The Newsmagazine of Long Beach Island and Southern Ocean County
By Jon Coen | on April 21, 2022
Last Friday’s surf wasn’t as big as the previous swells, but there were a few moments that it came together. (Photo by Paul Boardman)
May the Fourth be with you … especially this year.
May 4 is the first day of New Jersey’s single-use carry-out bag ban, which might feel like getting crushed by Storm Troopers for lot of folks in retail.
There has long been a puzzling resistance to bag bans going back “a long time ago in a galaxy far, far away,” which doesn’t make a lot of sense. But a recent trip to Home Depot (who will also be required to follow the new law in just two weeks) really helped explain the situation.
At the check-out counter, I gathered up my purchases and put them into a canvas bag. The friendly cashier noticed the bag and offered her 2 cents.
“Oh, you have a bag. Everyone is going to have to bring their own bag when they start that thing in a few weeks,” she said, adding a bit of disgust to the words they and that thing. I presumed “they” to be the state of New Jersey, and “that thing” to be the aforementioned the bag ban.
I couldn’t help but reply, “Yes, the bag ban – I actually think it’s a good idea.”
To which the cashier quickly replied that she, too, thought it was a great idea. But for some reason she couldn’t articulate, she was still annoyed by it.
And that simple interaction put the entire green movement’s uphill battle into perspective. So many people think that efforts to clean up the environment, whether it’s litter in the bay or broader efforts to move humans off our harmful dependence on fossil fuel, is the direction to take. But someone around them, or a radio talk show host or TV commentator, has told them they’re supposed to be angrier than Darth Vader learning that the rebels had escaped. And therefore, they keep from making the simplest changes in behavior.
The date, May 4, has taken on a serious significance with “Star Wars” fans (as in “May the Fourth be with you.”) And while it’s easy to conjure images of Nebulous Nerds and Galaxy Geeks studying volumes of prequals and spin-offs, let’s not forget that special kind of magic when Yoda said, “Try not. Do or do not. There is no try.”
Was the ancient Jedi talking about the bag ban?
While the bag ban may be difficult for some, I’m not shooting holes in it like the Imperial Star Fleet here. Americans use some 100 billion bags each year. New Jersey’s is the most comprehensive and environmentally impactful bag and container law in the Galactic Republic. Because when I sit in my backyard and look up, I don’t see X-34 Landspeeders and Mandalorian Star Fighters. I see a Wawa bag that has been stuck in my maple tree for months, a.k.a. the official flag of South Jersey.
Signs of spring in South Jersey: a Wawa bag stuck in a tree. (Photo by Jon Coen)
A few people have made the switch. Remember that Stafford Township passes a bag ordinance under Mayor Spodafora, which the incoming mayor and council abandoned for pandemic reasons and never reinstated.
In 2019, which feels like two lifetimes ago, I addressed a fella in Stafford who at a town meeting asked the council to repeal the bag ban. He raved about what a “nightmare” it was to have to bring a canvas bag or buy a reusable tote. The prices of the totes at that time were about 99 cents (still the common price, despite inflation). I didn’t just discuss it in Liquid Lines, but I found his address and mailed him a few of the bags I had amassed from eco-friendly organizations and events over the years to save him the hardship of $4, roughly the price of one beer at any given happy hour.
And while this statewide bill was signed in November 2020 after years of discussion, it seems the supermarkets here are still mostly full of folks who are more likely to lift their X-Wing Fighter out of the swamps of Degobah than get on board with the new law.
But if you use the force, maybe you can remember to start bringing a bag.
A SMALL-WAVE FRIDAY?: After one straight month of bombing clean swell on Fridays, last week was a bit of a letdown.
I should note that the March and April surf has been pretty much dismal except for Fridays, which have been amazing. We got into a pattern of little to no surf from Sunday to Thursday, a weather system and building waves Thursday and clean surf from chest to way overhead on Fridays. There was very little in between until this week.
