By DONALD WITTKOWSKI
There will be 112 coveted grand prizes up for grabs in Sea Isle City’s “lottery” now underway.
None of the prizes will be for lavish trips, luxury cars or even cash.
But the number of people entering the lottery is expected to be overwhelming, nonetheless.
In this case, Sea Isle is conducting an online lottery to randomly select the winners for the 112 berths in the city’s kayak storage facility. Traditionally, the kayak storage racks are among the most sought-after prizes in town.
The storage facility is located next to the city’s fishing pier and kayak launch site on the bay side of the Dealy Field recreation complex near 60th Street.
The berths are free and will be awarded to Sea Isle property owners and year-round residents only. People who meet those qualifications may register for the lottery through 4 p.m. April 15. Winners will be contacted by email on April 15.
To register for the lottery, go to the “Departments/Recreation” page at www.seaislecitynj.us. To learn more about the lottery, call 609-263-6163 (ext. 2) or 609-263-0050 or visit https://www.seaislecitynj.us/KayakStorageLottery
As in years past, public demand is expected to exceed the number of kayak berths that are available. Registrants who are not awarded a berth during the lottery will be added to a numerical waiting list, which will be used if openings become available during the summer season.
“Each year, the kayak rack lottery proves to be very popular. Unfortunately, we always have more lottery entrants than storage racks – so obviously, our racks always fill up,” city spokeswoman Katherine Custer said Thursday.
Crowded with upscale homes, Sea Isle’s bayfront offers few places where kayakers, paddleboarders and anglers have public access to the water. When Sea Isle built the nearly $1 million fishing pier and kayak launch facility in 2021, the project gave the public a prime location to enjoy the back bays.
The Boardwalk-style pier extends 132 feet out into the water, providing kayakers, paddleboarders and anglers easy access to the bay. The facility is also handicap-accessible.
Capable of handling kayaks of virtually any size, the storage facility will be available from May 1 to Oct. 31. After Oct. 31, owners will have to remove their kayaks for the off-season. Only kayaks – no other watercraft – will be allowed at the facility.
“People enjoy using the racks because they are a convenient way for the lucky winners to store their kayaks, and in many cases free up room in their garages and back yards,” Custer said.
