2020:

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This Weeks News 11/25/2020

Avalon & Stone Harbor Holiday Beach Tags will be available for purchase this weekend; see below for details.
 
THANKSGIVING WEEKEND is traditionally filled by holiday activities on Seven Mile Island. While some events have been scaled down (or in the case of Saturday night's big parade, cancelled) there is still plenty of fun to be had on the island. Here's a summary to help you plan your visit!
 
AVALON:
 
Festival of Trees: Shop in your favorite stores while browsing a variety of trees and wreaths on display. Bidding runs through Saturday, November 28th, WWW.AVALONFESTIVALOFTREES.COM.
 
Virtual Turkey Trot: Complete your 5K or 1.5-mile walk at your leisure between November 25th and November 30th. Register at WWW.DILLERBLINDHOME.ORG; the first 200 participants are guaranteed a t-shirt!
 
Santa Lights Dune Drive: Be sure to be on Dune Drive Friday at 4:30pm as Santa lights up Dune Drive before heading back to the North Pole!
 
Drive-In Movies: The 28th Street parking lot turns into a drive-in theater Friday and Saturday at 6pm for showings of "Elf" (Friday) and "How the Grinch Stole Christmas" (Saturday). Families are to remain in their vehicles and tune into 92.3FM for the movie audio.
 
STONE HARBOR:
 
Hospitality Night in the business district Friday, 6pm to 9pm.
 
Winter Wonderland Festival of Trees: Visit the Women's Civic Club of Stone Harbor Friday, November 27th from 10am-8pm and Saturday, November 28th from 10am to Noon, for viewing and silent bidding on trees & wreaths designed and decorated by area merchants and organizations.
 
Holiday Market: Fine art and handmade artisan crafts, plus food & drink at the Water Tower lot on Friday & Saturday, 11am to 5pm.
 
Island Holiday Scavenger Hunt: Friday & Saturday, 11am to 5pm; sign up at 212 96th Street.
 
Photos with Santa & Mrs. Claus: Socially distant photo sessions at Paw Prints of Stone Harbor (281 96th Street) Friday & Saturday, 1pm to 4pm. Bring a camera or phone!
 
HOLIDAY BEACH TAGS can be purchased this weekend, while supplies last! In Avalon, tags can be purchased Friday and Saturday from 10am to 3pm at the Avalon Beach Tag Booth, adjacent to Surfside Park, at 30th Street and the beach. Tags will cost $25 and come in a decorative box. The tags will be good for the entire 2021 beach season and do not have to be exchanged for a "regular" 2021 beach tag. Cash and checks are accepted. In Stone Harbor, tags can be purchased at Borough Hall Friday and Saturday from 11am to 3pm. (See above for this year's holiday beach tag designs.
 
HAPPY THANKSGIVING TO YOU & YOURS! Wishing you the very best this holiday season!

 

This Weeks News 11/19/2020

VIEW THE LATEST LONG & FOSTER MARKET MINUTE REPORT  |  DOWNLOAD/PRINT PDF
  
PRICES INCREASED during October 2020 along with the number of units sold, while the number of active listings continued to decline. Strong demand for shore properties has continued. For a detailed look at the market, see the latest Long & Foster Market Minute report.
 
WIND FARM DELAYED: Delays in obtaining federal permits could delay the start of the Ocean Wind offshore energy project by a year. Located several miles off South Jersey beaches, the $1.6 billion Ocean Wind project is expected to power 500,000 homes in 2024.
 
DID YOU KNOW that ocean water temperatures are still in the low 60s near the surf, and almost 70 degrees just offshore? As air temperatures fluctuate with daily fall weather patterns, ocean water serves to moderate the temperatures felt along the coast. On calm days with little wind and abundant sunshine, it can be a pleasant "short sleeve" day on the beach, well into November. The spring brings the opposite effect, when even a warm, sunny day on the mainland can feel downright cold along the beach.
 
PILINGS HAVE BEEN DRIVEN for the construction of Sea Isle City's new bayfront pier, and completion is expected by the end of the year. The 132-foot pier will feature a fishing area, a kayak launch area, and a passive recreation area. The pier, located at 60th Street, was initially expected to be opened by late summer or early fall, but was delayed by supply chain issues caused by Covid. Add this to your list of things to enjoy in 2021--the sunset views should be magnificent!
 
SHOP LOCAL THIS SEASON! With many small, local businesses having suffered shutdowns, reduced hours, and other difficulties in 2020, it's a great time to support local merchants. Many shops & restaurants are still open on Seven Mile Island, so look to them for things you might need: clothing; decorative items; furniture & household items; deck & patio furniture; or a gift certificate to your favorite store or restaurant!

