THE NOR'EASTER & OVER THE BRIDGE

As if Hurricane Sandy wasn't enough, Mother Nature added a nor'easter as icing on the cake.

Our beach and dunes were looking pretty good with all the hard work of the beach tractor crews.

In preparation for the coming storm they doubled their efforts, and the piles of sand got larger.

The rain and sleet started in the late afternoon, and ice began to build up on our windows.

The next morning the ocean was angry again, throwing its spray onto the beach.

The waves began to attack the new dunes at high tide.

But fortunately the storm was not long lasting, and the next day the sun came back out and the tractors were removed.

In the evening after sunset, a soft glow colored the receding water on the newly scoured beach.

Saturday the governor finally lifted the mandatory evacuation order, homeowners were allowed to return to the island, and we were able to get off to shop and retrieve our mail, held for two weeks at the Tuckerton post office. We were finally able to see a bit of the damage done on the entrance road to the island. Billboards, if still standing were reduced to a fraction of their former size.

Beach Haven West sustained considerable damage from the high tides. Only a very small bit was visible as we sped by.

This was only one of many boats that was deposited on the marshes and on the highway by Sandy.

Back in Surf City I spied another sign that said it all.

OUT TRIP TO BEACH HAVEN AT THE SOUTH END OF LBI

I thought I had written enough about Hurricane Sandy but this was a new day and new experiences, so I am back.

Early on this beautiful day, a week after Sandy's arrival, I went back to the beach. Tractors were already at work moving sand up from the ocean edge to back up the damaged dunes. Another storm, a strong nor'easter was predicted for later in the week. We have to be prepared. The gulls were accumulating in hopes of some food.

Looking down the beach, the same activity was going on as far as I could see.

Back in our yard our Robin was also out looking for food. Somehow he had weathered the storm, and seemed to be happy living in our large holly tree along with a couple of friends. Nature is amazing in its ability to survive. I have seen birds everywhere.

Since this was the first day residents were allowed back to check on their property we were busy all morning greeting friends. In the afternoon we decided to try to get to the southern end of Long Beach Island, where my husband kept his boat. We passed police check points several places, and when we got down to the Acme Market in Spray Beach this is what the parking lot looked like. It has now become a temporary dump.

Everywhere people were dragging out wet belonging from garages and homes either to dry, or to be added to the piles of debris.

Because Chuck knew the policeman in Beach Haven - a fellow fisherman - he allowed us to go on to Morrison's Marine. We had heard that it was a mess, am accurate assessment. As we drove up we were greeted by this accumulation of boats on the side of the street.

Thought a lot of the boats had been moved this beauty was still where it has been deposited by the receding water.

Snowgoose, we were told had fared very well until some other boats floated into it and knocked it off the blocks.

However many of the boats in the yard had done worse.

These ended up together in the end of the street.

The "Dotty G", Chuck's neighbor ended up on the dock, next to another boat with it's stern underwater.

Everywhere we went there were rolls of carpet, mattresses, furniture at the curb side.

We drove up to the ocean so see the "Sea Shell", a nice restaurant and Tiki Bar near the beach. It was now on the beach, because the beach had moved back to nearly inundate it.

The streets leading up to the ocean had been covered with sand where there were not well established dunes. They were now plowed, stranding parked cars behind a berm of sand.

On the beach a concerted effort was being made to create new dunes where there were none, but there is little chance that the loose sand will offer much protection in the next storm.

Ocean Road, where we have often biked, though plowed was a mess - not the well kept street it had been earlier.

Looking up another street we could see where the ocean had relocated a house that had dared build too near.

BACK HOME AGAIN

Leaving Beach Haven and heading north along the ocean road, we continued to see the effect of Hurricane Sandy,

The street in front of this older cedar shake shingled home had been torn into pieces.

These new homes, though obviously cleans up somewhat, were still littered with pieces of breakaway siding that had done just that when the ocean came through.

These garage doors at least released the ocean water, but I wondered how much damage had been done inside before they did so.

We encountered at least 3 news vans recording Sandy's aftermath to be shown of TV's news programs later in the day.

And trucks trying to clear out the sand clogged storm drains,

Brant Beach's recent beach replenishment had done its job. The street and houses here were free of sand and damage, but the new dunes themselves had been eroded to half their former size.

Ship Bottom, however without the added dune protection had many areas with water damage like Beach Haven.

As we approached Surf City we again realized how very fortunate we were. Gas company and electric company trucks were lined up taking a rest after hours of work.

Back home on our street, sand was still being trucked in to added to our beach entrance and dunes.

As the sun began to set, the work continued. There is another big storm coming later this week, not a hurricane, thank goodness but a strong nor'easter can be bad too.

HURRICANE SANDY

When we first began getting reports of Hurricane Sandy - dubbed potentially as "The Perfect Storm", I decided to get some photos as it progressed if I could. I began 2 day ahead when the sky was blue and the surf was beginning to pick up.

This view from our friends on the ocean front always captures my attention.

The goldenrod was still in bloom on the dunes and made a nice contrast for the empty white beach.

As the waves increased in size, the condition were very enticing for this kite surfer. He spent many hours riding the waves in and out again.

The next day, the wind began to pick up blowing the dune grasses,

And the ocean began to churn into a white froth.

All of the outdoor furniture had been put away, and the houses on the beach had taped windows in the hope that it would add some added protection from the wind.

Early this morning things were a bit different on the beach at the end of our street. The dune fence was mostly gone and the debris was piling up at the water's edge.

Walkways that previously ended on the wide beach now ended in the water.

The ocean was very angry.

The dune grass was in danger of being awash.

The boulevard at the other end of our street was already underwater, and rising rapidly.

We are fortunate to be at a high point of our island. Two miles to the south in Brant Beach the boulevard is already under 2 feet of water, and there is no way to get off now. P.S. As I close this post for the day we have had many calls from concerned good friends to whom we are eternally grateful. The reports continue to change. The latest is the dunes in Beach Haven have been breached and the storm has been upgraded to a category 2. We still have electricity and heat and are in good shape - thus far - but it will be a rough night that is for sure.