The “Real Ospreys of New Jersey” had some human competition this morning while fishing for their breakfast.
A beautiful day at the beach!
Follow the ospreys on their Twitter site: http://twitter.com/wetlandsshnj and on their live web cam: http://wetlandsinstitute.org/education/osprey-camera/
More activity around the island this weekend as property and business owners prepare for the summer season.
And, the dolphins have returned- I spotted two this morning playing in the waves.
Plan ahead for next weekend: The Borough Wide Yard Sale in Avalon – Saturday 9am to 3pm (rain or shine); followed by the ever popular bulk trash pick up on Sunday and Monday! In Stone Harbor, 96th Street will be busy with Sail into Summer events both Saturday and Sunday- food, music, and great shopping opportunities.
P.S. Kohler’s Bakery opens this weekend, too 🙂
Island wear has a different definition in the spring.Â
If the weather report mentions 80 degrees, we know that doesn’t necessarily apply here. With the strong sea breeze and heavy fog, we might be lucky to break 60.
And, when traveling “off shore”- island speak for going to the mainland- we know to dress differently: shorts and flip flops for a trip to the Acme in Cape May Court House…versus jeans and a sweatshirt for a walk along 96th Street in Stone Harbor!
Join your neighbors and friends at the annual beach clean up event sponsored by Clean Ocean Action.
Participants will be walking along the ocean and bay side shores of New Jersey this Saturday, April 30th.
In Avalon, volunteers will gather at 30th Street; in Stone Harbor, meet at 95th Street- 9am. For additional information: http://www.cleanoceanaction.org
A rainy start on Saturday, but thankfully, clearing skies by the afternoon, and a beautiful day yesterday.
This was the view at the end of the Easter Sunrise service on the 88th Street pavilion in Stone Harbor.
Another warm one today…and many owners/visitors still in town to enjoy a beach day 🙂
A dreary start to Easter weekend at the shore.
The bright spots?  The glow of lights in the many businesses now open for the season…and the flowering trees!Â
By the way, heard that there will be yet another new owner taking over the bar and restaurant at the former Henny’s location in Stone Harbor.  And, they will return to a more casual (guessing that means less expensive) format. Will update when an official opening date is announced.
I posted this last fall, and decided to re-post after working through yet another sale with mold in the crawl space. Tips to avoid an expensive remediation:
Our beautiful “Seven Mile” island…surrounded by the Atlantic Ocean, tidal creeks, and back bay. There are many days when we can actually SEE the moisture in the air.
This unique environment requires homes to be properly vented to prevent damage from moisture and mold.Â
1) Crawl Space: Open the foundation vents in the spring and replace the crawl space door with a screened door (Richardson’s Screen on 39th and Ocean Drive will make one to fit). Or, replace the old aluminum vents with Smart Vents for even better air flow (and often lower flood insurance cost).
Remove any debris in the crawl- especially wood products.  Left over decking is “lunch” for termites. Unless your ground regularly floods, a vapor barrier is recommended (basically, a thick plastic cover for the dirt). Close the vents/ crawl door in the fall to protect exposed water pipes during the cold months.
2) Attic: The soffit vents (around the perimeter of the house) need to be clear of insulation. Newer homes have ridge vents to help with air flow.
3) Drainage: Most newer homes do not have gutters. This drives the home inspectors crazy! Make sure water does not flow toward the house (and into the crawl space) after a heavy rain. Also check the water flow from the outside shower- proper grading will help.  Trim landscaping away from foundation vents. And, remember the old landscaping design with raised beds and railroad ties? This is a termite and moisture combination that will ultimately cause major problems.
The churches of Avalon and Stone Harbor, NJ participate in an annual Easter sunrise service by the beach.
This year, the community service will be held at the 88th Street beach pavilion in Stone Harbor at 6am.
The equipment is in place on the 9th Street beach in Avalon, and sand will start pumping this weekend according to a Borough of Avalon press release.
The project will work south from 8th Street to 30th Street, with beaches in the immediate pumping area closed for safety reasons. The boardwalk will offer excellent spectator viewing once the equipment moves to that section of the beach!
For more information and regular updates, visit www.avalonboro.org
Tuesday 4/26 Update- there are workers on site preparing for the beach fill, however, weather has delayed the arrival of the dredge from Cape May. Sand pumping now likely to begin on Thursday 4/28.
Peaceful
The reality of world events reinforces how fortunate we are to live in a simple, peaceful place.