 

This Weeks News 11/12/2020

This gorgeous sunset scene was captured by Stone Harbor photographer Craig Miller. What a great way to end a day! Thanks for sharing, Craig!
 
"WE DECIDED THERE ISN'T ANY MORE RISK THAN STAYING IN IOWA." So said Jon Heinz, when interviewed for a Wall Street Journal article published November 4th. The article focused on an increase in vacation travel, as families look for ways to safely enjoy time together, and book vacations in resort areas. In a prior article, the WSJ noted that Americans are seeking to purchase vacation homes in which to "work or relax within driving distance of home." Both observations are consistent with what we've seen in our local market--strong vacation rentals and increased vacation home purchase demand. If you're looking to book your vacation, or want to make it permanent, let's talk!
 
AVALON FROM ABOVE: The Avalon Free Library published a video showing Avalon's development since 1887. In less than two minutes, you'll see how Avalon changed from the early days (when it consisted of the railroad and a few streets) into the town as we know it today.

AVALON FROM ABOVE - AVALON FREE PUBLIC LIBRARY VIDEO


 
A WHALE that washed ashore in Townsend's Inlet several days ago, behind Avalon and Sea Isle City, is no longer drifting, but resting on the bottom. Officials do not know how the whale died, but say there is evidence predators had been feeding on it. No decision has been made as to whether there will be an attempt to move the carcass.
 
"MIRACLE ON 96TH STREET" is the theme of this year's Island Holiday celebration in Stone Harbor. Numerous activities will be featured, including Hospitality Night, a Holiday Market, and the Winter Wonderland Festival of Trees presented by the Women's Civic Club. Avalon will also celebrate with its own Festival of Trees, a Turkey Trot run, carriage rides, and a special lighting of Dune Drive. Watch my newsletter for more details!
 
TOYS FOR TOTS: Once again, our office is a drop off location for the annual Toys For Tots holiday toy drive. If you'd like to brighten the holiday of a child in need, drop off a new, unwrapped toy any time our office is open!

 

This Weeks News 11/5/2020

Enjoy this 4-minute video about our local wetlands and efforts to raise low lying areas to protect against rising sea levels. 
 
SMIIL: Seven Mile Island Innovation Lab, a joint project between the Army Corps of Engineers and The Wetlands Institute, is sure to make you smile! Low lying marsh areas are being elevated with mud and sediment dredged from nearby navigation channels in the IntraCoastal Waterway, in order to prevent rising sea levels from flooding the marsh in the future. According to Lenore Tedesco of The Wetlands Institute, the projects help restore balance to the ecosystem and provide habitat areas for coastal birds. The four-minute video clip above provides an overview of the project along with superb video and photography of our local wetlands.
 
THE AVALON MANOR FISHING PIER received a second-place award from the New Jersey Society of Municipal Engineers for towns under 20,000 in population. The recently rebuilt fishing pier opened in May, featuring ample space for fishing, and great views of the bay and IntraCoastal Waterway. The prior pier at the same location was closed in 2016 due to its deteriorating condition; that pier was made from the remainder of the original bridge into Avalon. The new pier will see even more improvements in the coming months as benches and a bicycle rack will be installed.
 
OPERATION FIRESIDE, which for three decades has matched military recruits with host families on Thanksgiving and Christmas day, won't take place this year as a result of Covid. According to the Cape May County Herald, 550 recruits will remain at the US Coast Guard Training Center facility in Cape May on Thanksgiving Day, and 400 on Christmas Day. The Herald also reports that "cards of thanks and holiday cheer can be sent without envelopes to military members, veterans, and their families at American Red Cross House, Holidays for Heroes, 6051 Doughboy Loop, JB MDL, NJ 08640."
 
AVALON HOLIDAY HOUSE DECORATING: If you've got big plans for your Avalon home's holiday decorations, be sure to enter the Avalon Holiday House Decorating Contest! There's no cost to enter, and the winner will receive two holiday seasonal beach tags, a trophy, and a framed photo of your decorated house. Entry forms are available at Avalon Borough Hall.
 
WHAT ARE YOUR 2021 VACATION PLANS? We're already booking vacation rentals for 2021, and more rates are coming in each day. Whether you need a small place for a getaway, or a house large enough to accommodate extended family, we've got something for you. Call or email me today! Rental property owners, it's time to get your 2021 rates in to me if you haven't already done so!