Ann Delaney Beach Blog

Category: Life at the Shore

  • Morning Sky

    The beach sky just before sunrise- beautiful colors!

    sky

  • Winter Wind

    The island is a bit more active with the 3 day weekend.  Nice to see lights on in houses!

    Bundle up, and enjoy a walk on the windy beach 🙂

    SaturdayMorning

     

  • January Sunshine

    A beautiful view this morning from the Avalon jetty (the birds weren’t thrilled about the interruption!)

    Jetty

  • Year Round Businesses

    ReedsWhen a new business opens on the island, and boldly proclaims their plan to stay open year-round, the local residents shrug.  We have heard it many times before…only to see the “Closed” sign on the door by late October.

    Our pessimism is based on experience.  Yet, is that pessimism also contributing to the winter closure?

    Obviously it’s a supply/demand issue (especially with restaurants).  Cape May manages to reach beyond its town borders to attract patrons…shouldn’t Avalon and Stone Harbor be able to do the same?

    This subject is on my mind because of recent visits to The Reeds.  The owners are making an effort to attract the “winter crowd” with a reasonable bar menu and lunch specials.  Like Congress Hall in Cape May, they hope to become the town “living room” in the off season.

    So this is my low key plug for all of the island businesses that stay with us year round.  We will show our appreciation, and spread the word.

     

  • Contrasting Colors

    Bright sun, dark clouds, and a Stone Harbor landmark:  Villa Maria by the Sea.

    VillaMaria

  • More Owls!

    More Snowy owl sightings along the beach this morning: the high dune area of Avalon, and Stone Harbor Point!

    FridayOwlAvalon

    FridayOwl2FridayOwl

  • Really??

    When I see winter weather reports for Maine, Michigan, North Dakota, etc….I wonder…why do people choose to live there?

    I guess residents of warmer southern states are wondering the same thing about New Jersey!

    This picture was taken at the end of our beach drive on Friday. The snow is gone, but the COLD temperatures are here (7 degrees as of 11am).

    Jeep 2

     

  • Beach Wear

    shoesNot high fashion…but I wear my practical beach “hiking” shoes all winter.  Especially handy today.

    It was nerve wracking to walk in the street – more ice than snow.  Much easier once I was on the beach.

    The sun is out and no wind.  Low temperatures…but it’s still a pretty day!

    On a warmer note…I’m in the office all weekend, and ready to help with your 2014 beach plans 🙂

     

     

  • Storm Chasing

    If you want to see more snow/storm pictures from yesterday, check out my Twitter page

    The most impressive sight?  Huge ocean waves held up by the strong north wind.  The surfers were happy!

    piersurfer

     

    waves

  • Freezing Temperatures

    frozenpipesThe snow storm is receiving all of the attention, but shore property owners should be more concerned about the forecasted temperatures.

    Cold wind can freeze pipes in the crawl space (open crawl space vents are often the cause).  If outside faucets/showers aren’t drained,  pipes will freeze, and then crack.

    Inside your home, open the cabinet doors under the kitchen and bathroom sinks (allows heat to flow around the pipes). Turn up the thermostat a few degrees just to be safe.

    Always worthwhile to ride down to check doors and windows, and make sure all household items are secure.

    Stay warm!