Strathmere, NJ: An undiscovered gem -- One of the MANY thoughts to come from my DAY AT THE SHORE!
Today, I took a LONG drive...an 11-hour drive...to the very southern third of the NJ shore and back again. It was my usual somewhat-at-odds combination of multiple points to visit on a "whatever strikes me" timetable. The SOLE given in the equation was that i'd race down the Parkway to North Wildwood, which I haven't been to in 6 or 7 years (i'll have to check my notes). But from THERE, it was up in the air where I'd land and who, if anyone, I'd see. The general idea was to then head back UP the coast in a wandering, curious, sightseeing manner.
I wound up seeing a mere one friend...but it was a delightful, though too brief, visit. I almost didn't even call him. By the time I did, it was already 7pm-ish and I was already weary. But something made me pull over and call...and i'm glad I did. However, it quickly became apparent to me that I really didn't feel like seeing anyone today...that today was about ME...ALONE...roaming along the oceanfront.
And so I wandered the seawall in North Wildwood along the Hereford Inlet, then got in my car and headed north. I got out of my car on the road on Nummy Island to take in the glorious marshy solitude and take a picture. It was ALL so marshy and full of fishermen on the side of the road. The houses in Avalon stunned me. I knew they were swanky, but did NOT remember them SO palatial. You couldn't even SEE the houses, hidden as they were behind coastal woodlands. THIS was the NJ shore?
And then...Strathmere. My first thought was that it was a crummy, piece of shit stretch of road. The strip of land thinned out so much here -- literally all you have is the one road, with houses on one side facing the bay, and dunes on the other side that block your view of the ocean. There are no side streets. ONE road. But then I got out of the car to walk up and view the ocean...and suddenly it hit me...this, like Avalon, though in a much different way, didn't remotely feel like the NJ I know. The view was spectacular...and the people were few. But it felt like the Outer Banks, and suddenly I did a complete 180 and realized I kinda dug the solitude and non-commercialization of this VERY short piece of the NJ shore pie. I mean, have you EVER heard someone say they have a house in Strathmere?
Ocean City afforded me an opportunity to take a great sunset pic on the bay, along with a VERY surreal drive-by of a house at which I used to spend a lot of time. I could write pages JUST on this house and my past with it. Overall, though, I find Ocean City as boring as ever. Must be the no alcohol rule. And it's SOOOOOOOOOOOO long. It's like the fucking state of PA to drive through.
Just when i'd given up on stunning water/sunset shots, I stumbled upon a beaut in Longport or Margate...it was right around the border of the two cities. My after-the-fact map perusal confirms what I thought...this is a stretch of NJ coast that is actually KINDA east-west, which explains how it appeared the sun was setting OVER THE OCEAN. I PRAY this shot comes out well...it was just...just...spectacular. In my memory, it'll always be. Not only did it seem like an ocean sunset, but a light fog had begun to roll in. And to top it all off, there was a jetty and a giant pile of what I assume was sand, but it was all very rocky looking...and the entire effect was VERY much CALIFORNIA. I truly felt like I was on a CA beach at sunset. Need I say more?
Well, of course I'll say more. Next, I sailed through Atlantic City for the first time in 5 years. I never tire of glitz and tall buildings...even when surrounded by slums. If it was earlier, I was gonna stop in the Borgata, but that'll wait for another day. Then, back on the Parkway, followed by the friend visit. And THEN...exhausted and famished though I was, I just could not resist a 2ND coastline drive from Spring Lake up to Asbury Park. Yes, it was dark, but this only made it MORE fun, because it honestly felt like the aftermath of a nuclear attack...there was NO ONE around. It was seriously eerie. It was a 60-degree, clear November night...where the hell is everyone? I could've been hacked to death on the Spring Lake boardwalk and no one would've found me till morning. But I risked hacking by lounging on a bench, staring at the almost-full moon over crashing waves. Ahhhhhh. Before heading back toward the Parkway, I was pleasantly surprised at the increasing venues Asbury Park had to offer...even as escalating gang violence ravages other parts of the city. MUST sample the hip looking new sushi joint...and I hate sushi. Just make sure your doors are locked while idling at red lights and be prepared to slam on the gas pedal. Has this blog entry gone on long enough for you yet?
