Long Beach Island
However, the island's population swells significantly during the summer months and reaches about 100,000 people, including part-time residents and tourists, who are often referred to as "shoobies".
[1] The island's close-knit communities are largely affluent and contain vacation homes for wealthy individuals who reside elsewhere, primarily New Jersey as well as New York, Pennsylvania, and Connecticut.
[3] Most projections suggest over a meter of sea level rise by 2100 and would require significant climate change adaptation to survive, making both property protection and an engineered retreat economically unattractive.
Erosion problems destroyed the tower in 1857, two years before the current Barnegat Lighthouse was completed in 1859, flashing at each compass point every 10 seconds.
It was constructed by the United States Army Corps of Engineers under the supervision of George Gordon Meade, famous for leading the Union forces to victory four years later during the Civil War at the Battle of Gettysburg.
Residents were evacuated, and portions of the island were severely flooded, with the ocean meeting the bay in isolated spots.
The nine-foot storm surge and 18-foot seas that pounded the barrier island damaged several homes along the ocean and bayfront communities.
Bulldozers and front-end loaders moved hundreds of tons of sand, along with power lines and boats, in an attempt to make the roadways passable.
Areas where the dune system was in place fared much better, such as Harvey Cedars, Ship Bottom, Surf City and Barnegat Light.
The southern community of Beach Haven features historic and elegant Victorian homes that have survived the many storms.
Year-round residents and businesses in operation are more common toward the southern end of the island, particularly in the larger boroughs of Beach Haven and Ship Bottom.
Visitors generally participate in activities such as miniature golf, parasailing, jet-skiing, walking, shopping, and relaxing on the beaches.
The Surflight Theatre was closed due to foreclosure but has now reopened with plans to expand the number of shows presented yearly.
Some of the island's 18 miles (29 km) of beaches have experienced significant erosion in recent decades, threatening the multimillion-dollar waterfront homes in the area.
[14] In 2005, with the help of the Army Corps of Engineers, work began on a $75 million project to build a 22-foot (6.7 m) high, 30-foot (9.1 m) wide dune the length of the island using sand pumped from offshore.
Many surfers and swimmers argue that pumping the sand destroys the sandbars that create waves and provide a better swimming environment.
Bisecting the developed region is the sole access point for road vehicles, via State Route 72, which consists of the Dorland J. Henderson Memorial Bridge (locally known as "The Causeway", though the term is incorrect in its application).
[16][17][18] TransportAzumah offers daily service during the summer season between Midtown Manhattan in New York City and Long Beach Island with a stop at Newark Liberty International Airport.
The conical tower stands 165 feet (50 m) tall, and the park includes several trails through native foliage and along the jetty constructed in the 1990s.
[22] Loveladies is home to the Long Beach Island Foundation of the Arts and Sciences,[23] established in 1948 by artist Boris Blai.
The annual Festival Of The Sea carnival also makes an appearance at the St. Francis Community Church in Brant Beach every August for one week per year.
When Bay Village opened, it adjoined the Lucy Evelyn, a three-masted schooner that had been set on land and turned into a gift shop and museum.
The annual Chowderfest clam chowder competition is held at Schooner's Wharf/Bay Village in Beach Haven every October, drawing a significant influx of tourists during the off-season.
For the past 20 years, island restaurants have competed in Manhattan and New England clam chowder categories.
The plant hardiness zone at 9th St Beach, Ship Bottom is 7a with an average annual extreme minimum air temperature of 3.8 °F (-15.7 °C).
The governments of the towns provide columns and commentary to The Southern Ocean Times, which is one of seven weekly papers from Micromedia Publications.
There is also a website called LBI Eats, which is written by locals and shares island news, restaurant and bar reviews and details about the destination's best features.
