand as they can easily pull a tendon or ligament. • Cool ocean water is tempting to your dog. Do not allow him to drink too much seawater. The salt in the water will make him sick. • Not all beaches permit dogs. Check local ordinances before you begin your excursion to the beach. Oh, and one more thing, please pick up your poop! The beach may look like a litter box, but I'm a dog not a cat! Page 28 • Echoes of LBI
Hermits Hunker Down W
inter is the time of year where we all feel like crawling into a ball and hibernating. After the rush of the holidays and celebrations of the New Year, we come to realize that we still have two full months of cold no matter what the little groundhog predicts. And while we can just cuddle up under the blanket by the fire place to keep warm, not all living things are so lucky. Keeping your pets warm and safe during the winter season is incredibly important, but what if the pet in question isn't your run of the mill animal friend? Take for example, the hermit crab, which has a hard exoskeleton combined with a portable shell to protect it from the elements. However, hermit crabs are more vulnerable then they first appear and can be effected by the changing seasons even more than other animals. Cold blooded animals, such as crabs and reptiles, are the most at risk for temperature related illness when the seasons change. With hermit crabs, severe or sudden fluctuations can cause both internal and external damage. In the winter, cold temperatures below 65 degrees fahrenheit cause these little guys to go into a state of torpor, similar to hibernation, in order to preserve their vitals. Some pet owners try to remedy this with aquarium heaters, which are fine if the person knows how hot it's getting in the crab's environment and can monitor the temperature gradually rising. Too cold and a crab will drop it's big claw and sometimes all of it's legs. While they can regrow them, it's usually a sign that the
animal is too stressed from the cold and will die soon after. Too hot and the crabs will “spit up� a dark brown or black bile like substance. Crabs in this state rarely survive over 24 hours from the first sign of bile. Hermit crabs have a fine line between the temperature they like versus what will kill them, so monitoring it with humidity is key to keeping your hermits happy and healthy. If temperatures get too cold I recommend removing the crabs from their habitat (unless they are buried, then leave them) and gently wrapping them in bubble wrap and placing them in a soft insulated lunch bag. It sounds ridiculous, but the insulating qualities of the bag combined with the protective outer layer of bubble wrap will keep them warm and safe for quite some time. It is a must if you loose power or your heater is on the fritz to keep them warm. It is no guarantee, but it's better than watching all their legs fall off from temperature stress. Shells can only keep them warm up to a point and if the shell has thin walls then they are going to be more effected by the seasonal change. When choosing a shell for your crab, first make sure the size will work and then hold it up to a light source. If you can see too much light coming through the wall of the shell, it's probably too thin for a crab to regulate his temperatures properly. After all, they are not souvenirs, they are pets and we have to keep them safe and warm over the harsh winter months. —Sara Caruso
Beach Paws
W
e were a family but, at the same time, we were as separate as could be. When Serena and I married, I moved from my house with my four cats to Serena’s where she lived with her kids and their dog. As we grew closer, everything became ours. It might never have ever happened at all but for a little ball of fire named Bruce Lee. Serena’s three boys had gone to the local animal shelter to get me a gift. They told her they had found a cat that looked just like Smoke, my first cat whom I loved deeply. Even though Serena is not a cat person, she wanted to make me happy and agreed to the adoption. The plan was that the kids would adopt the cat while we were away and surprise me with it when we returned. But when the boys went back to the animal shelter, the kitten had already been adopted. Instead, they returned with the most adorable puff of orange you have ever seen.
Something happened in that moment that forever altered our history as a family. This beautiful little kitten wasn’t my cat or their cat; he was ours. He was fast as lightening and darting here and there so quickly reminding us of the Kung Fu master Bruce Lee. So, together, we named him Bruce Lee. More depended on Bruce than was first apparent. What if he didn’t get along with my Dune, Frisco, Annabelle and Max? What if he infected them with a shelter sickness? It would have been a difficult blow to handle in a family situation that was already fragile. But Bruce Lee was the happiest, most energetic, joyous little guy you could imagine. He had no cat hangups (they are famous for them), I never once saw him hiss at anything or anyone. We loved him instantly. I strongly believe in the power of intention. Bruce helped solidify us as a family. When you picked him up, he would put his arms around your neck like a person. He became famous among our friends. When he was younger, he loved to sit on your shoulder or your back and many a guest would be quite surprised to suddenly find a little orange puffball on his or her shoulder. We were so proud of Bruce and unified in our love for him, even when Joel and Josh moved to California. We lost my beloved Dune cat in 2011 and our Golden Retriever, Kallon, in 2012, each having graced our lives for 15 years. Bruce was relatively young and we looked forward to him being with us for many years. Every day he was there, happy, loving, and consistent as a clock but on Saturday, December 7, 2013, the clock stopped. I had no warning, no chance to say goodbye. He was seemingly in perfect health but when I went downstairs to feed him that morning, my Frisco greeted me with a plaintive cry and Bruce did not look up at me. I buried him along side Dune and Max, his big brothers. I also buried the piece of my heart. Our shelter cat was priceless. All the money in the world could not have helped us as a family. But Bruce did. And he cost nothing. I’m always perplexed when people find animals valueless and dismiss the special bonds of love that can exist between us and these special friends. Love is its own validation. It is what my song Good Friends Are Hard To Find is all about. At the end of the piece I wrote about my first cat, Smoke, for the Bella Moss foundation and the Good Friends Are Hard To Find video, I said that after 15 years it still hurt so much, but I didn’t mind the pain, because Smoke was so worth it. I am in deep pain right now as I write this yet “Bruce Juice” was so worth it because he was sweet and loving and because he wasn’t mine — he was ours. —Jimmy White
Page 30 • Echoes of LBI
Established 1950
Home of the Original French Fried Lobster Open Daily from 5pm • Early Birds Deduct 10% Off EntreÉs • Must be Seated by 5:45pm • Children's and Take-Out Menus Available 33 Street •Beach Haven Gardens, NJ • 609.492.2319 howardsrestaurant.com
Lifestyle
North End Bayfront shower of natural wood and stone. Copyright: johnmartinelliphotography.com
Page 32 • Echoes of LBI
E
very outdoor shower has a per sonality all its own. Obviously, that personality is shaped by the ho me and the people who live the re, but often a translator is needed to under stand how to create a space tha t delivers exactly what home and homeow ner require.
Lifestyle When the translator — also known as the designer — is fluent in people and place, it becomes a seamless conversation and a seamless match. When one family with three young girls began to explore what their outdoor shower could look like with designer/contractor Mark Reynolds of Reynolds Landscaping, Reynolds, a father of three and grandfather of two, heard the undercurrent of what the couple was saying even if they didn’t. What resulted was a shower that not only provided the aesthetics of contrasting woods and natural sunlight, beautiful yet functional and sturdy fixtures, and great ventilation, but also accommodated more than one rambunctious child at the same time: multiple benches and showerheads, plus plenty of room in which to move or even horse around. Beyond the individuality of each space and family, living on the bay or on the ocean creates subtly different lives: boogie boards or boats, sand or wind. Whatever your story is, you want your outside shower to be able to make it as easy as possible to transition from water to land, from outside to inside, from chilling to entertaining. Although many of the showers Reynolds designs and builds are in locations that have never had an outside shower, sometimes the construction team must work with an existing footprint — with cement board and a basic showerhead someone installed years ago. Either way, Mark Reynolds is committed to providing a client with the shower of their dreams. Mark loves this island, and knows it like the back of his hand. Settled since 1690, LBI — only 18 miles long, a fifth of a mile wide at its narrowest and a half mile at its widest — continues to be a place of intense beauty. He wants each client to be able to take advantage of that beauty from every point on their property — including the shower.
