A Monday memory....

Long Beach Island

The Englishman and I met and fell in love on LBI.  That was way back in 1978.  It was the first time I had ever been on the Island.  I was spending time with my sister, who was renting with friends for a month.

Long Beach Island has a feel all its own.  There are no "boardwalks" to spoil the view.  I just loved it - from the sandy beach to the shops in Beach Haven.  My idea of heaven on Earth.

The Englishman and I liked it so much that we rented for a week the following two summers and eventually were blessed to be able to buy a house on the southern tip in Holgate.

We spent fifteen fabulous summers there.  I would take the girls and my mother down for the Easter break and sometimes, the week following the end of the school term.  We would all go down as a family for two weeks in August.  The rest of the time, we often rented the house out.

It was difficult for our family when we sold the house.  We all have such fond memories - the girls jumping the waves, putting on "shows", calling out for "sunset alerts", playing in the sand under the deck, or gazing at the ocean while sitting at the kitchen table. 

Following this devastating storm called Sandy, we have all happened upon photos of our former house.  It's heartbreaking to see the landscape so dramatically changed.

This is a former neighbor's house, identical to ours, before.

And this is the aftermath.  (Photo by Ryan Morill)

The dunes have been completely washed away.  Gone also are the entrances to the homes as well as the street and driveways leading up to them.

New Jerseyans are resilient people, however.  I'm confident they will clean up, rebuild homes and beaches, and create new memories for all of us who love being near the ocean. 

And while it is heartbreaking for people to lose or suffer significant damage to a vacation home, it is for the permanent residents and business owners that we most grieve.  May help reach them quickly, with much needed emotional as well as financial support.