By DONALD WITTKOWSKI
In Sea Isle City, they were lining up Tuesday to buy the ultimate antidote for the winter blues.
The cost?
Just $20.
Tuesday was the first day that Sea Isle began selling beach tags for the 2023 summer season at the discounted price of $20 each. The seasonal tags will cost the regular price of $25 starting May 15.
Some residents and visitors make it a tradition to buy their beach tags on the very first day they go on sale as a pick-me-up during the winter doldrums.
“I think people always look forward to the summer season. Beach tags are a tangible reminder of the warm weather to come,” city spokeswoman Katherine Custer said.
She also noted that others rush in to buy their beach tags to add to their collections of the coveted tiny pieces of plastic. Some collectors have tags dating back to 1972, the first year Sea Isle began requiring them for access to the beaches.
“We sell a lot of beach tags because people simply want to round out their beach tag collections,” Custer said.
On Tuesday, some people stopped in at the Sea Isle City Welcome Center to purchase as many as eight to 10 beach tags for the 2023 summer season. Bob O’Neill, though, bought just one.
“This is a late Christmas gift,” he explained.
O’Neill, who lives in Medford, N.J., said the beach tag will be among the Pollyanna gifts for his family members when they hold a “Christmas in July” celebration over the summer.
Two other buyers, Leslie and Peter Staffeld, picked up 10 beach tags for their family. Residents of Center Valley, Pa., the Staffelds have a summer vacation home in Sea Isle and were celebrating their 19th wedding anniversary in the resort over the New Year’s weekend.
“It’s an annual tradition to welcome in summer,” Leslie Staffeld said of buying the beach tags. “It reminds of us of our summers being with family and friends in Sea Isle.”
Beach tags are required from Memorial Day to Labor Day in Sea Isle. Revenue generated by beach tag sales is an important source of funding for the city. It covers the cost of keeping the beaches clean, collecting the trash, employing lifeguards and hiring summer police officers. The revenue also helps to pay for the city’s beach replenishment projects.
Sea Isle normally generates between $1.3 million and $1.4 million annually in beach tag sales. The city’s all-time record for beach tag sales was set in 2015 with $1,471,321 in revenue.
In 2022, Sea Isle held a contest allowing children to submit their designs for the 2023 beach tags. The winning entry for the seasonal tags was designed by Claire Konrad, a 13-year-old from Philadelphia. Her design depicts the silhouette of a surfer girl holding her board amid a colorful background of pink, orange and yellow hues.
“It’s a vibrantly colored tag this year and quite eye-catching,” Custer said. “We’re confident that people will enjoy it.”
Beach tags are available at the following locations:
- Sea Isle City Welcome Center, 300 JFK Boulevard, Monday through Friday from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. and Saturday from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Only cash or checks are accepted at the Welcome Center.
- Sea Isle City’s Tax Office, located on the second floor of City Hall, 233 JFK Boulevard, from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. weekdays.
- Beach Tag Vending Machine, located in the first floor lobby of City Hall. The vending machine is accessible 24 hours a day, seven days a week. It accepts cash only.
For more information, call the Welcome Center during the hours listed above at (609) 263-8687.