Center Island cedar and IPE wood shower with towel storage. jeffreytotaro.com
For Mark Reynolds, that means selecting the best, the most appropriate, the most durable, and the most beautiful materials for these oases. Some locations call for mahogany, others for cedar; the list is long: teak, ipe, riverstone, quartz, tile, glass, and so much more. Other than beauty, the only other serious requirement is the water and salt tolerance of the material. A few steps from the pool, the bayfront shower (shown on the previous page) blends materials throughout the changing/shower areas: cedar and ipe, smooth riverstone pebble floor tiles, the wall of ledge-quartz, and the sunlight that filters through the frosted glass of both the exterior and interior walls. Highlighting the organic nature of an LBI summer, the oceanfront outdoor shower (shown to the right) opens right onto a privacy dune that survived Hurricane Sandy, with easy access to the beach and ocean beyond, and yet the shower itself speaks privacy. Note the contrasts: in wood (weathered and unweathered cedar), plantings (shrubs, greenery, colorful perennial sedum), and light (both natural and the over-theshoulder downlight that will ultimately complement the night sky). As spring draws closer to summer, Reynolds Landscaping is working on a shower project in Beach Haven so that it will be ready for its owners once the season begins. Others are on the drawing board. Although outside showers have been a part of the LBI summer experience for decades, more residents are beginning to recognize their value beyond just discarding that sand and grit. They may even be recognizing that summer showers are magical. What else do you know that can, if done right, accommodate the serene or the active; a boisterous family, beach party, or a couple’s quiet “date night” — all while confirming that the living can be easy. Well, that is as long as you shower outside in warm weather. —Annaliese Jakimides Page 34 • Echoes of LBI
Oceanfront cedar shower on the South End with changing room and saloon doors. jeffreytotaro.com
Cell: 609.661.1586
amybird209@aol.com
Lifestyle
Drew’s Doodling F
rom designs including Cliburn cats, 76ers and Nicks, to hip-hop and rap, sneakers are everywhere. Now artist Drew Flagler has taken these worldwide favorites to a new level by individualizing each pair with flair. "My sneakers are a little cartoon, a little abstract, and sort of realistic," says the 22 year-old Beach Haven and Califon, NJ resident. A graduate of Stockton College, he describes his evolution to handpainted sneakers: "I’ve always been a doodler. Now I create themes on special order sneakers." Using Sharpies and special paint markers, Drew has experimented with oil-based paint for outlining and detail and water-based paint that bleeds ensuring mellow backgrounds. Each pair of sneakers takes six to ten hours to complete. After receiving a pair of sneakers, Drew finds out about his client’s lifestyle and interests. He paints intricate, uniquely abstract posters, though admits they take a lot of time and can be costly. Drew’s first effort was an Ice Age Arctic theme: humpback whales, icebergs, mountain tops, wooly mammoths, saber tooth tigers, and the northern lights continuing around each shoe as sky. Fall is celebrated on a pair of orange Vans where red apples, fall leaves, baskets, harvest moons, and dark sunsets erupt as he uses lines and stitching to his advantage. A pair of nautical sneakers start as pale turquoise. Hours later they feature sea urchins, squid eyes, purple scallop shells, and sea grasses. Drew must continually adjust as colors come up differently than he might have originally thought. A jungle look features sloths, toucans (using seams to make the beaks stand out), yellow faces, half leopard faces, purple and pink noses, and spots. Drew started painting when he was a child, doodling in class making faces from numbers. Soon lacrosse took over and he took only a few basic art courses over the years and graduated from college with a communications degree. "In college I figured out my style. I started painting sneakers six months ago when my roommate handed me a pair of slip-on Vans. Now my hobby is becoming a real passion. I think about it constantly, zone out, and don’t even answer my phone at times. It is becoming a necessity for my happiness and livelihood." The color of the sneakers and type are taken into consideration, as colors emerge in different ways. His sneakers have a 3D look, almost
a shadow box effect. Themes are continued across the front, around the outsides and backs, even onto the tongues and laces. "I’m not good at drawing things realistically, I don’t have the eye, I have an abstract way of portraying my art," Drew says, taking his talent to unknown heights. "I never will plateau. With each pair of shoes I do, I get better. Hopefully I can interest a shoe company; I can see an end game here. My art is limitless." The arts run in the Flagler genes. Drew’s great grandfather painted and his grandmother, Marilyn Flagler, has become an Ocean County celebrity, painting realism (Marilyn and her husband Phil were featured in the 2013 Endless Summer Holiday Edition of Echoes of LBI). Drew’s father, Tim, is a top-notch video producer with his own company. Already Drew Flagler has made a name for himself on the local art scene. He designed the children’s menu at Buckalew’s as well as the official Buckalew’s Chowderfest t-shirt. He drew a unique pirate ship for the restaurant’s booth at the 2013 Chowderfest, winning for best booth and enthusiasm.
with the Episcopal Church symbol and bibles. Word has it that Father Frank has worn them at a few Sunday services and a christening. Proudly marketing his creations by wearing his own art form, Drew attracts admirers from young children to seniors. "As a student coming out of college, it’s hard to get a job. I am in the preliminary stages of figuring out what I can do in the drawing spectrum. I feel like I can succeed with painting shoes. My artwork is universal, it can connect with everyone. I draw something people like; I want them to smile." In the near future, Drew sees himself traveling and working festivals with music. And, of course, continuing his dream of painting custom designs on sneakers. Confident in his work, Drew Flagler is his own best salesman: "Not many people can draw on shoes as well as I can — mine are cooler." Drew’s work has taken off in other directions. Having worked on skateboards, bags, aprons, and posters, he is "still experimenting with different niche painting — anything anyone will let me put a marker to."—Gretchen F. Coyle
Granny Flager proudly wears her aqua Vans sneakers detailing a shack, marshes, sailboats, rope and flowers. A special pair adorns the feet of Father Frank Crumbaugh of Beach Haven’s Holy Innocents Episcopal Church. "Father Frank gave me a list of things he liked," Drew relates. One can only imagine the difficulty incorporating duck hunting, fishing, and boating
"My artwork is universal, it can connect with everyone." Photography and Artwork by Drew Flagler
Lifestyle
T
he Garden Club of Long Beach Island sponsors many projects. Some support their scholarship funds and others provide education for the public. An Art in Bloom Show at the Noyes has been a biennial project of the Garden Club since 2006 in an endeavor to present flower designing as living art. The concept of an Art in Bloom Flower Show was first introduced by Boston’s Museum of Fine Art in the spring of 1976. Their goal was to enrich the spirits of Bostonians by coupling magnificent fine art pieces from the museum’s permanent collection with fresh flower arrangements designed by some of the city’s most renowned floral professionals. In 2006, Andrea Rudner, past president of the Garden Club, introduced the idea of Art in Bloom to Gay Walling, director of the Noyes Museum at the time. Andrea convinced Gay that the Garden Club would provide the museum with unique floral designs to compliment the gallery’s art. They did and Andrea served as the chairperson for the next four successful shows. This year Andrea turned the responsibility of the 2014 Show over to Serena White who used our exceptionally cold winter to plan for a spring Art in Bloom Show. Co-Chairs were chosen and a committee of
volunteer helpers and floral designers came together for the initial planning. In past years, other garden clubs affiliated with the Garden Club of New Jersey have participated in the show. Unfortunately, because of the wide-reaching effects of Superstorm Sandy, this year they declined the invitation. So Art in Bloom at the Noyes became the sole responsibility of the members of the Garden Club of LBI and the process began. The artwork selected by the museum for the 2014 Art in Bloom Show was by Fabio Mazzieri. Mazzieri is an Italian artist who calls Siena, Italy his hometown. His piece Tense Days — Colors of Siena was on display as part of the Memory of Material Exhibit. Mazzieri’s art was a creative challenge for the floral designers. Unlike most art, it isn’t stretched, framed, or hung on gallery walls. His vibrant canvases, often as long as 100 feet, are draped from ceiling beams to floor carrying the eye and imagination of the viewer with them. Some canvases are 100-year-old linen, part of a wedding dowry woven by
Local artists Pat Morgan and Irene Bausmith discuss containers with Lori Anderson. Page 38 • Echoes of LBI
Elia Jenkins, a young "Creative Spark"
Debbie Ayres making her final touch.
Mazzieri’s grandmother and found in an old family chest. Discovery of this primitive loom material inspired Mazzieri to paint the fabric — responding to each fold and uneven discoloration with an imagination that became the source for his Tesi, Piegatie e Aperti (Draping, Folded and Open) series. The installation of a Mazzieri’s exhibit is crucial to the viewer’s experience. It was both the art and the installation that influenced the arrangements of the floral designers. A month before Art in Bloom was scheduled to open, the committee visited the Noyes and the designers selected the canvas they would interpret. Twenty-four hours prior to the show’s opening, designers and helpers descended on the museum with oasis, containers, and more than twenty buckets of flowers. The transformation began. Some designers delivered their completed arrangements the morning of the show. Each arrangement was displayed with the same passionate conviction as the canvases that dominated the museum’s Modern Gallery. The Art in Bloom Show opened on a Friday evening with a Wine Sip for close to 200 Museum and Garden Club members and guests. The public was invited over the weekend during regular museum hours. On Saturday, LBI Garden Club members presented a special children’s hands-on Floral Arranging Class for the Noyes’ Creative Sparks program. —Photography and text by Nancy Kunz
Gene Flory delivering Sue Vehslage’s arrangement.
