By Paul Goldfinger, Editor @Blogfinger.
This was originally posted in June, 2015 on BF. But each year we pay attention to girls in their summer clothes. It is a tradition for our seashore community.
Ocean Grove beach, late 1800’s. Courtesy of Ted Bell author of: Images of America—Ocean Grove. © 2000.
Source: hanging at the HSOG museum. Blogfinger photo
By contrast, here is a photograph taken in summer, 2018 on the OG boards. What a difference 140 years can make in beach fashions:
Coup de foudre: (“Love at first sight.) Paul Goldfinger photo. Summer, 2018. OG boards. ©
The June day in 2015 (below) started out rainy and chilly, but later in the day it became Sunny and Cher; it warmed up a bit, but it was still windy.
I went on the boardwalk and saw lifeguards at their stations. A green flag was flying along with “Old Glory.” But no one was swimming. In fact no one was in the water.
OG lifeguards. 6/6/15 Blogfinger photo © All photographs by Paul Goldfinger, Editor @ Blogfinger. (except for the one by Ted Bell dated 1880.) Click to enlarge all photos.
I walked up to one of the lifeguard stands and joked with the guards who stayed at their post, like soldiers guarding a “no-man’s land.” An older guard, “Cowboy Dave” was sitting in the rescue boat, 10 gallon hat on and blue sunglasses, but he was facing the water. He is either the first or the last in the lifeboat. He said that he is from OG and that this is his 16th summer as a lifeguard. He reminds me of Robert Duvall smelling napalm in the morning. (Apocalypse Now)
Cowboy Dave. 6/06/15. Blogfinger photo ©
I asked him if he saw any bathing beauties go by, because all that was out there was the surf. He pointed to some young ladies about 100 yards away who were the only ones on the beach, to the north. Clearly this was not a “no-woman’s land.”
They wore some pretty small bathing suits, so it seemed like a good public interest news photo- op for Blogfinger.
OG bathers. (Left to right) Hannah, Tui, Danielle, and Amelia. 6/6/15. Blogfinger photo © Click image to enlarge the bathing suits.
When I walked to their location, it seemed like I should ask them why they are in Ocean Grove on such a bleak day. I was thinking that they looked like they should be in Asbury Park. I did not comment on their attire, but you can’t help but notice that this is much different than 1880.
As it turns out, they are coeds who are camping at Allaire State Park where they are renting a yurt. They were having a great time just being together and laughing and talking and telling yurt jokes. They said that they preferred Ocean Grove’s beach to any others. One of them had come to OG as a child.
They especially singled out Days Ice Cream and the summer tents as favorite spots. I only had one BF card which I gave them to photograph and share.
I said goodbye and walked back to the lifeguards offering to sell them the names of the young ladies. They seemed interested, but ultimately I suggested that they get the names themselves.
So who says that we live in Ocean Grave? It’s time to bury that nickname.
Paul Goldfinger, Editor @Blogfinger
Saturday, June 6, 2015, Ocean Grove beach.
BRUCE SPRINGSTEEN (live)
