Sometimes you just need to escape to an island. And all you need to do is look out onto the Shrewsbury River to find one.

If you can’t get in your gondola and paddle over there, the 32-acre Gunning Island preserve, 20 acres of which has been owned by Rumson since 2007, is close enough to see from the banks of Rumson or Sea Bright. For RFHers, it holds a cache of party and young pleasure boating memories.

It now seems to beckon with a sigh of serenity and solitude in its wildlife preserve state.

Exhale and take in the memories with the scenery …

(Don’t forget to click to enlarge.)

— Elaine Van Develde