Lifestyle
Page 40 • Echoes of LBI
B
eekeeping on Long Beach Island is one sweet idea that's about to take flight. Honey-loving hobbyists all over the Garden State have been busy tending hives in their backyards. What about on a barrier island? The buzz right now is that a handful of LBI gardeners are buying beehives. Honeybees like to be by the beautiful sea. They enjoy the scent of a salt breeze as much as we do and, unlike shoe bees, honeybees stick around. They like to pollinate and LBI has plenty of island vegetation to seduce them. Michael Long, owner of Uriah Creek Apiaries in Parkertown, NJ, says Long Beach Island is hospitable to honeybees. "They like the salt air, they enjoy having salt in their diet, and the sedges around here attract the bees. Islanders like having bees because they help with garden plants and then of course there's the honey." As an apiculturist (beekeeper), Long isn't into beekeeping just for the honey, although he does make and sell a variety of bee by-products. Long's passion is pollination. And the disappearance of it because of pollution is a major bee in his bonnet. Nothing bugs Long more than weed killer. "Don't get me started," he says. "Pesticides kill bees, nitrogen issues in the bay, Roundup in our water, chemicals and no food — that's what affects the bee population." Long has been populating bees since 2007 after he noticed reduced harvest levels on his home orchard and gardens. What did grow he said was ugly and inedible. "I figured lack of pollination was to blame." Long says the disappearance of natural pollinators such as birds, bats, butterflies and moths led to the lack of pollination. He believes their falloff was caused by the loss of natural habitats due to overdevelopment, lack of food, and pesticide pollution. To remedy this and save his crops, Long, like many farmers, turned to the Apis mellifera, the humble honeybee. When it comes to pollination, Jersey bees, like Jersey girls, just like to do it better by working harder. The fact that honeybees work hard and need protection from pollution, viruses and stress cannot be overstated, especially if you enjoy eating. Bees pollinate the blossoms that bear fruit and vegetables, blueberries, cranberries, pumpkins and other vine plants. Without honeybees, the damage to New Jersey's agriculture industry would be staggering. On Long Beach Island, these pollination powerhouses proved especially helpful after Hurricane Sandy. "They've helped with the recovery of indigenous plants such as beach plums and bay heather, spice bush and seaside goldenrod," says Long. “Bees will help bring back plants damaged during the storm which creates more plants which brings back other wildlife." Like his bees, Long is a hard worker. Part of his time is spent providing pollination services to small farmers and gardeners by trucking portable wooden boxes or beehives of honeybees to
their fields. Long will also help you set up your own backyard beehives by providing classes, instructions and supplies. And if all you want to do is take home the honey, he'll take care of everything else with his Adopt-a-Hive program. Bees can be cranky but beekeepers like Long are very gracious. The day I arrived at Uriah Creek, Long asked me two questions: "Are you squeamish?” and “Do you mind getting stung?" The honey heist begins when Long stokes a handheld smoker with sticks and leaves he gathers on his property. "The smoke works to calm the bees," he explains. "They burrow down and protect the queen." Long states many types of people become beekeepers: "Lawyers, retired folks, 4-H leaders. Many beekeepers happen to be surfers. They get into it because they want the pure beeswax for their boards," he says. "I make and sell my own cold water surf wax called Creekwax. It's made from organic beeswax from my hives, coconut oil and frankincense resin." Long's bees live out their lives in hives made out of wooden boxes stacked on his property. Each box is a colony filled with approximately 20,000 bees where the bees breed, make honey and spend their winters. He carefully lifted the lid on the top of one of the boxes and told me to stay calm and try not to move while he pumps smoke inside. From inside the box I hear a long, steady, buzzy hum. What Long lifted out from the wooden box resembled a picture frame. On the frame is a comb studded with cells, each filled with honey. Bees cling to the frame like writhing survivors on the Titanic. Look closely enough and you will see one, lone queen surrounded by her devoted workers. In winter Long says the workers protect the queen by surrounding her and moving their wings to keep the warm air circulating. “It must be good to be queen, right?” I ask. "Not really, " says Long. "When she gets too old, the workers kill her and look for a much younger queen." Using a metal scraper, Long relocates the bees off the frame. Most don't seem to mind being moved, but some do get their stingers out of joint. He peels off the wax and the frame is placed in an extractor that removes the honey and preserves the comb. Aside from the honey and the pollination I asked Long what is it he loves best about bees. He paused for a moment. "Bees put you in touch with creation and with your Creator," he says simply. "Pollination is creation and pollination is good for you." Bzzzzt. Getting stung, not so much. —Photography and text by Marjorie Amon In addition to pollination services, personal instruction on beekeeping, bees for apitherapy and bee venom sting service, Uriah Creek Apiaries also sells cold processed, raw honey, Creekwax, an all-organic wax for surfboards, pure beeswax, beeswax candles and beeswax Christmas ornaments. For more information or inquiries, contact Michael Long at 732-330-5840 or email him at beekeeper@uriahcreek.com.
Lifestyle
One of the wall plates depicting the Fireman's Prayer. Tony Perpetua photo
Fireman’s Prayer Plaque
P
erhaps you saw the holiday edition of the TV show "Restaurant Impossible" where Chef Robert Irvine and his team came to LBI to help the Ship Bottom Volunteer Fire Company and LBI Pancake House recover from some of the major damage sustained from Superstorm Sandy. Irvine, an expert in the restaurant field, works with owners by providing ideas to grow their business and update their decor. They do this in 48 hours with volunteers who come to get their hands dirty, many times working through the night to get done in time for the reveal. The team remodeled the LBI Pancake House and the kitchen in the firehouse. The firehouse is not only used to feed our dedicated firefighters, but the kitchen is used for events when the hall is rented to help offset the expenses that volunteer fire companies have. As a bonus, Irvine and his team transformed the upstairs meeting room where our fire company volunteers and those from many other towns came to help after the storm. The upstairs meeting room was extremely outdated, dusty, dingy and filled with old furniture that had been donated. One of the biggest surprises of the reveal at the firehouse was the huge plaque on the wall engraved with "The Fireman's Prayer." Page 42 • Echoes of LBI
When you watch the show, you see my husband Wade Bradley, Chief of the Ship Bottom Volunteer Fire Company, get choked up as they were packing things up for the renovation and came across a plate with the Fireman's Prayer on it. Robert asked him about it and observed its importance. Whether it was fate or coincidence, Tony Perpetua, a successful businessman and cabinetmaker, happened to be on vacation in late August 2013 when the transformations and filming took place. He saw a message on Facebook stating volunteers were needed and thought, Why not? I can help. Tony was volunteering at the LBI Pancake House, not the firehouse, on the day Cheryl, the designer, asked him what they wanted to do with the powerful words that every fireman lives by. After seeing Wade read the prayer, she went to Irvine with the plate and then to Tony and told him about it. A new design was created and emailed it to Tony who stayed up until 2am writing the program. Time was ticking and the project reveal was later that day; the discussion about how to use the fireman’s prayer had just taken place that afternoon. A very intricate font meant it took much longer than expected. Once
the words were set in the program, it would still take eight hours to sand it, add the glue and press the stainless steel. Tony’s crew worked overtime to get it done for the courier to pick it up at 2pm and deliver it to the work site.
"Restaurant Impossible" remodeled room. Tony Perpetua photo
Tony Perpetua Sr., a fireman for 28 years in center city Philadelphia, put the two pieces in his SUV and drove it from PA to LBI. The plaque was finished and on the wall at 11pm that night before the big reveal. Tony was handed the idea Tuesday afternoon, Tuesday eve it was designed, Tony wrote the program until 2am Wednesday, and it went up on the wall at 11pm. Tony then returned to his volunteer position on Thursday to finish painting lampshades at LBI Pancake House. To some this might not have seemed like much of a vacation but to Tony, who has a huge heart, this was what he was supposed to do that week in August 2013. Tony and his crew fall right in line with Robert Irvine’s mantra, "Nothing is impossible." This plaque is the first thing you see when you walk into the new Robert Irvine Lounge at the Ship Bottom Volunteer Fire Company.—Donna Bradley
n o s r e Gib Environmental Helping LBI residents recover & rebuild after “Sandy” Military Trained • OSHA Certified • NJ Licensed & Insured Air quality and mold testing Mold remediation using eco friendly solution Asbestos abatement & removal
Fred Giberson 609.891.6100 Asbestos Lic #01207 • HIC #13VH07469800
Lifestyle
Cheryl Syminink with her surfboard mosaic Jack Reynolds photo
From Sea to Shining 'C'
W
hen she was a little girl, Cheryl Syminink showed artistic talent when she made a robe for her Barbie doll. Her mother sent her to sewing classes and Cheryl also received guidance from her father Bill and her Grandma Ann. After graduating high school, Cheryl began pursuing art full-time. She was influenced by one of her Girl Scout leaders, Pat Heaney, who urged Cheryl to pursue an apprenticeship working with glass. After five years, she branched out on her own. A two-car garage behind her home serves as Cheryl’s studio. Her materials include wood, glass, silver, metal stamping, oil paint, watercolors, stained glass and fused glass. Cheryl’s first mosaic was a peacock. All of her pieces are unique and personal: glass bead bracelets, glass mosaics, fused glass, surfboard mosaics, pillows, paintings and sewing. Bird mosaics and anything having to do with the outdoors and nature are her favorite subjects. Greeting cards, posters, canvas prints, acrylic prints as well as stationery and nautical ornaments are some of the many items she has created over time. It’s easy to see the connection Cheryl has with every piece of her art. Her inspiration comes from both nature walks and from sea to shining “C.” The sea touches her soul and has been the source of many ideas. Her talent is clearly demonstrated in every piece of work. Cheryl’s waves of creativity are as endless as the ocean’s tides! It was serendipitous that Cheryl met the love of her life, her husband Jack Reynolds, right here on LBI in an art gallery parking lot. —Diane Stulga
Page 44 • Echoes of LBI
Cheryl's glass mermaid Jack Reynolds photo
Performance Bikes For All Levels!
Family owned for more than 54 years, Walters Bikes is LBI’s only full service bike shop. Check out our huge selection of mountain and road bikes, hybrids, cruisers, townies, and BMX bikes. All in stock. Famous brands like Trek, Schwinn, Giant and Eastern & more. Open all year with sales, service & smiles!