Mason Lesser in the spot with a long wall ahead of him on the April 8 swell. (Photo by Eric Hance)
Going back to April 8, we had another solid Friday of surf. This one was peaky and about chest to head high with some nicely colored tubes. The air temp was pleasant and when the sets pumped you could notch tons of waves in a 20 minute spurt.
Last Thursday didn’t see the coastal stir-up we’ve become accustomed to, but rather a weak, short-lived weather event that created weak, short-lived waves on Friday. Compounding the problem was an early full moon high tide last Friday, swamping the surf early. By the time the tide had drained, the swell had receded, too. And soon after, the wind came onshore. In short, the best we got was a few waist-high lines under sunny skies. The wind was back offshore Sunday for a longboard wave, but that was about it.
Pete Machotka, deep in a frontside tube two weeks back. (Photo by Eric Hance)
The weather got dicey Monday as a low slid past us and moved north. Tuesday morning was absolutely bombing with well overhead sets on the incoming tide and straight offshore winds. Since The SandPaper had to get to the printer, we will have the details of the Tuesday swell next week.
It does look like we keep up our streak of rideable surf on Fridays though with another system on the way. The tides look more favorable this go-’round.
HELP YOU WITH YOUR BAGS: While it’s been frustrating watching our society make a simple change like a shopping bag, especially with scientists telling us we need to make those changes since the ’70s, better late than never. Here are a few points and pointers for May 4 to help out.
First off, as the state of New Jersey explains it, retail stores, grocers and food services may not provide or sell single-use plastic carryout bags and polystyrene foam food service products. So you will no longer be able to pay for that bag. Make note, that includes paper. Essentially, if you don’t have a bag, you will have to buy one including home delivery and curbside pickup.
Most importantly, don’t throw a tantrum at the cashier. Don’t ask to speak to the manager. They didn’t make the rule. Remember, there is someone with a smartphone one register over who can make your tirade internet famous in about 20 minutes. If you don’t like the law aimed at keeping sea turtles from choking on your waste, direct your ire at the state. Start a letter-writing campaign that will take 20 times more effort and time than putting your tote bags in the car on the way to the supermarket.
Keep in mind that small retail stores can offer paper bags still. This would account for most Island boutique businesses.
Reusable bags are readily available at most check-out counters. If this is your first time (it will be soooo exciting) you save that bag and bring it back to the supermarket the next time. It’s this simple process that has proved insanely difficult to many in Southern Ocean County for decades. These bags are handed out as part of marketing by so many organizations, sporting events and gatherings, and I suspect more so this year, so you can build up a collection.
That brings us to the next point, which is more legitimate. For years, many folks have used those plastic grocery bags as garbage and dog waste bags. Note, they are “reused” but they still exist forever in a landfill (or next to your neighbor’s garbage can in some cases). Try to think big picture. Focus on the ocean and the earth, rather than your kitchen.
As some of these folks have pointed out, and astutely so, buying plastic garbage and poop bags are contributing to the plastic pollution problem as well. Very true. Maybe do a quick perusal of the paper/plastics aisle in the supermarket and look for recycled, or better yet, biodegradable bags. I found some brands selling online for about 27 cents per 13-gallon garbage bag and 4 cents each for a whole mess of dog waste bags. You’re taking your bags out of the waste stream.
As for your reusable tote bags, Alliance for a Living Ocean has been collecting bags at Murphy’s Market in Beach Haven, Farias Surf and Sport in Ship Bottom and Reynolds Garden Shop and Old Causeway in Manahawkin. They will wash the bags and return them to those locations. Feel free to go grab a few to get started.
Once you have a good little collection, keep a few in the kitchen, where you used to keep that giant, disorganized pile of plastic bags that you said would get recycled but never did. Bring the bag when you go to the store each trip, stash a few in your vehicle or perhaps one on your bike for those unexpected errand runs while you’re out, or the first few months when you keep forgetting your bags from home.
