Letter from the editor
Living at the Jersey Shore teaches you to take the word “nor’easter” seriously.
Very seriously.
I’m no meteorologist, but I believe nor’easters are a greater threat than hurricanes. They do not always arrive with the same national attention, but, like the recent storm, they can linger for days, hammering the coastline and pushing water higher with each successive tide.
I learned that lesson the hard way during my first month as a Shore resident in 1992.
Our first home was a little rental house on Monmouth Avenue in Margate. It was a few blocks from the beach, a block from the bay and within walking distance of two of our favorite places, Maloney’s and Maynard’s.
We signed the lease and moved in Dec. 1, 1992. At the time, I was still commuting to Philadelphia for my teaching job. Between the long drives, unpacking boxes and settling into married life, I apparently had not been paying close attention to the weather forecast.
Early Dec. 12, we awoke to the sound of high gusty winds roaring outside before dawn. The power went out. This was long before smartphones, social media or weather alerts from Alexa. There was not even internet yet. We had no immediate way of knowing what was happening.
When daylight came, we could hardly believe what we saw. Our street had become a river, and our cars were halfway submerged in 2 to 3 feet of water.
We scrambled to find batteries for a radio. When we finally got it working, the first news report we heard said, “The ocean has met the bay at Jerome Avenue.” We were stunned.
The following day, at low tide, we made our way outside, wading through about a foot of water. Like everyone else, we were looking for information, reassurance and some idea of what to do next.
To our amazement, Maynard’s was open. We sat on barstools, having a drink and commiserating with our neighbors while floodwater covered the restaurant floor. It was surreal and it was my first glimpse of the power of a nor’easter.
This past weekend delivered a powerful reminder.
The storm battered Atlantic County’s barrier islands and Ocean City with pounding rain, fierce winds, dangerous surf and major coastal flooding. Streets across Atlantic City, Ventnor, Margate, Longport, Brigantine and Ocean City disappeared beneath the water. Vehicles became stranded, homes and businesses took on water, power outages were reported, and travel became treacherous.
In Ocean City, Saturday morning’s high tide reached 7.63 feet, nearly matching the level recorded during the historic January 2016 nor’easter. Flooding temporarily closed the outbound lanes of the Route 52 causeway and left some neighborhoods inaccessible.
By Sunday, the storm had finally begun to release its grip. Residents emerged to assess the damage, clear debris and begin the exhausting work of cleaning up. First responders, emergency crews and public works employees once again stepped forward to help their neighbors through the worst of it.
Living at the Shore means accepting a complicated relationship with the water. It is the backdrop to our lives, the source of our livelihoods and the reason so many of us choose to call this place home. However, it can also pose a serious threat.
When officials warn of a nor’easter, strong winds and multiple high-tide cycles, we need to listen. I learned that lesson more than three decades ago, on the night the ocean met the bay. This past weekend, the Shore taught it once again.
Peace & Love, Cindy
