By Elaine Van Develde
The Nor’easter remnants have hit the Rumson-Fair Haven area.
And, as predicted and history has shown, the combination of torrential rains, wind and high tides have produced some flooding on Ocean Avenue in Sea Bright and into the low-lying West Park section of Rumson.
In Rumson, Mayor John Ekdahl said in the late morning that “tides are running three feet above normal and is over the bulkhead in parts of West Park and Sea Bright.”
Today, Thanksgiving 2014, Rumson-Fair Haven Retrospect is giving thanks for the area in which we live with the photo gallery below.
Enjoy! And Happy Thanksgiving to all!
By Elaine Van Develde
The Rumson-Fair Haven Regional High School (RFH) Class of ’78 has a problem.
Classmates have no concept of the passage of time — ahem … their age. They partied for three days without skipping a beat. The party started on a Friday night in August of last year with some cocktails and dancing at Woody’s then Even Tide in Sea Bright.
What 70s dance do you think this trio was doing? What song were they dancing to? Was there even a song?
By Elaine Van Develde
When the Atlantic Ocean met the Shrewsbury River two years ago and obliterated Sea Bright, remnants of the superstorm named Sandy included everything from cars and torn up homes to furniture and jewelry.
On a side street in Sea Bright, among the debris, a flag was anchored in front of a devastated home, truck still in the driveway.
Remember?
By Elaine Van Develde
Two years ago, voting in a presidential election in the aftermath of Hurricane Sandy became historic for many reasons.
One of those reasons was just the logistics of where displaced people whose towns and selves were handicapped by the storm were voting.
Then there was the notion of getting people out from under their Sandy-plagued circumstances to vote at all.
Well, the turnout was much higher than anticipated. This is how it looked at one polling place in Fair Haven — the firehouse — that took in its Sea Bright neighbors to vote.
Remember?
By Elaine Van Develde
It was about this time two years ago that Woody’s Ocean Grille Owner Chris Wood and Head Chef Onofrio Muscato saw an immediate need to help the hungry, cold and displaced in the wake of Hurricane Sandy.
So, they just pulled out the grill and started flipping burgers, eggs and anything else they could to serve up some comfort to the superstorm’s victim. Before long, the U.S. Army National Guard was sent to set up camp and help. Word spread and soon there was a parking lot full of mess tents, food trucks, clothing bins and more.
Sea Bright Rising was born.
Two years later, Sea Bright Rising has brought in $1.3 million and distributed $1 million of it, Wood said recently. And the organization is not done yet. Many more of Sandy’s victims are still displaced and Sea Bright Rising wants to help.
Check out the non-profit’s website at seabrightrising.org.
By Elaine Van Develde
It was two years ago that Sea Bright and low-lying parts of Rumson were ravaged by Hurricane Sandy.
Even after the wind and rain stopped and the Shrewsbury River and ocean parted and drifted back to where they belonged, people were put out of their homes and there was no getting into or out of Sea Bright.
The U.S. Army’s National Guard was called in to help. Sea Bright residents lined up for a shuttle to take them for a small window of time to grab integral belongings from their ruined homes.
Rumson police and the guardsmen blocked the bridge and food, hot beverages were served as emergency clothing was doled out.
It was a surreal scene for all involved.
Rumson-Fair Haven Retrospect will feature Sandy photos for the next two weeks, until the lights came back on at the time in the Rumson-Fair Haven area.
By Elaine Van Develde
It was two years ago that Hurricane Sandy spun its wrath on the Rumson-Fair Haven area, devastating Sea Bright.
Donovan’s Reef, a mainstay summer partying spot was one of the superstorm’s worst victims.
This is what it looked like when the wind and rain stopped. Remember? Let us know which spot of Sandy decimation you remember most. Email us at [email protected].
By Elaine Van Develde
There are a couple of things going on this weekend that involve learning and giving.
Friday
• Calling all war history buffs! Friday night at 6:30 p.m. there’s unique lantern tour going on at Sandy Hook’s Fort Hancock Museum. All dressed up as authentic U.S. Army coast artillery soldiers, volunteers from the Army Ground Forces Association will lead people on a historic tour of the Fort, featuring Battery Gunnison.
Saturday
• Get your gloves and hard-soled shoes on and help sweep the beaches you frequent clean of debris with Clean Ocean Action.
The organization, headed by none other than Rumson native and current resident and RFH grad Cindy Zipf, is slated to start at 9 a.m. at various locations throughout the state. The sweeps run through 12:30 p.m.
In the R-FH area, the closest meet-up points are, Sea Bright Public Beach, Borough Hall and Gaiters Restaurant (in Sea Bright), Sandy Hook/Lot D, Monmouth Beach Bathing Pavilion and Maple Cove at the foot of Maple Avenue in Red Bank.
For a full list of locations, click here.
• And on the same day, Saturday, from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m., the Fair Haven Business Association is asking people to “starve a vampire, feed your neighbor.” The group is sponsoring a blood drive for the Central Jersey Blood Center at the Knights of Columbus Hall at the foot of Third Street (200 Fair Haven Rd.).
Donors must be at least 17, healthy and weigh at least 120 pounds. ID with signature must be presented at the door. Oh, and drink water before you donate.
Sunday
• If you’re in the market for some unique crafts and/or food, hit the Red Bank Farmers Market before the season comes to a close.
The market is open from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. in the Galleria parking lot.
And, while you’re there, don’t forget to check out Fair Havenites Melanie and David Stewart’s Handmade Haven tent. Read their story here.
If you can think of anything else that’s going on this weekend, let us know at [email protected].
In the meantime, I’ll see you on the beach, giving blood or around the towns somewhere else!
By Elaine Van Develde
Rumson-Fair Haven area people have been clinging onto summer days by the sea, celebrating locals’ summer into the fall.
The crowds are gone. The temperature is tepid. And the sun gently kisses the the sand and surf. Serenity and solace prevail in a Sea Bright that is still steadily recovering from Hurricane Sandy.
See for yourself.
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