418 Long Beach Blvd • Ship Bottom, NJ 08008 • 609-494-1991
Lifestyle
T
he familiar image of swashbuckling pirates was created by Robert Lewis Stevenson in his book Treasure Island. Every scalawag and buccaneer with an eye patch and a parrot on his shoulder has, in some part, Stevenson’s ink on their character. The legend of pirates and seafaring scamps has captured our imagination for centuries. Historically, pirates were heartless thugs, but our enthusiasm for idealizing them into heroes has not dampened over time. The image of a rogue captain sailing his ship in warm island breezes wearing a fancy white shirt and a three-pointed hat is too romantic to ignore. As for what they drink, just ask any grade school child to complete this sentence: Yo ho ho and a bottle of __? From the British West Indies to the Caribbean islands, rum has long been the pirate’s drink of choice. No other alcohol can claim quite the same panache as the scalawag’s mighty grog, conjuring up a world filled with ships, romance, danger, wealth and decadence. Rum is so closely tied to excitement on the high seas that it became the catchall name for bootlegging during Prohibition. During the 1920s, Prohibition was the law of the land, but the American spirit for drinking spirits found a way to circumvent that ruling. The act of procuring illegal alcohol was big business, often referred to as Rum Running. The name comes from ships that were stationed 12 miles off shore, loaded with contraband booze. Once anchored, they waited for men in high-powered speedboats to sneak out at night under cover and off load the booty. The speedboats would then run the booze back to land. The 12-mile mark where the smugglers anchored became known as Rum Row, and the men who hauled it in were called Rum Runners. Rum was relatively cheap to produce. The contraband bounty being smuggled was most
likely whiskey. Whiskey and scotch were more expensive and harder to get than rum, allowing a better return on investment. Yet the rumrunner name endures. The waters off the NJ coast were no exception to this practice. In fact, proximity to Philadelphia and New York made our coastline a hotbed of rum running activity. Illegal booze was smuggled to a dock on the bay or the beach where waiting gangsters hauled it off to the cities for big money. Locals managed to skim enough cases of booze off the top to serve in the speakeasies of LBI. It wasn’t illegal to drink alcohol, only to make or sell it. That small technicality was ignored by most of the local drinking establishments at the time, such as the Hotel Waverly (now the Hudson House), the Baldwin, the Strand, the Acme (now the Ketch), the Antler, the Clearview and the Sunset Hotel. Mixed in with the hotels were fishing and gunning clubs as well as neighborhood homes that could always be counted on to have a stash of the good stuff — scotch or whiskey right off the boat. Old sailing vessels of yesteryear loaded with chests of gold doubloons and the likes of a Captain Jack Sparrow is a cinematic vision of a rum drinking pirate. Our local rumrunners shared the same rogue spirit, they just did it with smaller, faster boats and ordinary clothes. Researching the world of rum running inspired me to channel my inner Anne Bonny, a famous female pirate, and visit one of LBI’s iconic drinking establishments. Since I don’t own an old sailing vessel, I grabbed a designated driver and headed out to Buckalews to drink some rum.
John and Theresa (left), sitting at the bar, were happy to join our conversation on rum and scalawags. Ed and Susie (right), also joined the rum discussion. Cheryl Kirby photos. Page 46 • Echoes of LBI
Our bartender, PJ, walked me through the different brands. I ordered a Pyrat Rum and ginger ale. It may be spelled differently, but I couldn’t pass up a name like Pyrat. John and Theresa, sitting at the bar, were happy to join our conversation on rum and scalawags. She said when she thinks of pirates, Johnny Depp in Disney's Pirates of the Caribbean come to mind. John said he used to be a pirate, but “Since I got married, my pirate days are gone.” He may have a point, as I can’t think of any famous pirate who is betrothed. Kyle, sitting next to them, said it was getting to be that time of year for mixing his rum with pineapple juice and coconut. Sounds like summer to me. Another couple, Lynn and Brian, also joined the rum discussion. Lynn said her favorite brand was Black Seal, and admitted she hadn’t yet imbibed in that with Brian yet. That’s a party waiting to happen. Next, Susie sat down and ordered a rum and diet coke. Bingo! She and Ed were visiting from South Carolina. She said they have pirate flags, kites, hats and all sorts of related items back in Carolina. They love the idea of pirates and enjoy throwing parties based on that theme. It was apparent from my visit to Buckalew’s that rum drinking is still popular. Dreams of life on the high seas still capture our imagination. Whether it is Johnny Depp, Blackbeard or an ancestor who ran a rum boat off our coast, we secretly long to release the rogue spirit in all of us. So this summer, grab a copy of Treasure Island, pour yourself a rum drink, and sail away on the words of Robert Lewis Stevenson to the days of yore. Fifteen men on a dead man's chest. Yo ho ho and a bottle of rum. Drink and the devil had done for the rest. Yo ho ho and a bottle of rum. Aye, Matey! —Maggie O’Neill
Rachel shows off brands of rum at Buckalew's Tavern in Beach Haven. Cheryl Kirby photo.
Marine Science
Page 48 • Echoes of LBI
Mullet School in Wave • Tom Lynch/Angry Fish photography
Marine Science
True Colors
The Story of Black Sea Glass
W
ith eyes trained for rare colors, many sea glass hunters often overlook what's right under their noses. Amid the weathered pebbles and timeworn shells of low tide there may be a hidden gem that's as rare as it is old.
A truly amazing and archeological clue to the history of the beach just waiting to be rediscovered is black sea glass, one of the rarest colors a collector can hope to find. The term black is actually incorrect because all glass has color, which can be seen by holding it up to a source of light. Black sea glass commonly is seen in deep olive green, amber and, on rare occasions, teal and blue. However, there are even rarer forms of this elusive group — rarer than red! These include deep purple, most commonly found in the form of light bulb vitrites (insulators) and decorative dishware, and true black — so thick that the actual color is impossible to see unless the piece is shattered. The history of these colors and the sea glass they become can give insight into the history of a beach and an era. If you were a sailor, merchant, or pirate on the seven seas, keeping hydrated would be a top priority out on the salty water. This usually meant drinking rum or grog (a watered down alcoholic mixture), and lime juice, kept in order to stave off scurvy. Because water was either a luxury or too contaminated to drink, alcohol was an important part of the ship's inventory; letting it sink to the briny deep was out of the question. Bottles that went overboard broke down and became sea glass after washing in the current and sand for years. Large bottoms of onion bottles, named for their shape, have been found with a flaky rust on the bottom from the oxidation of the iron in the glass. Unlike other sea glass shards, black glass, because it was made earlier and often hand-blown, is usually filled with bubbles. A good way to tell the age of a piece of sea glass is by its thickness and amount of bubbles. If the black shard is very thick and has a fair amount of bubbles, it may date from the early 1700s to the mid 1800s. Areas that became hangouts for pirates and wayfarers, such as Bermuda, are filled with this glass, especially the bottoms which are the thickest part of the bottles. These are commonly the olive green and amber forms that are the most common colors found as black sea glass. Although black Page 50 • Echoes of LBI
is said to be one of the most rare colors you can find the deep purple and blue versions are the rarest of the bunch.
Only a few items were made in these colors and they were seldom things that would end up in the sea. Decorative plates and dinnerware used deep purple as late as the 1940s, and occasionally, a wealthy Victorian lady may have strolled on the beach and lost one of her buttons or a hatpin. But the rarest form of this sea glass is what collectors call true black. Usually true black is a very thick dark amber or purple, but without breaking the piece open (blasphemy to a sea glass hunter) the true color will remain a mystery. Perhaps more than other colors of sea glass, it is this mystery that keeps the collector looking for more. Like the sea, black sea glass will only reveal its true self to you when you go looking for it. —Photography and text by Sara Caruso
Much of the "black" sea glass found today comes from bottles that predate the mid-1800s, such as this Dutch "onion" bottle from the 1700s.
Marine Science
LBI Papustyla pulcherrima A sk a savvy shell collector if they are familiar with the Manus Green Tree Snail (scientifically known as Papustyla pulcherrima) and you will be lavished with a litany of superlatives about one of the most unique land snail species known throughout the world. “Magnificent”, “Gorgeous” or “Breathtaking” are just a few utterances likely inspired by the shell. Beginners who have never before seen this natural beauty might be inclined to question, “Are those shells painted?” In short, the shell of the Manus Green Tree Snail is imbued with one of the most unique shades of green from nature’s color palate. Also commonly called the Emerald Green Snail is an enigmatic molluscan species with a highly recognizable and uniquely colored shell. Beyond its vivid green color, the shell is a much sought after collectable that unfortunately is now out of the reach of most collectors. The Green Tree Snail is a relatively large pulmonate or air-breathing molluscan gastropod endemic to Manus Island, the largest of the volcanic Admiralty Islands, off the northern coast of Papua New Guinea in the Pacific. Tropical islands throughout the Pacific are home to hundreds of endemic and brightly colored land snail species. Land snails, as the name implies, are the terrestrial cousins of the much more popular and well-known sea snails. Over millions of years the flora and fauna of these isolated islands evolved into unique species found nowhere else on Earth. The land snails developed shells with shapes, colors and patterns that best allowed for survival of the species in their unique and isolated environments. Perhaps, in the case of the Manus Green Tree Snail, the bright green shell color camouflages the snail among the green leaves of the trees where it lives; or possibly the green color tells potential predators that this snail might not taste so good. No matter what the reason the Manus Island Green Tree Snail is a stunning example of endemic uniqueness. It is surprising to find out that the calcium carbonate composition of the shell is not itself green. The green color is part of a protein-based micro-thin skin called a periostracum
that covers the shell. An over-zealous collector who might consider cleaning their green shell gem with bleach will be crushed to learn that the green periostracum dissolves almost immediately upon contact and reveals a yellow shell underneath. As with most natural objects, there is some color variation with lighter and darker shades of green. Those naturalists who have had the good fortune to travel to Manus Island say that when peering up into the montane rain forest canopies the snails appear like green Christmas lights attached to the upper branches of the trees. In fact, the Green Tree Snail is about the size of an old style incandescent Christmas tree bulb (roughly 1-1/4 inches). It should be noted that other green land snail species are known from the Philippines and Indonesia, but none with the distinct green color of the green Manus snail. Okay, okay… so now that I’ve piqued your interest in this gorgeous shell, you ask, “Why shouldn't I buy one?” The reason falls squarely on environmental threats to the species. In 1970 CITES, the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora, whose aim is to ensure that international trade in specimens of wild animals and plants does not threaten their survival, listed the Manus Green Tree Snail as being threatened. CITES is the same group that bans the commercial trade and export of ivory tusks and leopard skins among thousands of other endangered species. Threats to the survival of the Manus Green Tree Snail were stated to be, in part, an outgrowth of the high demand for the green shells in making jewelry and also due to the popularity of the shell with collectors. Logging and deforestation of the hardwood rain forest habitats of the snail on Manus were also cited to be a leading cause of population declines of the Green Tree Snail. Interestingly, the Manus Green Tree Snail is the only “foreign” molluscan gastropod species that is listed as Federally Endangered in the United States. The good news is that the species still survives in fair numbers on Manus Island. At least for the foreseeable future images of the Manus Green Tree Snail and its brilliant green shell have been well documented in photographs and will continue to inspire naturalists and artists alike. —Richard L. Goldberg
Cover Photographer - Sara Caruso (Biography)
S
ara Caruso is a local photographer, graphic designer and beachcomber who loves living near the beach. Her photographic and design work has been featured in calendars sold at major book retailers, advertising, newspapers, and on billboards. Presently, she works at Surflight Theatre in Beach Haven as graphic designer and part of the marketing team. Sara is also the designer, writer and an editor for Echoes of LBI Magazine. She has written articles covering a wide range of topics, including archeology, marine biology, and local history. When not on her computer working diligently on another project, Sara spends her time walking the sprawling beaches of LBI, head down, seeking treasures that have been lost to sea and time. Her collection of beach finds contain sea glass, fossils, rare artifacts and everything in between. Her motto is, "Everything you need you can find at the beach!"