TEMP TALK: I hope everyone enjoyed the warm holiday weekend. Easter and Passover’s dates are based on the lunar calendar. When they fall in March, they are always cold. If you get a late April holiday, you run a better chance. Despite their colorful springtime connotations, they rarely feature nice weather, and those who choose “spring break” on LBI tend to get more windburn than sunburn. This past Friday and Saturday were stellar days. It was nice to see the Island bustling with folks out in less than three layers. Sunday was a reminder that Old Man Winter is still hanging around, should we get a little overconfident. Monday morning’s windchill was a cute 35 degrees.
This is about the time when the water temperature becomes a big topic, not just for surfers but the whole beachgoing public and anyone on LBI, as the temp greatly affects our weather (and subsequently our moods) here.
And while I point this out as if it were an anomaly, it really shouldn’t surprise anyone that our surf temps are barely warmer, right around 45 degrees, than they were a month ago. And that was only up about six degrees from the coldest points in February. So with the “unofficial” start of summer five weeks away, the official water temperature is about the same as it was in late winter. As much as we may find this crazy, it’s the norm rather than the exception.
Most of the year-round surfers have downgraded from 5-mil suits to hooded 4-mils, and that’s only because air temps have been in the 50s when we’re surfing, up from the 20s and 30s. I don’t know that I would even put the 5-mil away as the bigger swells still feel a lot like winter surfing with cutting winds and cloudy days.
In terms of other watersports, the bay has cracked 60 already a few times, so on nice days you can paddle in a 3-mil, or perhaps even trunks/bathing suit if you’re good on that SUP.
The ocean may very likely hit 50 in early May. But keep in mind, the temp will then drop below a few times before we start climbing up the weekly average. 60 comes a little quicker after that.
As for more general weather, the long-term forecasts say we’re going to have a warmer than average summer. But those same forecasts called for a warmer than average spring, and that has certainly not taken shape.
COMING UP: Before we get into local happenings, I have to note that legal recreational cannabis dispensaries open on Thursday, April 21, in New Jersey. I’m not into the green myself, but this is long overdue. However, you will have to drive some distance to one of the new herb retailers in the state. For reasons that make zero sense to most of us, the towns in our area have rejected these stores and will benefit exactly $0 from the massive revenue this will create. And I am totally perplexed at why Trenton missed out on the opportunity to make the first day of legal weed just after 4/20.
In other local haps, Jetty opened its new flagship store last weekend and Friday and Saturday were a nonstop party over there. Go check the new digs at 176 East Bay Ave. when you get a chance.
It is awfully pleasant to see we have some other events on the docket. And if you can see past the chill and biting cold, there might just be some warm weather events in here as well.
Help clean up the marsh on Saturday in Holgate. (Photo courtesy LBT Field Station)
Start it out this Thursday at the Long Beach Township Field Station in Holgate, where you can learn about Planning and Implementing a Successful Kitchen Garden to keep your kitchen flush with fresh veggies in the summer and fall. A good tomato plant can actually keep edible fruit on the vine well into October. The event starts at 6 p.m. and is free.
This Friday, April 22, is Earth Day, which is a tough one to observe considering what Russia is doing (and forcing the rest of the planet to do (warfare is not particularly environmentally friendly), but we will try our best. Act locally, think globally.
Saturday is the Earth Day Pocket Marsh Clean Up on Osborn Avenue in Holgate, run by Alliance for a Living Ocean. Mud boots will be needed. Gloves, buckets and informal info session on plastic pollution provided, 9 a.m. to 1 p.m.
Last week Bird & Betty’s announced a few original touring bands coming through, the first of whom is the Slackers. This ska, soul, reggae outfit out of NYC is known the world over. They play May 6, opening weekend, with Crazy & the Brains and local surf, ska, reggae favorites the Danksters.
Beyond that, Hop Sauce Fest is back on June 18.
This looks to be a decent weekend. Hopefully you can get some water time, but don’t expect it to be too warm. And good luck with the bag ban. You got this.
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