Hurricane Sandy Part Uno!

When I started this blog I really had no intention of making it all macabre with this Hurricane Sandy shit.  And really, the starting of this blog has nothing to do with the timing of Hurricane Sandy.  It just so happens that its on my mind and I really want to share it.

I've mentioned that I'm from the Jersey Shore.  Well, I may have moved to Maryland (after college and some career hopping) but my family didn't.  I'm from a small town on the Jersey coast called Manasquan.  Google it if you want to know where it is.  My Grandma and my two Aunts live 5 or so miles up the coast in Belmar.  I don't know if you've watched the news, but Hurricane Sandy demolished the New Jersey Coast.  Its seriously bad up there.  My whole family made it out fine - but some of the area, including my Grandma's house did not.  I've been trying to figure out how to do this - this really affects me in two ways.  On one hand, there's some serious destruction up there - all the places I frequented as a kid, the places I go when I go home - they're gone.  On the other hand, this affects my family very personally since my Grandma's house - the only house I've ever known her in - is in bad shape - condemned - floating out to sea - not looking good.  I think I'm gonna split this into a few parts.  The first about the general state up there and the last couple about my family.

I was up in the area last weekend (5 days after the hurricane).  I got to tour the area or at least as much of it as was physically possible.  Its bad up there.  No power, a lot of roads aren't cleared of sand, trees, chunks of boardwalk.  Most of the public water is contaminated.  So many people are displaced.  And now to top it off, I hear from my mom that there's over 8 inches of snow on the ground.... great....  Anyway here are some pictures of my tour de destruction.

Ocean Avenue In Sea Girt - Keep in mind this is 5 days after the storm and there's still that much sand.

Ocean Ave in Sea Girt Again

Sea Girt - Broken Board walk and the massive pile of sand they took off the street.

Sea Girt

Sea Girt

Sea Girt

Sea Girt Boardwalk

Sea Girt Boardwalk

Wreck Pond decided to create a brand new inlet and went out to sea.  Here they are trying to fill it back in.

Wreck Pond

Wreck Pond - oh yeah... to the right... that's the freaking street.

Boardwalk in spring lake - not where its supposed to be.

What's left of the boardwalk in Spring Lake

Spring Lake

Spring Lake

Spring Lake

Spring Lake

Chunk of boardwalk - three blocks from where it should be.

Spring Lake

South Pavilion in Spring Lake

What's left of the boardwalk...

So in order to get this pics I had to ride my bike in - you still can't drive there.  Oh yeah... and in a car to get into any town - you need to prove to the national guard why you need to be there.  Anyway... more to come in Part Dos!