In Sea Isle, Spring's Arrival is Celebrated

By DONALD WITTKOWSKI Logan Haines, all of 4 years old, marched out onto the beach Saturday afternoon carrying a plastic toy bucket and a tiny shovel for digging in the sand. His grandparents, Wendy Baker and Gary Clements, of Williamstown, N.J., watched in amusement as Logan immediately got down to business, clawing in the sand with his bare hands and filling the orange bucket. “We’re going to find some seashells,” Baker said to Logan as he nodded his head and laughed. On the first day of spring, Logan and his grandparents had a vast stretch of the beach virtually all to themselves. They relished the solitude, knowing that come Memorial Day weekend the beaches will likely be crowded with vacationers at the start of the busy summer tourism season. “Now, there’s no one. But then, it’s going to be crazy,” Baker predicted of the crowds on Memorial Day weekend. The residents and visitors who are in Sea Isle for the first weekend in spring are in for a treat weather-wise. Saturday was a mild, sunny day in the 50s and Sunday is expected to be a carbon copy. David Aragon and his girlfriend, Samantha Andress, toss a Frisbee in Excursion Park. Baker and Clements, who own a second home in South Dennis, said they are already getting a jump on their spring yard work. They are also already planning their summer vacation. “We’re coming down in the summer and renting on the ground floor of that building,” Clements said, pointing to an oceanfront condominium near John F. Kennedy Boulevard. Relieved that the rainy and occasionally snowy winter of 2020-2021 is finally in the rearview mirror, other people were savoring the blue skies Saturday with walks on the beach, bike rides or simply sitting on the beaches lining the Promenade. Samantha Andress, 16, of Dennis Township flashed a thumbs-up sign to give her approval to the weather while she played a game of Frisbee in Excursion Park with her boyfriend, David Aragon, 16, of Middle Township. “We’re happy to be out and enjoying the sun and breeze,” Aragon said. Laurie Follet takes her dog, Bella, for a walk. Laurie Follet, who lives in Marlton, N.J., and has a summer home in Sea Isle, came down to the shore for a weekend getaway with her husband, Bob, and their golden retriever, Bella. “It’s so nice here,” Follet said. “Every time my husband and I are here, I say it puts a smile on our face.” Bella, who playfully tugged on her leash while Follet walked her along Pleasure Avenue, seems to be one of Sea Isle’s top dogs, judging by her nickname. “We call her the Bella of Sea Isle,” Follet joked. Up on the Promenade, Donna and Bob Conroy, of Springfield, Pa., were enjoying the ocean views while taking a walk hand-in-hand. The Conroys have a summer home in Sea Isle and plan to spend the entire weekend at the shore to welcome spring’s arrival. “It’s the best time to be here, with or without the pandemic,” Donna said. The Conroys also took a walk on the beach in Strathmere. Both of them said they treasure the tranquility at the shore at this time of year. “It’s just perfect,” Bob said. “It’s very peaceful. It’s so rejuvenating.” Donna and Bob Conroy enjoy a relaxing walk on the Promenade during their weekend getaway at the shore.