Thursday, October 8 Today was moving day . . . just 60 miles on down the Jersey Parkway to Ocean View, NJ. We stayed at this campground several years ago, and knew it was huge and nice. Hundreds of campsites nicely wooded and spread out, game rooms, snack bars, café, 9 beautiful bath houses, laundry, private lake with beach and boats to rent . . . you get the idea. At this time of year it is mostly unoccupied, and we are delighted to probably be the only ones using our bath house across the street. We set up, fixed and ate lunch, and headed off at 12:30. Our first destination was just 4 miles away: across the Garden State Parkway to the coast and the little town of Sea Isle City, under the FISH ALLEY archway to Mike’s Seafood. It claims to be “where the locals go for fresh seafood” and has a wonderful story about how Lodovico and Rosina came from Naples, Italy, in 1919, and ended up in Sea Isle City to open their fish market. That is as far South as their money would take them on the train. It is still run today by their 3rd generation, Mike . . . who says "If they had gone North, I would be living in the Hamptons!" We bought one lobster tail and two large crab clusters – going to do a little taste comparison of lobster vs crab! We also bought some stuffed shrimp to take home. We raced the seafood back to the trailer to refrigerate and headed out again heading south on the oceanside highway . . . destination Cape May, the southern tip of the Jersey Shoreline. Cape May is as far South as you can go on the Jersey Shore Coast. It has all the Seashore amenities of beaches and beach-side brick promenades, but it also boasts history that goes back to native Indians, followed by Quakers, Pirates (Captain Kidd!) railroads as early as 1761, and the Underground Railroad! It is known as the first seashore resort in America, and because of the many Presidents that have vacationed here it is known as the “President’s Playground!” We followed the highway along the seashore for about 20 miles, and drove through all the little towns. In Cape May we parked near the downtown Washington Square, but couldn’t walk the downtown stores as dogs were not allowed. We kept to the periphery and enjoyed the Halloween decorations of many of the residences near the downtown area. Cape May is known for its architecture, featuring fancy gables, gingerbread trim, stained glass windows and turrets. Having done the downtown, we headed for the Cape May State Park and Cape May Lighthouse. The present tower, which is the third lighthouse at the southern tip of NJ, has been an aide to navigation for mariners since it was built in 1859. We did not climb the 199 steps to the top – the price was too steep! We took the quick trip (Garden State Parkway) back to our campsite where only formality left for the day . . . was to cook the lobster tail and the crab. Lobster tail = good. Crab = very good. (Dare I whine that they aren’t as good as Maine Lobster and Alaskan Crab?)
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October 2021
We don’t go camping any more . . . we go ‘streamin’ ! The “SIlvermine and His” is our 2018 25' Airstream Serenity with Salsa interior and front twin beds., and ‘streamin’ is the name we use to describe our adventures. Stream along as we document everything from weekend trips to longer summer excursions and full-blown vacations. You know what they say: if you’re not in an Airstream – you’re just camping!
Tom & Ella Brown |