Memories of the NJ Shore

I was not intending to write an article on life after Super Storm in NJ, and the ongoing recovery. But I went to the online edition of the Star Ledger on NJ.com this morning and found a video -- a mini-documentary called Splinters and Sand: Rebuilding our memories. Rebuilding the New Jersey Shore by Brian Donahue -- that I want to share with you. Among other things, Brian shares how SS Sandy impacted some of his favorite places on the Jersey Shore. After you watch the video, read on and I'll share how SS Sandy impacted one of my favorite places on the Jersey Shore.

The embed code that I had originally posted for Splinters and Sand is no longer available, but you may you use the direct link to Splinters and Sand, a Special Star Ledger Report by Brian Donohue  on NJ dot com to watch the video (updated on July 18, 2013).

Brain talks about his memories in this video. One of my favorite places is the area around Tuckerton NJ and the the Mystic Islands just north of Atlantic City, NJ. Tuckerton was hit badly by SS Sandy Tuckerton and the adjacent Mystic Islands are quiet communities without the notoriety of areas such as the Seaside Heights (whose destroyed piers many of you have seen on the national media). I saw an article recently from NJ dot com on Tuckerton's damage from SS Sandy, go here to see the article. 

I drove through Tuckerton, and the Mystic Islands earlier this month. It seemed disrespectful to take pictures. I saw boarded up houses with varying degrees of damage, and a few severely damaged marinas. I knew from spending some time at the Mystic Islands during summers in years past how important the boating industry is to the Tuckerton and Mystic Island area. Many damaged boats had no doubt been removed, but the damage to the piers and docks was clear. I saw a news report a day or so after I went to the Mystic Islands (sorry I can no longer find the article), discussing the financial hardships faced by many marina owners. 

New Jersey's maritime industry has been hit hard, see this article from the Sunday Star Ledger (1/27/13), and here's an article about the problems from  USA Today about problems facing NJ's fishing industry post SS Sandy.

Here is a short video from the Press of Atlantic City about the plight of marina owners in southern Ocean County NJ post SS Sandy (Tuckerton and the Mystic Islands are in southern Ocean County NJ). I hope they can get the help they need so that they come back.

direct link to video