“Anyone who’s grown up or lived on the Jersey Shore knows the place is unique.” – Bruce Springsteen

In the Carolinas, summer means “Going To The Beach,” but in New Jersey, the idiom is “Down The Shore” (pronounced as one word, “downashoor”).

So when our grandson was invited to compete in the 2019 US Sailing Youth Championship, we had the perfect opportunity for a few days down the shore on Long Beach Island.

Long Beach Island is a mere 18 miles long and half a mile wide, surrounded by ocean. Like our Outer Banks, this barrier island is no more than a skinny sandbar. It’s nestled just north of Atlantic City, southeast of Philadelphia, and exactly 100 miles due south from The Big Apple. The town has been continuously settled since 1690.

LBI, as the locals call it, is not only hosting the US Sailing Youth Championship, it was also the childhood summer home of our son-in-law, Ken, along with his three older siblings (and mom and dad). They shared a two-bedroom one-bath beach cottage the family bought when Ken was five.

With so many people in such a small space, it’s no wonder Ken spent hours outdoors – barefooted – playing with friends, riding his bike, and learning to sail his little boat, the KenDo.

After quickly unpacking, Ken took us for a tour of his childhood haunts. Some things had changed even before Hurricane Sandy hit in 2012, yet much was as Ken remembered.

At Spray Beach Yacht Club, Ken was able to point to his name on practically every trophy or plaque in sight (it’s clear where he spent most of his youth).

There was a long wall with photographs of every Club Commodore going back to the club’s founding in 1922. Sure enough, there for 1982 is Donald Corsig (Ken’s dad).

I’m glad we went. We lived in New Jersey during WWII (yes, I’m that old); my dad commuted into NYC. But we moved away after the war and my mother never saw a reason to go back.

“I never left anything behind in NJ, no need to go looking,” she’d say anytime the state’s name came up.


Our grandson Kenny competed in the 2019 US Sailing Youth Championship – twelve races, spread over four days – hosted by Little Egg Harbor Yacht Club. It gave us the wonderful opportunity to head down the shore to Long Beach Island, NJ.

Kenny boat is a Laser Redial: small, trim, and fast. We were on the water as “registered spectators” – up close and personal – while keeping the required distance during a race.

Kenny started sailing when he was eight. His most significant regatta (so far) was last August in Newport, RI where he competed in the 420 World Championship with sailors from around the globe. Kenny, and his partner, Adam, finished 34 of 80 and were one of the top US teams.

Kenny (or Kenneth as he now signs his name) did well at the Long Beach Island event; dad credits it to his passing along some “local knowledge.”

Kenneth will sail for Fordham University and study Finance starting Fall 2019.

New Jersey gets a bad rap, mostly because all most people see are the oil refineries off the NJ Turnpike, a lot of suburban sprawl, and the deteriorating casino scene a little farther south in Atlantic City. But it’s different on LBI.

First: Large front porches. Each complete with white rockers and hydrangeas. Every cottage boasts plenty of bicycles and at least one fancy rolling beach cart, loaded with coolers and bright colored chairs.

Second: Extremely bike friendly. Long Beach Island wants you riding your bicycle so much they have converted many of the streets to accommodate both bikes and cars. Several of the streets are designated for one way car traffic so that both cars and bikes (going the other way) can share the road safely. What a smart – inexpensive – and friendly solution!

Third: Very “Mom and Pop”. There is only one chain restaurant on the island itself (according to my research). Here, local eateries rule – each one better than the one before. The owner is part of the community and will get an ear full if a neighbor has a bad meal. Or, maybe with so many walkable local spots to choose from, the competition runs the poor (chain) choice away. I’m not sure, but I know we didn’t have a single bad meal. As for my favorite, I’d pick Howard’s; locally owned and operated since 1950.

Fourth: Single-use plastic carryout bags are prohibited. A notice greeted us on our walk to the store for provisions. (How would that law go over in your neighborhood?)

We made it home with our pockets stuffed full and only dropped the bananas along with one raspberry yogurt.

Every community makes choices, and Long Beach Township has made a good choice for the environment. Bravissimo LBI!

Fifth: The people. Maybe it’s the clean salt air or the laid-back vacation attitude, but everyone is kind; drivers yielding to pedestrians, everyone smiling, and saying, “Have a good one.” (There’s another NJ idiom I’ve found.)

So, as for Jersey getting a bad rap; I’d just say, not when you go Down the Shore.

Have you been to the New Jersey shore? What is your opinion of the Garden State?

Also, what about the rules in this town (like no single-use plastic bags)? Would you like to live where people care that much about the environment?

I would.

As always, the conversation starts here.

“In the ordinary choices of every day we begin to change the direction of our lives.” – Eknath Easwaran

Epilogue

This short video shows Kenny moving between races on the second day, take a look. Looks easy, right? Wrong!