Page 52 • Echoes of LBI
Natural Nautical Design by Cheryl Bring the beauty of the ocean into your home with Natural Nautical Designs by Cheryl. Celebrating 40 years in business, Things A Drift in Ship Bottom has the largest selection of high-grade shells on the East Coast, including a perfect specimen Queen Helmet and a 575-lb. Tridacna. Cheryl’s expertise has been sought by shore-loving homeowners locally and nationally. She will gladly consult with you to customize a nautical design suitable for your living space.
Decorating a mantel, living room, poolside or patio with gifts from the sea brings serenity to the home. Stop by to select a precious treasure of your own. For more information call 609.361.1668 • 406 Long Beach Blvd., Ship Bottom, NJ
Marine Science
A Clam’s Tale Dear Madame Editor, I am a mollusk, bivalve, hard clam, quahog, Mercenaria mercenaria and must communicate my thoughts to an associate who is doing the writing. Any grammatical or spelling errors should be addressed to that individual, since I would be unable to make corrections. It has been brought to my attention that your latest cover story was about the very photogenic and interesting Murex ramosa. I can understand your choice for a most beautiful cover shot of that mollusk. M. ramosa thankfully does not feed in Barnegat Bay, but its cousin, the Knobbed whelk (Busycoptypus carica), pretty much does the same thing here on the East Coast. Those predators are a fact of life for us clams and we accept the fact that we are here to eventually be eaten. That’s not my main reason for this opus. We hard clams are not, and will never be cover boys/ girls. However, we’d like a chance to have our story told, so with your indulgence I’ll proceed. It’s been rumored that I was not born naturally, but was hatched in a facility on land near Tuckerton. I learned this from other clams while we were living briefly as free-swimming larvae in a large tray filled with water.
Once a week, the aforementioned gentlemen would clean any waste that accumulated in the silos, including a cleansing shower for us, and then return us to a nice tidy silo for another week of filter feeding. Some of our caretakers took special interest in our well-being such as Art, Dom, Al and Tony. Tony often visited on other days to measure our growth progress and even had pet names for his favorites. A guy named Joe would take some of us in glass containers to the Maritime Museum where kids, parents, and grandparents stared at us as we showed off our siphons while they listened to stories about us and Barnegat Bay. Those day trips were a nice alternative to life in the silo. One day the men packed up our group, took us on a boat trip and, before we knew it, we were thrown into Barnegat Bay and covered by protective netting. This is where I am today but the predator screen is gone. I’m about two plus years old sitting in an undisclosed location in Great Bay just off Beach Haven. The odds that I’ll turn three years old are about the same as they are for me ending up in a winning recipe at Chowderfest. That’s why I’m writing you!
I don’t want to end my life at the bottom of the bay dying from the effects eutrification (very big word for a clam) or anything else resulting from pollutants coming into the After about a week or so, we all drifted down to a sandy bottom as we started to be enclosed by bay. The predators are no longer a big deal for us but the runoff, a hard material. Things began to change when it gradually darkened and what it brings in, is. If I had my way, the ultimate fate for me with the hard part getting thicker. Eventually, we needed to pry open would be to end up on a bed of ice at one of the great restaurants the hard part in order to see outside or move about in the sand. The on LBI with other clams at my side. Then I’d be secure in next thing I remember was being scooped into a sack with perhaps knowing that some local bayman and market proprietor have each a thousand of my comrades and trucked off to a place named Beach made a profit on my sale and a lucky LBIer will have a quality Haven on LBI. You can imagine the buzz in that sack about our clam dish for dinner. Perhaps sharing this story will help those possible fates. I later learned that we had been sent to an upweller visiting and living on LBI to better understand our plight and (shellfish nursery) to be cared for by some men so that we could join the local efforts to keep our bay healthy. grow and live in Barnegat Bay. Our groups lived in silos, like small barrels, open at both ends with screening at one end. The silos were positioned in the upweller. We sat on the screen part in the silos while Thank you for your consideration of this matter. fresh water flowed through. All we had to do was to sit and filter our food (micro-algae) from bay water that flowed into and out of the -Mercenaria sapientia (Thinking clam), upweller. That turned out to be a country club existence for us. Assisted by Joseph Biscaha Page 54 • Echoes of LBI
Marine Science
Humpback whale hunting mullet in Brant Beach, NJ Photo supplied by Joe and Susan Schirmer
Sara Caruso photo Page 56 • Echoes of LBI
50 & Counting rver, edley, Luther Ca Sm e ey kaw H , as baled Reynold Thom ie with a load of nz Ke e ui Lo d Dan Hankins an e barn. eelgrass from th
M
ost Long Beach Island residents consider seaweed a nuisance. It rots as it lays on our beaches and meadows, smells, breeds flies, and discolors boats. It gets between your toes when you swim in the bay. During the summer, Island municipalities have to continually remove it from our bay bathing areas. However, for thirty years after the turn of the century, seaweed was the basis of an important Island industry. The J.B. Kinsey Seamoss Company, headquartered in Harvey Cedars, gathered eelgrass from the north end and maintained its chief gathering land at High Point — now Harvey Cedars — on the land surrounding what is now Kinsey Cove. The main warehouse, stable and presses were located at the site of the present High Point Firehouse on 80th Street. Kinsey, mayor of High Point in the 1920s, was my great-uncle. My father, Reynold Thomas, mayor of Harvey Cedars from 1955 until 1983, spent summers with his uncle when he was a child. My father was twelve years old when he got his first job with his uncle’s company. He felt very important when allowed to operate a sneakbox with a one-and-a-half horsepower Barker engine that moved just a little faster than he could row. He went to various seamoss stations along the bay delivering hundred-pound rolls of baling wire and shipping tags to the men who baled the grass. There were about seven gathering stations between Brant Beach and Loveladies. After my father returned home from World War I, he joined the company. The Kinsey Seamoss Company sold its product as an inexpensive mattress stuffing for prisons and steamship lines. It was in demand for cheap upholstery, including the seats of Model-T Fords, and for insulating buildings. Back in the early 1970s, when a fire damaged the building on 78th Street that is now Black-Eyed Susans – built in 1917 as Kinsey’s General Store – workmen found insulating seaweed stuffed between the studs.
Page 58 • Echoes of LBI
Workers load the bales of eelgrass from Company's 19 Kinsey Seam 18 Ford truck oss into the Pen Railroad's bo nsylvania xcar.
