The weather has been so season-appropriate that it almost looks like the seagulls have been dancing on the beach.
OK, maybe not dancing, but they’re seemingly sunning and hopping along — happily. OK, maybe they just see something good to eat and are anticipating a good grab and gobble.
Whatever the case may be, the gulls on the beach in Sea Bright are hanging out pretty close to humans.
Take a look at this human’s eye view.
— Elaine Van Develde
The teen who was pulled out of a Sea Bright rip tide Monday, revived with a light pulse and brought to Monmouth Medical Center, where he remained in critical condition, has died.
Sea Bright Police Chief told nj.com that Kevin Searfoss, 18, of Rockaway, died at the hospital at about 11 p.m. on Monday.
Searfoss was one of two swimmers of a group not from the area who was pulled out of the ocean at an unprotected section of the beach where red rip tide warning flags were posted, according to Sea Bright Fire Rescue.
The other swimmer pulled from the water walked away unscathed without need of any medical attention. Searfoss had been submerged for about 15 minutes.
When he was initially pulled from the ocean, he was given CPR and brought to the hospital with a weak pulse. That was roughly around noon.
The sirens and bustle of emergency response teams that people saw and heard in Sea Bright this afternoon were the bi-product of a water rescue, the victim of which was reported to have still had a pulse when transported to the Monmouth Medical Center in Long Branch.
Early in the afternoon, just after noon, Sea Bright Ocean Rescue and emergency response teams from stations 43 and 33 were “dispatched to the dispatched to the south beach section of town for a reported water rescue,” a post on Sea Bright Fire Rescue Facebook page said.
“Chiefs Olenhaus and Murphy arrived on scene within a minute of dispatch and transmitted a Code X for a confirmed submerged swimmer.”
The teen boy had been swimming with another (who was pulled out of the water unscathed) in an unguarded area of the beach marked with red flags signaling dangerous rip tides, according to onlookers at nearby Driftwood Beach Club.
The rescue crews searched the water and quickly located the victim, who was brought to shore and given CPR, the Facebook post said.
“At the time of transfer of care to the hospital the victim had a pulse,” the post said.
He was listed in critical condition at Monmouth Medical Center as of 3 p.m..
There’s nothing quite like a buddy, a couple of missing front teeth and an award to make a summer complete.
It’s a simple concept. And, Annabelle (Annie) Costello personifies the three-in-one bonus as the Simple Summer feature photo(s) of the week.
The pint-sized Fair Havenite won Most Valuable Player award for her swim team at Ship Ahoy Beach Club in Sea Bright recently.
To get that kind of award, it takes a lot of teamwork, practice and, yes, plain old summer kid fun with pals. And Annie and her pal worked and played hard, as evidenced by their smiles of sheer happiness to just hang together.
Congrats, Annie!
All it takes is one crumb to stir up some seagulls.
That’s what happened just at dusk on the edge of the Sea Bright beach the other day as people were packing it in and up at the end of the beach day.
It was no Alfred Hitchcock movie, but the skies were eerie hues of blue and yellow peppered with the gulls.
Yes, there’s a gull in every beach crowd … and photo.
Sunday was Christmas … in July … in Sea Bright.
If you wandered into the municipal parking lot in the borough, you’d see and hear evidence of the event — you’d hear the music and see the giant polar-themed inflatable slides and candy-centric bouncy house.
And what would Christmas in July be without Mr. and Mrs. Claus? Well, probably just a Christmas without the Clauses. But, they were there — a summery Hawiian version of the couple, that is.
Some wandered onto the beach and a few bopped on the boardwalk to the festive DJ tunes blasting.
Take a look.
— Elaine Van Develde
There are a couple of things people in the Rumson-Fair Haven area couldn’t wait for after a long, snowy winter — summer and the reopening of Donovan’s Reef in Sea Bright.
Well, both have happened. In fact, Monday was the hottest day of the summer yet, according to National Weather Service stats. And Donovan’s Tiki bar is back on the beach.
So, just to cool you down a little and serve as a gratitude nudge, the Retro Pic(s) of the Day offer a glimpse back to a cool snowfall on what was left of Donovan’s (which was pretty much flattened buildings and the Tiki hut) the winter after Hurricane Sandy’s devastation of the iconic place.
