Longtime Fair Haven-based, family-owned marine construction firm, Rice Associates, was recently recognized by River Rats, the borough’s 71-year-old non-profit educational sailing club, with what has been dubbed the Beacon of Light Award.
A little bit of sun shone through overcast skies when a couple of Fair Haven River Rats were reunited as youth sailors sailed through fair winds and choppy waters recently to participate in the longtime borough maritime tradition, the Mayor’s Cup.
All’s cool with these little rats in the pool … or, more like down by the river! A reprise from 2018 in ode to the tradition of summer recreating on the river in the Rumson-Fair Haven area. It’s all about River Rats, one summer rite of passage in the area …
Unofficial summertime is here, with the official season’s start soon to set sail. And summers in the Rumson-Fair Haven area are rife with river-oriented activities that have become tradition.
River Rats’ sailing “camp” is no exception. OK, nobody was camping. It was more like a little club. Still is.
It’s been a sort of rite-of-living-on-the-Navesink passage for decades — since 1955. Kids learn how to boat and do a lot of summer fun bonding in the process.
Continue reading Retro Cool River Rat DazeRats! It’s something that might be said if taking the plunge into a longtime classic summer ritual of learning to sail and belonging to The Fair Haven River Rats — that 70-year-old non-profit educational sailing organization on the Navesink River — is missed.
Continue reading Sailing into River Rats Season: The FYI on Classes & Open House
A River Rats reprise to mark the official start of summer …
It’s smooth sailing into summer — maybe a bit too smooth … right into that heat. But back in 1975, the river road could be a bit rocky. At least one little river rat had to patch up a Blue Jay with bubble gum. Rats! That would be little Claire Hurd. Sailing rats all learned how to improvise, for sure. They also learned how to tie a square not like a real sailor.
Continue reading Retro River Rats’ Smooth Summer SailCall it a ratty reprise ode to summertime …
Summers in the Rumson-Fair Haven area are rife with river-oriented activities that have become tradition.
River Rats’ sailing “camp” is no exception. OK, nobody was camping per se. It was more like a little club. Still is. In fact, it’s that time of the year when kids start signing up for summer River Rats fun. In fact, it’s that time — to sign up for the Rats season.
It’s been a sort of rite of living on the Navesink passage for decades — since 1955. Kids learn how to boat and do a lot of summer fun bonding in the process.
“When you die, that does not mean you lose to cancer. You beat cancer by how you live, why you live and the manner in which you live.” ~ Stuart Scott, ESPY Awards 2014.
“Jack was victorious — a true champion.” ~ Jack Forster’s family
Former longtime Fair Havenite, Jack Forster, more recently of of Ocean Township, “gained his wings” on Feb. 2, 2023 after “a courageous battle with cancer.” He was 91.
Continue reading In Memoriam: Former Longtime Fair Havenite Jack Forster, 91
Just when you think the sun will shine on river days of spring in the Rumson-Fair Haven area, an inclement chill stifles that exhale of respite warmth.
The tease of sun drenching that’s meant to stay a while becomes a mere reminder of the rite-of-passage river time to come. The reminders bring the light back. They soothe a little. They give us the cue that the sun will eventually drown the chill. The river’s image always reminds us it’s there, the sun coming to sop up the Navesink’s shoreline, those clinging home’s comfort caught in the shadowy drench.
Yes, the chill took the breath out of that exhale tease. With another deep inhale, sunny days promise restore river time springtime warmth. They’re coming soon. Start the inhale. Take a look at the birth of spring on the Fair Haven riverfront.
Take it in along with the promise of warmer days ahead from the National Weather Service … (Click on one image to enlarge, scroll and enjoy! Ahhhhhh!)
A reprise, just because … the river is a time-honored hangout spot, great for what ails a kid or adult mid-pandemic, plenty of room to distance, and now with a possible threat of sharks. No murder hornets sighted yet … Remember the simpler times of close river encounters? The best of kids’ stuff …
It’s Friday, have you hung out with your River Rats this week?
It’s that longtime rat pack with which kids sail away the summer — River Rats.
Summers, since 1955, a group gathers at the end of Battin Road in Fair Haven to learn how to sail and bond. You’ve gotten a glimpse into those summer days down by the river with the good rats before.
This is yet another, more expansive shot.
It’s the Retro Pic of the Day circa 1970s; and it’s brought to us by RFH grad Marc Edelman.
Recognize anyone? Not in it? Rats!
Distanced sail, anyone? Some good little rats are taking to the river for a little camaraderie and sailing instruction these days. The pandemic hasn’t taken away the river, after all, and its rites of passage, like sailing.
Summers in the Rumson-Fair Haven area are rife with river-oriented activities that have become tradition. River Rats’ sailing “camp” in Fair Haven is no exception. OK, nobody was camping. It was more like a little club. Still is.
It’s been the way of growing up on the Navesink for decades — since 1955. Kids learn how to boat and do a lot of summer fun bonding in the process.
Continue reading Retro Close River Rat EncountersSummer is in full swing down by the river, heat waves, storms and all! And a big part of summering in the Rumson-Fair Haven area is all about hanging out down by the river — on the dock, on a little strip of sand, or sailing away with your River Rats.
Continue reading Retro River Ratting DazeThe following Retro Pic of the Day, an annual ode to summer riverfront life in the area, was originally posted on Aug. 1, 2016. Take a look back with us again …
Photo/courtesy Marc Edelman, Facebook
Summers in the Rumson-Fair Haven area are rife with river-oriented activities that have become tradition.
River Rats’ sailing “camp” is no exception. OK, nobody was camping. It was more like a little club. Still is.
It’s been a sort of rite of living on the Navesink passage for decades — since 1955. Kids learn how to boat and do a lot of summer fun bonding in the process.
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