Clusters of storage barns for the seaweed and stables for the horses stood all along the undeveloped bay shore of the island. (Neptune Liquor Store was originally a horse barn.) In front of each group of these buildings were railway sidings where the processed seaweed was loaded into boxcars and shipped out to various markets. The United Fruit Company, which bought seaweed for packing and shipping bananas, is listed in the old Kinsey account books. Another customer was the Victor Talking Machine Company, which used it for hand-finishing wooden cabinets. But seaweed began mysteriously disappearing from Barnegat Bay in the late 1920s, and the Kinsey Seamoss Company pressed its last bale in 1929. In the early 1900s, there was hardly a family in this area that did not have some connection with the seaweed business. It ranked second to fishing as a means of livelihood. I found names in the old company books like Harry Cox of Ship Bottom, John and Crowell Inman of Surf City, Bill Chadwick and George Birdsall of Barnegat. Bill Shinn operated a seaweed business of his own in Brant Beach. Tom Shinn of Manahawkin and his wife Rachel used to manage the shanties where the seaweed gang lived. In the 1960s, Mrs. Shinn’s son Tom, who owned the funeral home in Manahawkin, remembered when Kinsey Seamoss was used for lining coffins. The seaweed gang was largely from the mainland and lived on the Island six days a week during the season. Before the causeway was built in 1914, it took almost two hours to sail across the bay. Rachel Shinn ruled the boarding house with a firm hand; but she was an excellent cook and raised chickens and pigs, slaughtering them on the premises to make her popular dishes. The seaweed shanties where the workmen lived were grouped at about the
spot where the house High Dune now stands, on the ocean side of the Boulevard just north of Harvey Cedars. My father remembered as a child watching the men with their pitchforks collecting the wet grass that had drifted in along the bay. They tossed it onto the waiting wagons, and the horses hauled it over the meadows where it was spread out for drying and curing until it was vermin-free. It took several weeks for the seaweed to cure. The men had to keep turning it over to be sure it was thoroughly dry. The entire area, from the Boulevard down 80th street and along Bay Terrace to the end, was open meadowland used by Kinsey as a drying field. About fourteen horses and ten men worked at the High Point station. Six dollars a scow-load was paid to baymen who brought in seaweed on their own. Seaweed was so plentiful at some locations that after clearing the beach completely, the men would return the next day to the same shore and load up their flatbottomed scows all over again. The grass was stored in the warehouses until it was baled and shipped out in boxcars. Huge baling presses filled the seaweed barns. A pole fastened to the capstan extended outside the barn and a horse was hitched to it. The animal plodded around the spindle to tighten the cable and compress the grass into bales. As the grass was pressed firmer and firmer, it got more and more difficult for the horses to wind the cable and the men from the barn would yell, “Giddyup! Giddyup!” The ubiquitous flies and mosquitoes tormented the horses as they stood in the marshy meadows. As some protection, burlap covers were thrown over the animals. But their ears and underbellies were unprotected and the poor creatures twitched their tails, skin and manes. When standing in the shallow water of the bay, they stomped their feet to send the spray over their bodies. From a distance, the coverings looked like the caparisoned horses of medieval knights. Men who worked for the company were paid from 30 to 50 cents an hour and worked a nine-hour day. The company sold the cured
grass for $18 to $20 a ton. Boxcars would be loaded with baled seaweed and each car could hold 30 or 40 tons of the product. The railroad station at High Point was about where the borough hall stands today. At that time, train tracks ran down the center of the Island along what is now the Boulevard from Beach Haven to Barnegat Light. I believe Kinsey used the term “seamoss” as a marketing tool; it has a more appealing sound than seaweed or eelgrass, with their images of weeds and eels. And the eelgrass that was the basis of Kinsey’s business so long ago is not really seaweed, but a flowering plant with rhizomes anchoring the grass to the sandy bottom. In 1929, a wasting disease caused by a slime mold infected the grass and bay fishing fell off as the balance of nature was disturbed. (The beds of grass had also provided an environment for the growth of food for fish that feed in the bay.) For a few years after the seaweed disappeared from Barnegat Bay, plus other beds in the North Atlantic, the Biological Survey Department in Washington wrote to Kinsey to inquire if any change in the growth of seaweed had been noted. However, it was not until the 1950s that eelgrass began to approach the earlier, healthy, levels. But by then the Island had been developed along the bay front; between pollution and other human-induced insults, it never regained its original strength. Also, plastics developed during World War II provided more cost effective packing materials. The land surrounding 80th Street and Bay Terrace, where Kinsey spread his eelgrass to dry, passed to my father, and now I live there. My house is located on filled land where the grass was pulled out of the water. These days I feel lucky if I can gather enough to mulch my garden. —Photography and text by Margaret Thomas Buchholz This story was excerpted from one included in “LBI Reader: The Best of the Beachcomber,” to be published by Down The Shore in 2015.
A mother and child in bathing dresses and caps near the bay at 77th Street in Harvey Cedars. This eelgrass has washed up at high tide.
50 & Counting
E
d Heitman may have been born in Philadelphia, but Barnegat Light, NJ claims this 90-year-old artist as one of its most treasured and talented residents. Born in 1923, Heitman went to school in the Logan area of Philadelphia, attended the Philadelphia Museum School of Industrial Arts (now the University of the Arts), and completed his Master’s degree at Temple University’s Tyler Institute of Art. After graduating, Ed taught art and mechanical drawing in the Philadelphia School District from 1949 until his retirement in 1975. During his time in Philadelphia, Ed designed and set up floor displays at the Philadelphia Flower Show and worked as a crew chief and set designer for the Plays and Players Playhouse. When Ed’s friends at the Plays and Players encouraged him to visit Long Beach Island, he fell in love with it and rented his first home in Surf City in the late 1950s. After visiting a classmate in Barnegat Light, he found himself drawn again to its “fantastically wide, stretching beach, with those multiple dunes and such interesting and diverse foliage.” In 1960, Ed bought a lot on the corner of 12th and the Boulevard in Barnegat Light and, with architect Arthur Tofinani, designed and built the first round house on the Island. With a proud smile and a twinkle in his eye, Ed
Page 60 • Echoes of LBI
John Damanski of Surf City with some of his 32 watercolors by Ed Heitman.
remembers “that was quite innovative back then and I did much of the work myself – inside and outside.” Proud as he was of the Round House, it was the Queen Anne house down the street that won his heart. When it went up for sale in 1968, he bought it. Many of his Philadelphia art contemporaries had also made their way to LBI. On the Island, Ed found himself in the midst of a community of artists who were also friends. One artist friend talked Ed into taking a summer job at the Long Beach Island Foundation of the Arts and Sciences (LBIF) in Loveladies. He became one of the five founding faculty members and taught art to pre-schoolers every summer from 1959 to 1975. Ed recalls “the children had to walk or crawl up steps to a backroom art studio and if they could manage the steps, they were allowed to join my class.” Ed credits to LBIF for launching his career and establishing him as a professional artist. He participated in the Viking Village Arts and Craft Shows in Barnegat Light. His work grew in popularity so much that he could not keep up with the demand for his art. More that one client confirms that when Ed would pull up to Viking Village for the show, his waiting public would make their selections before he had the trunk of his car closed. Today Ed Heitman is known primarily as a
watercolorist. Early in his career he “did everything from wood cuts to oil,” and decided on watercolor because it was the least cumbersome – “all you need is paint, paper and water.” Ed’s favorite subject matter and the one he is most recognized for is the beach, with its water lines, sand dunes and tall grass. Ed’s art was shown and sold at the Art Museum of Philadelphia, the Philadelphia Academy of Art and the (Sidney) Rothman Gallery in Barnegat Light. A prolific painter, Ed estimates he has sold “thousands of pieces – some hang as far away as England and Italy.” Many of Ed’s clients are repeat buyers, with some admirers owning as many as 50 Heitman watercolors. John Damanski, who met Heitman at Viking Village, is the proud owner of more than 32 paintings, many of which hang in his Surf City home.
The “round house” on 12th Street in Barnegat Light built by Ed in 1960.
“Waking up every morning is a beautiful thing,” —Ed Heitman Now in his 90th year, Ed finds a slight tremor in his painting hand. So when he approaches a new piece, he paints the sky first, then the sand, and by the time he gets to the fine blades of dune-grass, his hand has steadied and another Heitman watercolor has been created. In recent years, Ed’s production has slowed but demand for his work has not. He has to hide a special piece for his yearly donation to the Barnegat Light Fire House’s Auction; he’s donated to them since about 1970. In addition to art, Ed is a keeper of memories, a bit of a historian and wonderful storyteller. When asked about his accomplishments, he answers that he has always enjoyed meeting people, especially the young. He keeps in touch with the children and even grandchildren of many of his clients. He is grateful for his good health, his family, for living in the house of his dreams, and for the inner peace that comes from being perfectly content with oneself. —Photography and text by Nancy Kunz
The 12th Street “Queen Ann” house Ed bought in 1968.
The Gazebo behind Ed’s “Queen Ann” house.
Looking Back
I
n late October I came across a post card from the Hotel Baldwin dated 1907. If you knew about the hotel, you know that it burned down in 1961. In its place is a large empty square block with a gazebo, some monuments and not much else. Now it is the location of great summer concerts. Few people know that the hotel was also the place where the first shark attack victim of 1916 was taken before being transported to a hospital. This attack, followed by other attacks along the Jersey coast, eventually inspired the book Jaws by Peter Benchley. Since I like looking for artifacts, I decided to take a walk around the old Baldwin site. In my searches at other sites in the Pinelands and elsewhere, I have learned that you really need to focus closely to find pieces of glass, brick, stoneware, pottery, and other artifacts. With my daughter Daneilla in tow, I decided to see what we could discover at the site of the Baldwin on New Year’s Day. We walked around for a while and at first didn’t find anything. As we continued to walk around we came across an area where a ditch had been dug and filled back in. Alongside the ditch were pieces of glass, wire glass, blue window glass, and pieces of brick. We filled a small bag with our finds and took them home. While these are not valuable pieces of what remains from the Baldwin, to me they are more than that. They are all from a grand hotel that once stood elegantly on that piece of land. As I recently learned, my grandfather Bill Cerny was a volunteer fireman and fought the fire that day. Maybe I’ll dig up some other pieces of history out of the ashes on a future expedition.. —Keith Holley, with Frank Grasso
Above: Keith's daughter Daneilla holds part of the charred remains of the Baldwin Hotel. Keith Helley photo. Right: Broken glass and burnt bricks found by Keith at the former site of the Baldwin Hotel. Sara Caruso photo. Page 62 • Echoes of LBI
Looking Back
M
y grandfather, William J. Smith, was not a wealthy man, but wise enough to buy an automobile in 1926. He exchanged his horse and buggy for faster transport — a Maxwell. This meant exciting family excursions to the shore. That same year, he purchased a 50 x 100' lot on 11th Street in Surf City. As a thrifty man, he figured the unused two-story carriage house on our property in Bridgeboro could be repurposed as a summer abode for us on this newly acquired island retreat.
miles of scrub pygmy pines. Trips took longer than today and meant a midway picnic stop. I remember sandwiches on Bond bread, French's yellow mustard, and salty dried chipped beef. There was no Wawa for a hoagie or smoothie at the Four Mile Circle in those days. We perched on the shady side of the car on the running board, swatting mosquitoes and sipping tepid lemonade. A special treat was an ice cream cone at Applegate's gas station near the Circle.
