By DONALD WITTKOWSKI
Kathy and Klaus Henkel showed that one of the great things about owning a boat is that you don’t necessarily have to take it out on the water to have fun.
In what was perhaps the ultimate relaxation time during the Fourth of July weekend, Kathy and Klaus entertained their friends and family on Sunday afternoon simply by having a laid-back party on board their 20-foot boat as it was docked at the Sea Isle City marina.
Asked how long they planned to stay at the dock, Kathy smiled and said, “All day,” as everyone broke into laughter.
While tens of thousands of visitors packed Sea Isle’s beaches, Promenade, shops, bars and restaurants for the last day of the holiday weekend, the Henkel family soaked up the sun on a balmy afternoon on board the Opa, which is German for “grandpa.”
Klaus Henkel is originally from Germany. He and his wife, Kathy, live in Mullica Hill, N.J., and have a summer home in Sea Isle.
The Henkels were joined on their boat Sunday by their son, Patrick Henkel, who grew up in South Jersey and now lives in London, and Patrick’s friend, Tom Atkinson, also of London.
The boat party also included Kathy’s brother, Tim Dwyer, and his girlfriend, Jennifer Gipson, of Pismo Beach, Calif. Also on board was Carter Dwyer, Tim’s son.
Patrick Henkel comes back to Sea Isle every summer for vacation, even now, while living in London. He brought his friend, Tom Atkinson, along on this trip so he, too, could enjoy the Jersey Shore during the holiday.
Atkinson simply couldn’t imagine having a better time than lounging on a boat at the shore.
“Not this,” he said of what he would be doing if he were still at home at London.
London-esque might have been a way to describe Sea Isle’s weather on Saturday, when clouds and some drizzle marred the start of the holiday weekend. But the weather took a turn for the better on Sunday with partly sunny skies and temperatures in the low 80s. The water temperature was 68 degrees.
Predictably, vacationers headed to the beaches in droves. A sea of colorful umbrellas, cabanas and tents dotted the sand in the popular downtown beaches and other parts of Sea Isle.
Frank and Rachel Brayden, visitors from Baltimore, parked their beach chairs close to the water’s edge while watching their 5-year-old son, Caleb, build some sandcastles using a toy shovel and bucket.
“We come here all of the time for vacation. The people are very friendly,” Frank Brayden said of the family’s loyalty to Sea Isle.
Wearing a pair of sport-style sunglasses that he got from his dad, Caleb kept himself busy by digging in the sand. He also enjoyed the water.
“The water,” Caleb exclaimed, pointing toward the ocean. “I like playing in the water and playing with the ball.”
Just down the beach from the Braydens, Angela DeVito was celebrating her 73rd birthday with a group of friends. DeVito, who lives in South Philadelphia and loves summer vacations in Sea Isle, was at her favorite spot on the 42nd Street beach.
“This is special today. My friends told my ‘Happy Birthday’ and also gave me some cupcakes,” DeVito said.
Off the beach, the oceanfront Promenade was crowded with walkers, bikers and joggers.
Cathy Haggerty, of Ivyland, Pa., and her daughter, Megan Haggerty, were enjoying the holiday weekend at their summer home in Sea Isle. They were joined for a walk on the Promenade by their friends Kiersten Sussin, of Langhorne, Pa., Sue Fleming, of Churchville, Pa., and her daughter, Tori Fleming, of Warminster, Pa.
“It’s a tradition. Every Fourth of July we spend the holiday together,” Tori Fleming said of their time in Sea Isle.
Their weekend included some beach time, drinks and dinner.
“Our husbands are out golfing. The girls are having a great time by ourselves,” Tori said of their holiday outing as all five women laughed.
