I love summer. There's something invigorating about sitting on the beach under an umbrella, drinking a bourbon and coke and reading a book. Call me a 45 year old woman if you will, but it's my thing. It takes practically no convincing to get me to go to the beach. Unless it's one of the fine (read: sarcasm) beaches of the Jersey Shore.
By the way this is the only time you will ever hear me refer to it as "the shore." But that's another rant for another time.
When I moved to the New Jersey coast for my job, I could not wait for summer. The thought of living 15 minutes from the ocean was exhilarating. My first encounter completely changed my mind.
My girlfriend and I visited Belmar, a beach she often frequented as a child. We parked the car and trekked 1/2 a mile to the beach,(Why beach towns here don't build parking lots near the ocean, I will never understand)and finally arrived.
I couldn't wait to feel the sand between my toes. I began to walk down the boardwalk steps towards the ocean when an 85 year old woman barked, "You didn't pay".
"Pay for what?" I asked. The boardwalk troll replied, "To go on the beach". This seemed oddly foreign and completely ridiculous to me. I asked how much and was told that I needed to pay 8 dollars for admission to the beach. OH HELLLLLL NO. I thought it was a joke at first.
I'm sorry, but that's %^&*!@@# insane. I'm not cheap by any stretch of the imagination and I don't mind paying for things. But I do not understand why the beach towns in New Jersey charge admission to something that is free everywhere else in the country.
What does this money go towards anyway?
It certainly doesn't go towards keeping the beach clean, And it certainly doesn't go towards keeping it safe.d I know this because I passed a couple having sex under a blanket while searching for a place to sit. And it doesn't go towards keeping the number of people on the beach down because it took forever to find a place to sit.
The locals argue the money goes towards paying for lifeguards and police to "babysit" the vacationing "Bennies" or tourists. OK fine, I understand that. But do you honestly believe that other beach communities across the country don't have those same needs?
They do, and they pay for them with taxes.
Why?
Because those tourists come to town and they spend money. That money (through taxes) helps to improve the quality of life in the community. Without those tourists, the town would not thrive.
QED: catering to their needs a little is probably a good idea. I've never seen more instances of "biting the hand that feeds you" than a Jersey beach town. (I'm looking at you Point Pleasant Beach.)
If you're not willing to endure summer traffic and annoying tourists without complaint, and if you're not willing to pay for it, then perhaps it's time to move to place where no one wants to visit, like Kansas.
It really doesn't matter to me either way though. You won't catch me soaking up the sun on a Jersey beach anytime soon.
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