Jersey Shore Magazine

J e r s e y s h o r e • S p r i n g 2 0 1 8 98 HOME PORT Invincible Summer Life & The Art of Boogie Boarding by Christine Menapace "In the midst of winter, I found there was, within me, an invincible summer. And that makes me happy. For it says that no matter how hard the world pushes against me, within me, there's something stronger—something better, pushing right back." —Albert Camus It was the last day of summer vacation. Bright and sunny, but overshadowed by that bittersweet, collective sigh of mourning that accompanies a good time come to an end. Other seasons die long, slow deaths, fading subtly into the next. But not summer. It demands a final weekend, a last bash, a defin- itive marking of its imminent passing. By sunset of Labor Day weekend, it's effectively all over. Beach clubs shutter their doors, lifeguards drag their stands in, and beach badges suddenly expire. While weekend partygo- ers and nine to fivers had said their goodbyes the day before, my children had a twenty-four-hour reprieve before the school bell would snap us back to reality. So down to the beach in Spring Lake we headed for a more personal, less crowded fare- well to summer, the blessing of being a local. The day was fairly hot but you couldn't feel it for the blustery wind. My friends and I parked our chairs at the ocean's edge for better access to the kids since any rescues would be up to us in this newly minted "off season." As we watched waves roll in and over our fearless children, one woman in particular caught my eye. She was boogie boarding right along with the kids. But the crop of gray hair atop the bright pink swim shirt told me she was no spring chicken. I asked my friend, a regular at this beach, if she knew anything about her. "Oh, that lady? She's awesome! I see her here a lot. She's always boogie boarding." While most women on the beach were sunning themselves or watch- ing their children frolic in the waves (like me), here was a senior out enjoying the ocean just like a kid. Her name is Cookie Gray and she's seventy-six. And yes, she comes to the beach in Spring Lake from her home in Bergen County fairly often to boogie board. First, she checks the tides to see if she can time her day within two hours of high or low tide. "It's when the riding is good," she explains. Anthony, her seventy-eight-year-old hus- band, comes along to body surf. "Our adults got us season beach passes," she says in cheeky reference to the couple's two grown children. "They're not kids," she clarifies. Neither Cookie nor Anthony can recall just how long they've been coming to Spring Lake beach but they think it's at least fifteen years. And they've drawn a fair amount of attention for their ocean sportsmanship. Cookie is often approached by those who find her inspirational. "One woman was only in her fifties and in awe. I said, 'Well, older people should have fun too!'" In addition to boogie board- ing, Cookie water skis ("one ski," she points out) and snorkels. I would suspect these are tall tales had I not just seen her emerge from the water like a sixteen-year-old. Besides Spring Lake, she and Anthony love Cape May and Sandy Hook beaches. Off the Hook in Highlands is one of their favorite restaurants. Yet their adventures are hardly restricted to the Jersey Shore. With a passion for birding and a love of nature, they've been to Antarctica, Iceland, and Indonesia. "I've had a panda on my lap in China," enthuses Cookie. Further discussion reveals travels to Russia and Machu Picchu in Peru, among others. When they visit Hawaii, they tell me, one of their first stops is always the Costco. Why? For boogie boards, of course. It's cheaper than renting. "I give it away at the end of the trip. It feels good," says Cookie. Though just a few times she's gotten airline upgrades and brought some boards home. Today, Cookie is wearing the aforementioned hot pink SPF swim shirt (long sleeve, she mentions a first stage melanoma encounter in the past) and full- length navy leggings. Her boogie board is a mint green continued on page 63 Cookie Gray at Spring Lake beach.

• Cover