Surfer and trawler. Bob Bowné. Special to Blogfinger. © Click to see the surf rider. Re-post.
By Paul Goldfinger, Editor @Blogfinger.net—-maker of waves at Ocean Grove NJ. Re-post from April, 2022.
When the subject of a dog beach at the North End was proposed and denied by the CMA, attention was called to a special area of the OG beach, at the North End, which has been set aside for surfers.
Was this another example of favoritism in the Grove? Dog owners vs surfers?
Surfers in this town are like a fraternity, similar to the lifeguards and the firemen. They are protective of their privilege at the North End even though surfing around here isn’t as glorious as some places.
Once the public gets a whiff of favoritism (as in Mary’s Place zoning) the bar gets lowered for suspicion of more of the same.
We made some inquiries and learned that the decision to establish a surfer beach came from a desire to improve water safety. Some swimmers had been knocked over by surfers, and the surfers beach restricts surfers to that location while banning swimmers at the same place. Despite the lack of swimmers, a life guard station is posted there anyhow.
Ocean Grove’s beach popularity has been growing, and it gets pretty crowded at peak summer season. Some wonder if surf safety could be improved while making the north beach open for swimmers.
Once the lifeguards leave the OG beach, however, all bets are off for swimmers and surfers. Swim and ride the waves at your own risk from north to south.
BRIAN STOKES MITCHELL. From his album Simply Broadway. “The Impossible Dream” is from Don Quixote. The song is dedicated to the surfers who go out alone to challenge the ocean and dream the impossible wave.
Bob Bowné, whose photograph is shown above, is a Grover who used to make a profession of photographing surfers for magazines.
Reblogged this on Blogfinger and commented:
While we are on the subject of decisions made by the CMA which affect the lifestyles of all who live here as well as visitors, here is a re-post of another such example.
Having a “separate but equal” beach for a minority group (surfers) seems fair and keeps things orderly and safe. The surfers’ beach should be the area with the best surf. For example, the south end of Bradley and south end of Belmar. Swimmers won’t want this part of the ocean because it is usually too rough.
Ironically, Ocean Grove has designated North Beach for surfing when generally the surf is better on South Beach (note where you see more surfers after hours and after season). Perhaps this is because beachgoers preferred South Beach and so surfers were given the unpopular North Beach.
Often, North Beach seems wasted, reserved for surfers when the ocean is flat (no surfer is going to sit on his board waiting for junk), but it is impractical to change the designation depending on the daily surf report.
The reasoning is a hoax—definitely worthy of suspicion. The entire beach should be available for swimmers.
If surf boards are dangerous, then they should not be allowed—period. I don’t see a beach for motor boats.
The solution to chop off a large hunk of our beach for surfers is ridiculous and should never have been permitted. This scenario has more than a mere whiff of favoritism.
I do not believe the only reason they made the change was safety. For many years they had surfing and swimming at the South End, and the North End had nothing, supposedly because they could not afford lifeguards there.
Then after having to redo the boardwalk at the South End, they made it only for swimming.
Then they placed lifeguards for surfing only at the North End (except when they have their beach events and it becomes swimming only for the day.) This is the current situation.
It seems strange they can now afford lifeguards at the North End when many of the surfers do not even pay to get on the beach, while continuing to deprive people who live at the North End equal access to the beach.
There is no reason the North End cannot have both surfing and swimming, similar to the old setup on the South End to provide people better access.
Editor’s Note: Aren’t you glad we are at the south end of this comment? But seriously folks, Northender has a legitimate gripe. And we do appreciate the historical perspective.
Sounds like the Surfers need a little respect.
Let them use the same hours, 3 am to 10 am that the bicyclist use.
No favoritism? Safety is the reason—to protect swimmers from surfboards?
Why should swimmers be banned at the North End so that a handful of privileged surfers can ride the waves at a public beach? We could use more swimming space when things get busy in season.
Maybe a better solution in season would be to ban surfing until after the lifeguards and swimmers go home. This is a greater good for the most people. Then, after Labor Day, anything goes.
I’m a big fan of the Surf Beach,. For the same reason it was established, safety, we need to section off an area for boogie boards. This past season they were everywhere, creating a dangerous situation for those that just want to swim or float in the ocean.
Mary Ellen: You seem a bit defensive about the Surf Beach and Mary’s Place–you even used up 5 exclamation marks!!!
So let me be clear: Blogfinger has nothing against the Surfer Beach or the mission of Mary’s Place. We have been doing this blog since 2009 and never had anything negative to say about either topic, and both have been present for all those years.
Our interest is in fairness and equal treatment for all citizens of Ocean Grove. We want to know how things get done in our town.
So, when it comes to the Surf Beach we are asking how did that special beach come to be? We got the answer, and now the subject is closed unless we get some relevant comments about the process.
And in the case of Mary’s Place, we are interested in the manipulation of zoning which occurred. We have had nothing to say about the work which goes on inside other than one time when Blogfinger’s Mary Walton happily wrote about one of their 5K races in town.
During the years when Mary’s Place was in a house, I believe on the south side of town, we barely heard of them and we never wrote about them.
Why do we need a Surf Beach….Safety! Also, Ocean Grove is so family oriented. Kids can learn how to surf there with their friends and not worry about hurting swimmers. Of course we need a lifeguard there! There are surfers of all abilities using that beach. All need to be protected. Most are not advanced surfers (the kind that come out early in the morning and in the evening when guards aren’t present) I love the surf beach and my grandson and friends use it often!
I also love Mary’s Place by the Sea, their mission and what it has done for many of my friends fighting their battle with cancer. It is a beautiful respite. God’s Square Mile is right where they belong!!