And so it was. The building was dismantled and trucked 50 miles east across the state on the then narrow, rough Highway S40 (changed in 1953 to Rt. 72). Those dismantled pieces were reassembled and cardboard movie posters were used for insulation. The upstairs sleeping accommodations included WWI army cots. There was a round table and many chairs on the first floor along with a bottled gas stove and zinc lined icebox. Outdoor plumbing and plenty of mosquitoes completed our rustic summer getaway.
These early trips were not without incident. At some point the thin rubber balloon tires would puncture and the narrow inner tube had to be patched — a sweaty procedure made worse by pesky mosquitoes.
In the 1940s, trips to LBI meant traveling through small towns and
Relief came when we finally arrived at the Manahawkin meadows to cross the clackity wooden bridge to LBI. We couldn't wait to run to the beach and cool water, ignoring the ever-present mosquitoes. And the skinny, patched worn-out tire tubes? They provided the perfect ocean float! —Carol Freas
From left to right: Dr. Lambert, William J. and Nettie Smith (Carol's grandfather and grandmother), and a young Chauncey Smith (Carol's father) standing by their Maxwell. Photo supplied by Carol Freas. Page 64 • Echoes of LBI
Reflect Your Own Personal Style
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For your home. For your life. For our environment.
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Looking Back
Left to right: Daniel B. Johnson, Sr., Martha Johnson holding Isaac and Reverend Isaac J. Boltou, children Nora, Doris and Daniel, Jr.
Local Motion
P
rior to the trains, steamer boats and ferries were the only means of transportation to LBI. These vessels travelled across the bay from Tuckerton, Barnegat and Waretown. When the Barnegat City Train Station was established in 1881, the train travelled backward to go south on LBI because there was no turnaround at the Barnegat City Station. In the 1920s, Ike Johnson would sit on his porch on 8th Street in Beach Arlington and watch the train go by. He and his friends watched the train pull in to Beach Haven from their seats in the Beach Haven School. Daniel Johnson Sr. was Ike’s Dad who worked for the Pennsylvania Railroad and the Tuckerton Railroad Company as a track and section foreman at the Barnegat City Station (Barnegat Light) from 1917 to 1923. The train ran from Barnegat City Junction at Beach Arlington (Ship Bottom) to Barnegat City. Little trestle bridges were built over low-lying areas that allowed high tides to run across the Island into the Barnegat Bay and not interfere with the train. Ike recalls the bridge trestle was a railroad drawbridge that you had to pay to cross. A bridge keeper, who lived with his family in the building on the bridge, operated the drawbridge. A hand drawn turntable was used to move the trains over to LBI. The railroad bridge was destroyed in a 1935 storm and the tracks were removed in 1936. Dan Sr. and his crew used to go out and chip the ice off the tracks in the winter months to allow the trains to run. When
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accidents occurred, these men were responsible for getting the train’s cars back on track. Boxcar trains were used to transport local seafood from the Island to Camden then to Philadelphia and New York. These boxcars also transported lumber, coal and other supplies to the island. Dan Sr. and his wife Martha lived in the railroad station where Dan Jr. was born. Martha worked the telegraph and was the ticket agent. After the Barnegat City Railroad Station closed in 1923, he worked at the Beach Haven North station from 1923 to 1931. In 1923, Dan Sr. built their house on 8th Street in Beach Arlington where Ike and his sisters Doris and Nora were born. In the 1970s, Ike worked for Osborne Floor and Wall Coverings and did odd jobs on the side. When a retired schoolteacher from Maryland purchased the railroad station, Ike did some of the renovations. While chatting about the history of the station, the new owner was awestruck to hear about Ike’s family history with the station. She began corresponding with Ike’s Mom to help preserve some of the details of the property. When the renovations were completed, the new owner hosted an open house and Ike and his wife Dolly gladly attended. It’s plain to see that Ike is right on track with his passion and knowledge about the history of LBI. His local motion is an asset to the island. All aboard! —Diane Stulga, Photography supplied by Ike and his family.
The Barneget City Railroad Company
Barnegat City railroad station. The Barneget City Flyer
Ike's father and fellow railroad workers.
Looking Back
Life Changing Station D
id you know Ship Bottom was known as Life Station #20 in 1872? Captain Wesley Truex who was keeper of the Station occupied the first permanent dwelling in 1898. The building located at 117 E. Ship Bottom Ave. still exists today as a private residence.
Diana recalls six built-in bunks under the eaves of the Station. Each had a small shelf and a porcelain towel rack. Underneath each shelf and towel bar were two big drawers. Thin, horsehair stuffed mattresses sat on the metal springs of low wooden frames.
When the Manahawkin and Long Beach Railroad were established in 1886, the tracks ended in Ship Bottom. One development that was established around the station was called Beach Arlington. From 1892 to 1925 the community’s name was Ship Bottom – Beach Arlington. In 1925, the community separated from Long Beach Township and became Ship Bottom.
The bathroom and bunkroom ceiling at the top of the steps were so low that people had to duck their heads to pass through. The new owner added dormers to fix the problem. The small room in front of the bunkroom housed twin beds and windows on three sides. This room was referred to as the “fishbowl.” In the back was yet another bedroom with a double and a single bed. Diana vividly recalls she and her cousin sweeping the unfinished pine floors.
In the 1920s, the accountant for The Henry R. Fell Roofing and Construction Company in Trenton was caught dipping into company funds. As repayment, he turned over the house to the company who took ownership of The Life Saving Station. Diana Moon’s grandfather, Arthur E. (Bumpy) Moon, was a business partner of Henry Fell and this is how her family started a yearly tradition of coming down to the Life Saving Station for many summers.
r
ks - one fo om, six bun ro k n u b e of th ne Moon Illustration rawn by Dia D . d il ch d n each gra
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Downstairs was a large living room, dining room, kitchen, screened porch, half bath and tiny maid’s room. This room had no walls — only studs and the outside wall. A large bedroom called the Captain’s Quarters had a double bed, a sink and a commode. Diana’s family would put the lb. signs out so the iceman would
From left to ri ght Suzanne, Maryanne, M ary Louise, D iana.
know how many pounds of ice to deliver for the kitchen icebox. When the children were little, they would stand in the oversized soapstone sink for a cold bath. A kerosene heater for hot water was seldom used. The lids of the sitting benches in the kitchen lifted up; large metal pots and various items used at the Life Station were stored there. The dining room had a low cabinet containing rope and other equipment that the Life Station men would use. A fireplace flanked the south end of the living room. At one time that wall had large doors that opened to facilitate moving the lifeboats in and out. The living room had hooks on the ceiling where lifeboats used to hang. Men competed to use the outside shower first so they could take advantage of what little hot water the sun had provided. Diana’s family got to use the house every August. At the end of the summer season when everyone left, the doors were never locked! Diana and her two children accompanied her ex-husband to France for nine months where he worked in the Air National Guard. Upon returning to LBI, they were devastated to discover
that the beloved Station had been sold. Her family would sometimes rent on LBI thereafter so as not to miss their beach time. A year or so later in the 1960s, Diana and four family members purchased a little Cape Cod style house in Brant Beach. They named it “Wee Cinq” because it was little and the five of them owned it. In 1971 Diana, her children and her dog moved in and, after several family tradeoffs, the home was hers. She renamed it “Moonshell Cottage.” Diana and her husband, Gene Flory, live in the house full time. Little did Diana know how a family business decision would become a life changing station for her, and lead her to the place she dreamed of calling home since she was a little girl. Recently, an uninvited guest named “Sandy” visited and damaged the first floor of the cottage. Diana’s son, who is a contractor, elevated and restored both her beautiful home and her dream. The house sits four feet higher now. Diana is just a little bit closer to heaven here on earth and still over the moon about LBI. —Diane Stulga, Photography supplied by Diane Moon
The Life Saving Station, Ship Bottom, NJ, ca. 1920-1962 Photo courtesy of The Henry R. Fell Company, Trenton, NJ Photography provided by Diane Moon
Looking Back
O
ne hundred years ago, the Island was beginning to show the first signs of developing into the vibrant community that it is today. There was the Victorian resort of Beach Haven with about 500 permanent residents. Beach Haven, however, was strictly a commercial enterprise unlike other nearby communities that had religious roots. At the same time, our Country was beginning to slowly transition from a largely agricultural economy to a manufacturing one. Aware of this shift, President Taft recognized the importance of industries to our country’s prosperity and encouraged business leaders to join together. Thus, the formation of the U.S. Chamber of Commerce emerged on April 22, 1912. Long Beach Island was not far behind. In 1914, Henry Ford introduced the assembly line, producing
248,000 cars. There were great improvements in transportation and, in particular, the construction of new roads and bridges. Americans were beginning to venture further from their neighborhoods to explore the countryside. Many Philadelphians found the Jersey shore, especially the area that became known as Long Beach Island, to be a very attractive destination. Among the very early investors was a gentleman named Augustus Louden Keil who became a driving force in the establishment of the Board of Trade of Long Beach Island. He and a group of influential men were responsible for the first automobile bridge to the island. This access brought many opportunities for growth and development. Thus, the Board of Trade, now known as the Chamber of Commerce of Southern Ocean County, was established the same year as the bridge was opened in 1914. Augustus served as the first president from 1914 until 1935.
COUNTDOWN TO SUMMER 2 014
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Recognizing his leadership qualities, he was inducted into the Philadelphia Board of Trade in 1916.
Augustus and Rebecca donated the lot on the north side of the Chapel in 1951.
