2018:

Jan.

Feb.

March

April

May

June

July

Aug.

Sept.

Oct.

Nov.

Dec.

 
This Weeks News 1/25/2018

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STONE HARBOR'S REASSESSMENT has been completed, and new assessments were mailed to property owners on January 22nd. If you feel your valuation is too high, please call me. I'll run "comps" for your property and help you determine if an appeal is necessary.
 
LOSING HIGBEE: A juvenile male snowy owl being tracked by Project SNOWstorm, was sadly lost during the last snowstorm to hit Cape May County. Higbee (named for Higbee Beach on Delaware Bay) had been tagged so his travels could be observed and recorded by Project SNOWstorm. After the major snowstorm during the first week of January, Higbee was apparently struck and killed by a vehicle. Researchers discovered his body in the marsh along Ocean Drive, south of Stone Harbor, near the bridge into North Wildwood. Read about Project SNOWstorm and Higbee here: Losing Higbee - Project SNOWstorm.
 

Tired of winter? Think Summer! These PWC riders enjoyed a ride behind Avalon on a warm summer day! Stone Harbor Boulevard is in the distance.
 
ANOTHER WELL-LOVED BIRD was lost here in Avalon--The Pudgie Pelican. After becoming a local favorite for many years, The Pudgie Pelican closed its doors for good last month after the restaurant lost its lease. The six-foot tall Pudgie Pelican that stood outside the restaurant's door whenever it was open was donated by owner Ron Griffin to the Avalon History Center. Stop by the History Center and visit Pudgie, who will be wearing his Eagles Jersey through the Super Bowl!
 
THE OCEAN WATER TEMPERATURE is a chilly 35 degrees. A recent warm-up that saw air temperatures in the mid-50s early in the week combined with cold water temperatures to form a layer of fog over the ocean. 
 
FLY, EAGLES, FLY! Even non-football fans must be feeling the energy in the entire Philadelphia region as the Eagles soared to victory over the Vikings last Sunday! Go Eagles!
 
THE SUMMER SEASON is just a few months away! If you're ready to buy your own place at the beach, call or email me, or Search Sales Listings to browse all properties for sale.  If you'd like to visit for a week, check out my 2018 Vacation Rental Guide instead!

This Weeks News 1/18/2018

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MARKET STATS: The number of active listings has decreased to 232, down 13% from last year. Tighter inventory led to a slight decline in the number of new contracts written last month and the number of closed sales. Get complete look at the latest Long & Foster Market Minute report:

Long & Foster Market Minute Report - December 2017
 

Warm air over frozen bay water and marsh grass caused a layer of fog to form, partly obscuring this house in Avalon Manor during last Thursday's sunset. The snow and ice have since melted.
 
THIS VIDEO, posted to Facebook by Charles Coulter, Jr., shows just how cold it was last week, as the "Two Dukes" is seen departing Sea Isle City's waterfront and breaking a solid layer of ice on the bay as they pass by: "Two Dukes" - Sea Isle City Ice On The Bay Video Other videos and photos that appeared on social media showed people walking across the frozen Delaware Bay to the concrete ship which is sunken just offshore. The Lower Township Police quickly asked that people stop that practice, citing the danger should anyone fall through the ice.
 
BLUE BLOOD SUPERMOON ECLIPSE? Yes, on January 31st about 6:48am EST, the moon's edge will begin to darken as a total lunar eclipse begins. But it's the mix of factors that give the event its long name. First, it's the second full moon of the calendar month, so it's a "Blue" moon. It won't actually be blue, but will have a reddish tint to it as sunlight must pass over the Earth's atmosphere, making the moon a "blood moon." And, since the eclipse will occur just a day or so after perigee (when the moon is at its closest point to earth), it'll be a Supermoon, appearing slightly larger than normal. Alas, the eastern part of the United States will not see the whole eclipse, as the moon will set in the northwestern sky before maximum eclipse is reached. When did the last Blue Blood Supermoon Eclipse occur? According to Space.com the last time was March 31, 1866!
 
AVALON PLANS to develop Surfside Park at 30th Street and the boardwalk. The Cape May County Herald reports that design work is to be completed by May, with bids sought in July, and a construction contract to be awarded in September, which would allow for the park to be completed for the 2019 season.
 
THE BEACH BOYS, Straight No Chaser, and The Hooters will all appear at the Ocean City Music Pier this summer. Tickets for more than a dozen Music Pier events are available through Ticket Master If you're in the mood for jazz instead, see below for the Cape May Traditional Jazz Society's upcoming event.
 
NEED A GLIMPSE of the beach or the bay to get you through January? If you can't make it to town to see for yourself, check out one of Avalon's webcams!
 
Check Out The Camera Of Your Choice: Avalon Webcam
 

This Weeks News 1/11/2018

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SNOW AND ICE blanketed the Island over the past week, and temperatures stayed below freezing. About a foot of snow fell last Thursday, with official totals reaching as high as 17 inches in Cape May Court House and 15.5 inches in Ocean City. High winds caused the powdery snow to blow and drift, eventually leaving some areas almost bare while other areas had snow drifts. Daytime highs in the teens and overnight lows in the single digits kept the Island in an icy grip for more than a week. See below for several photos!
 
THE BAY WATERS FROZE OVER, leaving the area between the Island and the Parkway looking a bit like the Arctic. The Cape May-Lewes Ferry eventually suspended operations due to ice in the Delaware Bay and the Cape May Canal, but this fascinating footage of the ferry operating in icy waters was captured while ferries were still running:

Lewes Ferry In Cape May Pushes Through Icy Waters (YouTube)
 

Bay Park Marina in Avalon, looking north toward the lagoons this past Saturday.
 

Snow cleared from the streets is deposited at the 29th Street parking lot in Avalon. Except for the dunes, it's now the highest point in Avalon!
 

Stone Harbor Municipal Marina, looking southwest toward the 96th Street Bridge on Monday.
 

The thaw begins! Tuesday temperatures inched up above freezing for the first time in a couple of weeks. Here, a layer of fog obscures the Avalon water tower as seen from Avalon Boulevard on Tuesday.
 
POLAR BEAR PLUNGES that had been scheduled for Ocean City, Ventnor, Margate, and Brigantine were all cancelled due to the extreme cold. Still want to plunge? Wildwood is set to plunge on Saturday, January 13th, and Sea Isle's Polar Bear Weekend features a plunge on Saturday, February 17th. North Wildwood will host the Fallen Hero Polar Bear Plunge on February 24th, followed by the Stone Harbor Shiver plunge a few weeks later on March 17th.
 
JUST 68 DAYS UNTIL SPRING! Hang in there! Need something to help you keep warm in the meantime Check out my 2018 Rental Brochure and start planning your summer vacation!

View My Latest Vacation Rental Brochure