Page 21 - 2024 Southern NJ Vacationer

BAYSHORE & OTHER BEACHES
There’s much more to explore beyond the oceanfront
MOST VISITORS to New Jersey’s Southern Shore Region know that from Brigantine in Atlantic County south to Cape May Point in Cape May County, there are roughly sixty miles of pristine beaches that abut the Atlantic Ocean. What many people fail to realize is that the Southern Shore Region has many more miles of beaches! They just don’t border the Atlantic Ocean.
Many of the southern communities in Cumberland County are along the Delaware Bay. For instance, the bay community of Maurice River is home to Moore’s Beach and Thompson’s Beach, two remote beaches that provide scenic vistas of the Delaware Bay. There’s also a beach area at the East Point Lighthouse, an 1849 light at the confluence of the Maurice River and Delaware Bay.
Just north is Fortescue Beach, a stretch of unspoiled sand accessible from New Jersey Avenue in Fortescue. Fortescue is renowned for it’s beach fishing and was known for many years as as the “weakfish capital of the world”.
In the northern part of the bayside, in Downe Township, is Gandy’s Beach, named for a former oyster fisherman, and managed by the Nature Conservancy. Nearby is Money Island, a shrinking beach community that is home to many aquaculture businesses.
Most of the beach areas on the Delaware Bay side of New Jersey’s Southern Shore Region are perfect for observing wildlife, hiking, or just relaxing. A word to the wise:
be prepared for greenhead flies in these areas. It’s nature; bugs happen.
Inland, one of Cumberland County’s most popular waterside areas is Union Lake in Millville, with a 5,000-acre man-made lake that is a favorite with boating and kayaking enthusiasts. The beach area is beautiful, but swimming is prohibited.
Another nearby lake facility is L a k e Lenape, which is divided into East and West facilities. Boating, kayaking, fishing, and other outdoor activities are popular here. Discover the tranquil charm of The Cove at Lake Lenape for your next beach retreat. It offers a peaceful and secure environment ideal for families. The Cove provides a host of facilities including restrooms with showers, picnic spots, and boat ramps.
And while many people associate Atlantic and Cape May counties with spectacular Atlantic Coast beaches, they may not realize just how many beaches exist along the bayside or the Intracoastal Waterway.
Sunset Beach is an extension of Cape May, just north of Cape May Point. It’s home to the “sunken ship,” the USS Atlantus, which was one of 12 concrete ships constructed during World War I. The Atlantus was towed to Cape May with the intent to make it a ferry landing facility, but in 1926 she broke free of her moorings and has rested in the Delaware Bay ever since. The beach at the end of Sunset Boulevard is great for relaxing
in the sand and collecting “Cape May Diamonds,” which are quartz stones polished from their long journey from the upper Delaware River. The diamonds can also be found along Higbee Beach, just north of Sunset Beach. The Higbee Beach Wildlife Management Area is a beautiful, pristine 1,100-acre bayside location, accessible from New England Road in Lower Township.
Across the canal from the Cape May- Lewes Ferry is the David Douglas Memorial Park, with a small, lovely beach that is truly a hidden gem. Lower Township has magnificent beaches from the canal north to Del Haven in Middle Township. Most of these beaches are accessible from street ends, including Sunray Beach and Miami Beach. A word of caution about these bayside beaches: very few are protected, so swimming is discouraged.
Norbury’s Landing, in Del Haven, Middle Township, is a popular spot among birders and wildlife aficionados. Likewise, Pierce’s Point, Bay Cove Beach, Kimble’s Beach, Cook’s Beach, and Reed’s Beach, all in Middle Township, are favorites with wildlife enthusiasts.
In Egg Harbor City, Atlantic County, Lake Park is a favored relaxation site, with boating, swimming and fishing available. Admission badges are required to use the facilities, but daily rates are reasonable.
Closer to the ocean, but west of the barrier island of Longport, Atlantic County, is Malibu Beach Wildlife Management Area, a beautiful undeveloped area that is a must-do for people with dogs (who must be on leashes).
A few miles south is Somers Point, which is considered part of the mainland, but serves as the gateway to Ocean City. Somers Point has Municipal Beach Park, just off Bay Avenue, which is staffed by lifeguards, so swimming is allowed.
The Great Egg Harbor Bay, which is traversed by the Garden State Parkway in Cape May County, is home to the Beesley’s Point Beach in Upper Township. Visitors need to use Route 9 (just off Exit 25 on the Parkway) to get to this popular swimming and recreational boating destination.
While there’s nothing like the sixty miles of beaches New Jersey’s Southern Shore proudly invites visitors to enjoy, taking a walk on the bayside to explore the less-taken paths and beaches is definitely worth the trip! l
SOUTHERN NEW JERSEY VACATIONER 19