Jersey Shore Magazine

j e r s e y s h o r e • S P R I N G 2 0 2 2 41 Island Beach State Park Formerly known as the Phipps Estate, and stretching almost ten miles, this section of barrier island has been left much as it has been for centuries. It is also the site of nearly three hundred documented ship- wrecks and rescues. The structures of two life-saving stations remain, though one has been appropriated for the maintenance department and the other as a Nature Center and Interpretive Center. The latter includes an exhibit model of the orig- inal Reed Hotel and outer buildings, baymen's tools, dune vegetation, and time lines of major events. Many fishermen consider Island Beach to be one of the best saltwater fishing loca- tions on the East Coast. The park also draws birdwatchers throughout the year, offering tall dunes, bird blinds, vistas of Barnegat Bay, and osprey nests. Babe Ruth came here for duck hunting (and poker games), and two popular authors—Pearl S. Buck and August Huell Seaman—spent time at Island Beach while they worked on writing projects. During WWII, it was the site of top secret missile tests. I have taken dozens of friends and acquaintances from across the U.S. along this route; after they've expe- rienced a longer glance at its history, folklore, geography, architecture, diversity, and culture, almost all have come away with a new, informed appreciation of this stretch of the Jersey Shore. Each time I travel it, I too am left with a greater gratitude for this coastal wonder. u Gordon Hesse is the author of "Island Beach - A Sonnet In The Sands," "All Summer Long - Tales & Lore of Lifeguarding on the Atlantic," "Cuban Blues - A Memoir," and "Children Of The Sky - The Odyssey Of Alvar Nunez Cabeza de Vaca." For more information about his books and appearances, please refer to pages 7 - 8. Seaside Heights This is the "carnival" of the Shore: barkers, games of chance, arcades, pinball, thrill rides, and a night- time festival of colorful, whirling, blinking, electric lighting. Its broad boardwalk is lined with food, bars, clothing, and other shops. Lavallette Boardwalk A big part of Lavallette's charm is derived from its beach and board- walk having no commercial features. Its beach is safe, and the mile-long, pedestrian boardwalk, with bench- es and pavilions, is a great place to stretch the legs, sit with a book, or observe the beauty of Lavallette's "soft" (sometimes described as "fluffy") white sand and dunes. Or you can take in views of the amuse- ments a little more than a mile away in Seaside Heights. This one square mile town features beaches both along the ocean and on Barnegat Bay. Organized in 1904, the Lavallette Yacht Club was used extensively in the 2007 film "Greetings from the Shore." Bay Head Station This quaint railway station is "the end of the line" for NJ Transit's North Jersey Coast Line. It first reached Bay Head in 1881, providing rail travel from New York City to the beaches. The rail terminus contains thirty-three acres of wetland and pro- vides a loop to turn the trains around to head back north. This broad inlet is a popular fish- ing and picnicking site that divides Monmouth and Ocean counties and marks the northern terminus of the Intracoastal Waterway. The Manasquan side is widely known as one of the best surf spots on the East Coast. The ocean bottom directs and often enlarges the waves as they come in to create a great "right break." On the Point Pleasant Beach Surfing at the Manasquan Inlet. Bay Head Station. side is a monument in recognition of fishermen lost at sea. Nearby are picturesque commercial fishing har- bors that are popular sites for amateur and professional photographers. The town has a boardwalk with shops, restaurants, arcades, an aquarium, and rides. Neighboring Point Pleasant Boro is home to the location of the original "Mike's Subs," now known as "Jersey Mike's," which is franchised at more than 2,000 locations across the United States. The original location is now a training center, but you can have lunch at its flagship Point Beach location on Route 35 south. Manasquan Inlet and Point Pleasant Beach Seaside Heights boardwalk. Lavallette boardwalk. Spring heather in bloom at island Beach State Park. Gordon Hesse Gordon Hesse Tom Lynch/AngryFishGallery.com Gordon Hesse Adam Moss

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