Although born in 1870 in Sharpsburg, Pennsylvania to Peter Keil and Anna Margaret Braun, he later moved to Philadelphia. The Keil family lived in a circa 1870 three-story red brick Victorian row house which is now listed on the National Register of Historic Places. Then in 1908, Augustus purchased the Spray Beach Hotel, which he completely renovated. He understood what his guests preferred and the hotel’s fine reputation grew. In addition to being an hotelier, he was an Island realtor, the owner of the A.L. Keil Realty, also in Spray Beach.
During the 21 years he was president of the Board of Trade, there were many advancements made on the Island. The Island was described in 1914 as progressive and up with the times. Beach Haven, they touted, had the healthy fresh air, “the purist of water” and the “largest motor car garage on the seacoast of New Jersey”- Ostendoof ’s Garage.
In addition to being a successful businessman and community leader, Augustus was a devoted family man. He married Rebecca Alice Clarke (1874-1963) in 1899 and they became the parents of five children and grandparents of at least seven grandchildren. While in Philadelphia, Augustus and his family were members of the well-established Asbury Methodist Episcopal Church. Here on the Island, they belonged to the Spray Beach Chapel, the oldest church building on the Island to be in continuous use. Prior to constructing the church building, services were held in the music room of the Spray Beach Hotel. As church members,
The Board published the first edition of The Lure of Long Beach Island in 1914 and gave a copy to the first 100 autos to cross the new automobile bridge. By 1930, with a permanent population of 1,827, the Board would brag about “stores of all descriptions, moving-picture theatre, and wide streets.” This year we celebrate the 100th Anniversary of the Board of Trade of Long Beach Island, thanks to the foresight of Augustus Keil and his fellow businessmen (more on them in the next issue). Their leadership exemplifies the motto of the U.S. Chamber of Commerce —“The Spirit of Enterprise” — as current businessmen and businesswomen continue their goal to advance Southern Ocean County as a vibrant economic, cultural and recreational area. —Pat Dagnall and Ellen Hammonds
THE NEW SEA-DOO SPARK
This program is made possible in part by a grant administered by the Ocean County Cultural and Heritage Commission, in conjunction with the New Jersey State Council on the Arts/Department of State, a partner agancy of the National Endowments for the Arts. Page 72 • Echoes of LBI
Supported in part by a grant from New Jersey Department of State, Division of Travel and Tourism • visitnj.org
This Time Next Year Directed by Jeff Reichert, Farihah Zaman OPENING NIGHT FILM NJ PREMIERE! The Lighthouse International Film Festival is proud to open with this special presentation to the people who are the embodiment of courage. In 2012, Superstorm Sandy ravaged the East Coast of the United States. LIFF alumni Jeff Reichert and Co-director/Producer Farihah Zaman follow the residents of Long Beach Island, New Jersey, during the first full year after the storm. Featuring stories of resilience, bravery, heartbreak and hope, the film spins a story both universal and extremely personal and local at the same time. This Time Next Year is one community’s story of what it takes to rebuild. This is a must see for any New Jersey resident! (USA, 2014) IN PERSON: Jeff Reichert, Farihah Zaman
This Time Next Year
Art and Craft Directed by Sam Cullman, Jennifer Grausman; Co-directed by Mark Becker SPOTLIGHT FILM A true cat-and-mouse story if ever there was one, Art And Craft delves into the world of art forging to tell a story so incredible it would be dismissed outright if it weren’t true. Mark Landis is perhaps the most prolific art forger the U.S. has ever seen. He’s duped curators throughout the nation with precise imitations of masterwork paintings for decades. But when a registrar from Cincinnati discovers him, something about Landis' uncharacteristic behavior comes to the forefront of his activities and the relationship between the men grows even more complex. Compassionately told, with mystery, intrigue and millions of dollars in art on the line, Art and Craft delivers a tale like none other. (USA, 2014) IN PERSON: To be announced.
Hellion
Hellion Directed by Kat Candler CLOSING NIGHT FILM NJ PREMIERE! Set in southeastern Texas where the flames and lights of refineries frame the skyline and create a haunting backdrop, this story of a fractured family is an exceptionally authentic feature from Writer/Director Kat Candler. The motorcross-obsessed thirteen-year-old Jacob is spiraling out of control and pushing his family to the brink of collapse. All hell breaks loose when he enlists his younger brother Wes as a partner in crime. Still reeling from his wife’s death, Jacob’s dad, Hollis, has all but abandoned his sons. When Child Protective Services removes Wes to live with his Aunt Pam, Hollis and Jacob are forced to face their culpability as they strive to bring Wes home. Fueled by a commanding performance from Aaron Paul of "Breaking Bad," terrific support from Juliette Lewis and Deke Garner, and a starmaking turn by Josh Wiggins as Jacob, Hellion is as one of the best films of the year. (USA, 2014) IN PERSON: To be announced.
Art and Craft
Photography and text provided by Eric C. Johnson, Executive Director for Lighthouse International Film Festival
A Shore Thing
G
ayle Dorman used to kid her boys as they walked by boxer Al Eckert’s home in Brant Beach and say that he was King Neptune. Al used to sit on his porch dressed in a suit and tie. Gayle always felt drawn to Al’s house and now feels proud to call it her home.Prior to purchasing the house, the Dorman family vacationed on other streets in Brant Beach. Gayle has vivid memories of her childhood spent with three generations of her family in Beach Haven. In 1996, Gayle and her husband Sandy purchased that quaint and nostalgic 1910 house located at 6112 Ocean Blvd. The interior is original except for the kitchen. Wood covers the ceilings, the walls and the floors. A dining room curio is filled with old bottles found on the property. Plastic beach shovels collected through the years decorate one of the bathrooms,
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adding to the beach theme present throughout the home. There used to be clay tennis courts in the side yard. Now, beautiful flowers and beach memorabilia surround the front yard. The dune fence is covered with flip-flops of all colors and sizes. Friends and neighbors affectionately refer to Gayle’s home as “The Flip Flop House.” Every home on LBI has history and a story to tell. Sandy and Gayle’s story is one of being “Sole Mates” over the years. Here’s to making more footprints in the sand and collecting more flip-flops for many years! — Diane Stulga Note: Al Eckert’s story of his boxing career and his home appeared in the Echoes of LBI: 2013 Endless Summer Edition and can be read along with other editions at www.issuu.com/ echoesoflbi
"Oh give me a house by the shining sea, by the waves, the sand and the sky..."
In Memoriam
I
n 2012, Helenye Golt Cranmer was featured in the Echoes of LBI: Spring into Summer Edition. Heleyne passed away on May 5, 2014 at the age of 105 with her loving daughter, Pam and her grand daughter, Stacey, by her side. Our hearts go out to Pam and her family. Be at peace, Heleyne, you have earned it after so many remarkable years.
Maggie M. O'Neill Real Estate Sales Mary Allen Realty, Inc. Ship Bottom, NJ 609.709.1425 lunasea32@gmail.com
Last In • Sunset at Cedar Dock Run Road • Manahawkin, NJ Sara Caruso photo
A Shore Thing
Sale-Ing with Little Girls T
he people may have changed, but the routine still holds true: get up, get out, and get yard sale-ing! Over the years, three friends and I have developed more gray hair and laugh lines but our 7:30am yard sale routine continues. This has been our special catch-up time for at least 15 summers. Even when the house is full of company, we sneak away or coax guests to join us in the search. On some mornings our visiting granddaughters join us, piling into my big van with snacks and juice boxes. Olivia from Chicago, Emily from North Jersey and Ingrid from Connecticut have all become savvy shoppers. Watching them make a beeline to the toys last year and seeing them prance around in size 8 metallic spike heels is hilarious. They are thrilled to find stuff ranging from new, tagged jewelry for gifts, games, videos for a rainy day, toys for siblings, fishing lures for Pop-Pop, and Barbie dolls. Because the girls are so cute and polite, often they are given items for free! However, we grannies have strict orders from their mothers — no more stuffed animals!
Watching the girls shop with their quarters, there’s a moment of hesitation before touching or not touching various items. Does the object seem to say, “fragile, stay away” or “take me home and love me.” When we stop at a sale to forage through other people’s belongings, I sometimes wonder what stories come with that crystal bowl or that rusty pail. Who handled them? What did this family serve for Sunday dinner? Why is it being sold? Was it a souvenir or a gift and is it complicating their life now? There may not be an easy story in the legacy of what some people call yard sale junk. As an artist, my job is to paint pictures. Where things go and how they fit into another’s life are important to me. Do all of us have a quiet sense or longing to maintain a hold of our stories through holding on to our stuff? Is it that instinct I see in these young girls or have we grannies transferred our shopping skills on to them? For any yard sale-ing day, it’s just the joy of being together. —Photography and text by Carol Freas
Olivia, Emily, and Ingrid Page 78 • Echoes of LBI
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Award Winning Architects Custom Homes Waterfront Specialists Pre-Designed Stock Plans 3-D Modeling Narrow Lot Specialists Since 1990 Free Consultation
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342 West Ninth Street, Ship Bottom, NJ 08008
609-361-0011
www.pagnotta.com
• contractor LLC
A. Richard Aitken, Jr. builder
For All Your Shore Home Needs! Building Custom Homes & Relationships For Nearly 30 Years. Custom Homes & Additions • General Home Maintenance Authorized Andersen Parts & Service New Home Warranty Reg. #028581 —NJ Home Improvement Reg. #13VH01111900
302 Long Beach Blvd., Ship Bottom, NJ 08008 • 609.494.6020 • www.araitken.com