OK, i'm done. But this was for ME, not you. Well, you if you WANT. But this entry was a perfect example of personal recording, NOT entertaining. Though, of course, I'd argue that i'm always SOMEWHAT entertaining and/or informative. Thus, if anything, I hope this urges you to explore the southernmost NJ coast. Wander, don't speed.
I wound up seeing a mere one friend...but it was a delightful, though too brief, visit. I almost didn't even call him. By the time I did, it was already 7pm-ish and I was already weary. But something made me pull over and call...and i'm glad I did. However, it quickly became apparent to me that I really didn't feel like seeing anyone today...that today was about ME...ALONE...roaming along the oceanfront.
And so I wandered the seawall in North Wildwood along the Hereford Inlet, then got in my car and headed north. I got out of my car on the road on Nummy Island to take in the glorious marshy solitude and take a picture. It was ALL so marshy and full of fishermen on the side of the road. The houses in Avalon stunned me. I knew they were swanky, but did NOT remember them SO palatial. You couldn't even SEE the houses, hidden as they were behind coastal woodlands. THIS was the NJ shore?
And then...Strathmere. My first thought was that it was a crummy, piece of shit stretch of road. The strip of land thinned out so much here -- literally all you have is the one road, with houses on one side facing the bay, and dunes on the other side that block your view of the ocean. There are no side streets. ONE road. But then I got out of the car to walk up and view the ocean...and suddenly it hit me...this, like Avalon, though in a much different way, didn't remotely feel like the NJ I know. The view was spectacular...and the people were few. But it felt like the Outer Banks, and suddenly I did a complete 180 and realized I kinda dug the solitude and non-commercialization of this VERY short piece of the NJ shore pie. I mean, have you EVER heard someone say they have a house in Strathmere?
Ocean City afforded me an opportunity to take a great sunset pic on the bay, along with a VERY surreal drive-by of a house at which I used to spend a lot of time. I could write pages JUST on this house and my past with it. Overall, though, I find Ocean City as boring as ever. Must be the no alcohol rule. And it's SOOOOOOOOOOOO long. It's like the fucking state of PA to drive through.
Just when i'd given up on stunning water/sunset shots, I stumbled upon a beaut in Longport or Margate...it was right around the border of the two cities. My after-the-fact map perusal confirms what I thought...this is a stretch of NJ coast that is actually KINDA east-west, which explains how it appeared the sun was setting OVER THE OCEAN. I PRAY this shot comes out well...it was just...just...spectacular. In my memory, it'll always be. Not only did it seem like an ocean sunset, but a light fog had begun to roll in. And to top it all off, there was a jetty and a giant pile of what I assume was sand, but it was all very rocky looking...and the entire effect was VERY much CALIFORNIA. I truly felt like I was on a CA beach at sunset. Need I say more?
Well, of course I'll say more. Next, I sailed through Atlantic City for the first time in 5 years. I never tire of glitz and tall buildings...even when surrounded by slums. If it was earlier, I was gonna stop in the Borgata, but that'll wait for another day. Then, back on the Parkway, followed by the friend visit. And THEN...exhausted and famished though I was, I just could not resist a 2ND coastline drive from Spring Lake up to Asbury Park. Yes, it was dark, but this only made it MORE fun, because it honestly felt like the aftermath of a nuclear attack...there was NO ONE around. It was seriously eerie. It was a 60-degree, clear November night...where the hell is everyone? I could've been hacked to death on the Spring Lake boardwalk and no one would've found me till morning. But I risked hacking by lounging on a bench, staring at the almost-full moon over crashing waves. Ahhhhhh. Before heading back toward the Parkway, I was pleasantly surprised at the increasing venues Asbury Park had to offer...even as escalating gang violence ravages other parts of the city. MUST sample the hip looking new sushi joint...and I hate sushi. Just make sure your doors are locked while idling at red lights and be prepared to slam on the gas pedal. Has this blog entry gone on long enough for you yet?
OK, i'm done. But this was for ME, not you. Well, you if you WANT. But this entry was a perfect example of personal recording, NOT entertaining. Though, of course, I'd argue that i'm always SOMEWHAT entertaining and/or informative. Thus, if anything, I hope this urges you to explore the southernmost NJ coast. Wander, don't speed.
posted by Gregoire at 11:20 PM
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