The sky had an orange hue that day that seemed to paint it with hope. It made snow look invitingly warm and for what was a chilling scene for Donovan’s devotees.
Well, it’s back and sporting the literal sign of the undaunted “Sandy Who?”
Donovan’s has brought a lot of friends and couples together over the years. It’s a tradition, really, for Rumson-Fair Haven area people. Did you meet your boyfriend/girlfriend, husband/wife, BFF or some other significant other or others in your life at Donovan’s? Yes? Of course, yes!
Tell us your story and send us your Donovan’s pics or email us at evd@rfhretro.com. We’re putting together a Donovan’s Connection slideshow.
— Elaine Van Develde
They seem to be showing up everywhere. Palm trees.
No, it’s not Florida or the Caribbean. It’s Sea Bright. Maybe it’s because the skies are clearer lately that it’s more noticeable somehow, but it seems awfully palmy in Sea Bright — not that there’s anything wrong with that, as the Seinfeld saying goes.
The transplanted palms have actually been a trend on area beaches for some time now. Still, they just seemed to stick out like a sore palm (OK, corny) on Friday. Sore seems to be the right word, since they seem a bit unhealthy. And there are no coconuts!
Take a look. Do you like them or do you think Jersey should stick with a more native planting?
The Sea Bright beach scene has been sparse, due to the past few hazy, humid couple of days peppered with rain.
But, the clear, crisp weather break set in just in time for the Sea Bright Farmers Market, featuring Marcy of Relish Chef Services concocting some treats and a newbie maker of organic treats for dogs — Waggle Snapp.
Many of the usual favorites will also be back today: BakersBounty, Central Valley Farm, Fair Mountain Coffee Roasters, Farmer Meg’s Digest, FlyBrookFarm, Franklin Soapworks, Green Duchess Farm, Harvest Moon Farm, Holly Jolly Jams, Holly Hill Farm and Neshanic Valley Beekeepers.
The market is open in the Sea Bright Municipal Parking Lot, in front of the beach, from 2 to 7 p.m..
It’s the Fourth of July weekend and patriotism is in the air.
Flags are flying and the red, white and blue color theme is abundant. The same held true as people banded together in the aftermath of Hurricane Sandy.
Flags few amid a lot of wreckage.
Here’s one of them in our Retro Pic of the Day.
Remember this scene in downtown Sea Bright?
Lifelong Sea Bright resident, fireman and first aid volunteer Lester Johnson is being mourned Monday morning.
Services for the well-known and liked 87-year-old, who died on June 19 at Care One at King James in Middletown, will start at 10 a.m. at Flock Funeral Home, 243 Broadway, Long Branch. The firemen’s service is set for noon.
In addition to being a 67-year member of both the Sea Bright Fire Department and First Aid, Lester was longtime stock manager for the Acme stores in both Fair Haven and the Lincroft section of Middletown, according to his obituary on legacy.com. He also worked at Gardella’s in Sea Bright.
Valedictorian of the Long Branch High School Class of 1946, Lester was a veteran of the U.S. Army, having served in the Korean War, it added.
He loved trains and the stock market.
Lester was predeceased by: his parents, Lester and Marion Johnson; his grandparents, Stephen and Elizabeth Johnson; a sister, Jackie Timmons; his aunt and uncle, Alice and Jack Weir.
Surviving are: his brother, Kenneth “Tom” Johnson and his wife Lize; sister, Barbara Waters and her husband John; nieces, Sharon, Nancy, Terri, Khristi, and Leslie; nephews, Jay, Tom, Robert, Thomas and Kenny.
Donations may be made to the Sea Bright First Aid.
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It’s a sure sign of spring when the Sea Bright Firemen’s Fair starts.
And spring was in the air on the first night of the longtime area tradition Thursday.
The fair continues through Sunday: Friday, from 5 p.m. to midnight; Saturday, from 4 p.m. to midnight; Sunday, from 2 to 9 p.m.
Take a look at the photo gallery above for a glimpse into opening night of the fair.
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