May 27, 2020. The North End beach was empty. A few surfers were around. That area in OG is a “surfers’ beach.” Why do we need a surfers beach? If that beach were open to everyone, a lot more people could enjoy it.
This is one of Ocean Grove’s outdated customs. Let’s get rid of the possessive in the word “surfers'”
And how about the custom that put a horrid and dangerous black iron fence around the bell in Firemen’s Park? And the intimidating brambles around the fence. Let’s open that park up and let the kids run into that space and touch the bell—–a symbol of freedom.
Also we have the disgraceful practice of letting our park trees deteriorate and die. Ocean Grove is not a democracy; it is a fiefdom. (definition: the estate or domain of a feudal lord. Inf: An organization or real estate, owned or controlled by one dominant person or group.)
And speaking of customs, that North End property has been fallow for about the last 50 years, and now the CMA, developers and Neptuners want to turn it into an ugly, non historic, commercial money machine, and this in a town which is on the National and State Historic registers.
Firemen’s Park. This tree is dead due to neglect. Note the off-limits bell behind. Time for a change! Paul Goldfinger photo. Click for details.
DAVID CHOI. “Enjoy the View”
Carl: You have a history in the Grove, so you point to “knowing anything about the town and its beaches” as the key to the question of a surf beach in the Grove.
But, in any town, it’s rare that nothing changes, so wanting to reconsider a subject like a surfers beach from a new OG perspective is part of the natural order, such as reconsidering subjects like the role of the Camp Meeting Association and the relationship of Ocean Grove to Neptune Township.
That doesn’t mean that history is unimportant; it just means that change is inevitable. That’s how we wound up with the Bill of Rights in 1791.
Bo Rob is right on the money if you know anything about this town and beaches.
I really want to thank Bo Rob for his utterly useless little speech. So after reading it, yes, the North Beach should be dedicated for swimmers.
Doubting Thomas: At no time and in no way am I saying that those who disagree are stupid. I said that some have a lack of understanding about the issues.
– The surfers use a small beach. For years prior to being a surfer’s beach, this was the least populated beach. So few, if any, are being inconvenienced.
– Surfers can, and do, surf before and after lifeguards are on duty. Unlike swimmers, surfers are tethered to a floating device making them significantly safer than a swimmer.
– It also doesn’t have a large ocean front (you can’t count Asbury Park), and if there are no surfers (which is rare), it’s because of bad weather, bad currents or bad waves. And there’s no restriction on sitting or sunning on a surfer beach and then walking 150 -200 feet to swim in a swimming beach.
—While the schedule idea sounds good, the problem comes when there are big waves. If this occurs during a scheduled swimming time nobody will be swimming, and while surfers would love to go out, the schedule would prevent this.
Bo. So you think that anyone who disagrees with you is stupid.
But maybe there are some citizens who think that surfing is a dopey sport practiced by a few to the exclusion of the many.
How about a special beach for surf fishermen?
And let’s consider allowing surfers to surf before and after lifeguards are on duty.
Why declare a large beach off limits to swimmers so that a privileged few, who rarely show up, can safely arrive whenever they please without worrying about the public getting in their way?
Let’s not pretend that this is about safety primarily.
What about surfers and beachers sharing that beach according to a schedule ?
Anybody who knows anything about water safety knows that you can’t have swimmers and surfers on the same beach. Most towns in Monmouth and Ocean County have sections of beaches designated for just surfers (and kayakers). The practice of having a separate beach for surfers is also endorsed by the USLA (United States Lifeguard Assoc.).
Ocean Grove has gone to great lengths to ensure that both swimmers and surfers have safe areas within which to swim or surf. In the 80’s the south end of the Main Ave beach was designated as the surfing beach. In the 90’s, as more people began to use the Main Ave beach, the South End beach was designated as the surfing beach. Many of the South End beach goers objected to this, and the the South End beach was then separated, with the southern portion being for swimming.
In the 2000’s more people began using South End beach. At that time (and still today) there were few bathers at the North End beach. The walk from the boardwalk to the water at the North End beach is longer than any other OG beach, making it a hotter place to sit. Because of the small number of people going to this beach it was designated as the surfing beach. The surfers weren’t crazy about this, but have accepted it.
Surfers want a beach with big waves – something swimmers don’t want which is another reason for sepaprate beaches. Because they are already in the water, and further from the shore line than lifeguards there are numerous documented occurences of surfers paddling over to a swimming beach to save people who are in danger due to rip currents or poor swimming ability.
Doing away with a surfing beach shows a lack of understanding of the issues surrounding equitable enjoyment of a natural resource and ocean water safety.