Ocean City Once Again Named New Jersey's Best Beach

Ahoy! Phillies legend Cole Hamels was spotted eating at Uncle Bill’s this week. The restaurant reported that he left a 60% tip.

That’s great. Now where you at, Bradley Cooper? WHERE YOU AT?

In the email today:

📆 Upcoming events

💩 Water safety levels return to normal across Jersey Shore

🐋 Windmill updates

👚 New store alert

🥇 Ocean City again named best beach in Cape May County and New Jersey

🍊 Gritty will join Night in Venice

🚔 Reports of cars stolen from Gardens

💎 Henry’s is closing

🛟 Updated list of guarded beaches

🏠 Real estate update

👨‍💼 We’re hiring

🌊 Weather and tides

📆 Upcoming Events in (and around) Ocean City

Since we’re running a little behind this week to get the email out, rather than list all events, here are links from all the relevant local towns.

Also note the Ocean City Library has many events for adults and kids alike on their calendar, which can be viewed here.

We include events from Margate to Stone Harbor. You can see the full list of events in all nearby Shore towns with the following links: Ocean City | Sea Isle | Margate | Avalon | Stone Harbor | Somers Point | Wildwood | Cape May | Ventnor

🤳 News Bits

Water Safety Levels Return to Normal Across Jersey Shore 💩

Earlier this week, the New Jersey EPA found that 13 beaches along the coast - not including any in Ocean City - were under an advisory for higher-than-acceptable levels of fecal bacteria, likely as a result of recent heavy rainstorms (and also pooping!).

Beaches in Beesleys Point, Cape May, Avalon, Wildwood Crest, and Atlantic City were part of the advisory, which was no BS.

These beaches were over the “recreational standard” and were re-tested. The whole thing just stinks.

The good news is that subsequent tests found levels quickly returned to normal. A real relief.

You can keep tabs on water testing at NJBeaches.org— green, for lack of a better word, is good:

Windmill Updates 🐋

Nothing I like more than getting up on a sunny summer Shore day and chronicling the latest details in the battle between local residents and a Danish offshore windmill company.

Orsted Suing Again: Orsted is now suing Cape May County, in addition to a previous lawsuit against Ocean City, for not issuing them permits to dig up roads through Ocean City, Roosevelt Boulevard, and to the Beesleys Point power station to place a transmission line from offshore windmills.

A judge ruled that Ocean City had to grant the permits. It’s reasonably likely the county will receive a similar ruling.

Mayor Gillian Smash: Mayor Gillian used his weekly update last week to blast New Jersey and Orsted for the federal tax credits we told you about last week:

Giant Protest Planned: A “Hands Across Beaches” protest will be held tomorrow (Saturday, July 15) at 11:00 a.m. on 14th Street beach. It’s part of a larger effort for people to gather in opposition of offshore windmills on the entire East Coast.

News Links 🔗

• Good Morning America did a story on Cape May— perhaps they should have chosen New Jersey’s best beach 🪸

• Coast Guard rescues boat fire off Barnegat Light 🚔

• Inquirer food critic Craig Laban, an Ocean City guy, features some Ocean City favorites in his Shore Dining Guide for 2023— including Mario’s! 🦀

🥇 Ocean City Again Named Best Beach in Cape May County and New Jersey

For the 10th consecutive year, beachgoers chose Ocean City as "New Jersey's Favorite Beach" in a New Jersey Sea Grant Consortium poll.

Probably should have known this was coming when the winners announcement was held outside the Music Pier. Would have been like hosting the 1998 Oscars on James Cameron’s lawn and giving the award to The Full Monty had Ocean City not won.

👚 New Store Alert: The Betz Room

Color me intrigued!

Behind the now-Green Eggs Cafe and old Chatterbox sits a secret entrance that leads to new supper club The Betz Room.

It’s a private club in the style of Dockside, which means members can bring their own alcohol— a loophole in a city that bans BYOs. It is backed by a Le Bec-Fin alum chef.

It received the endorsement of Craig LaBan: “The Betz Room is the kind of classy project that proves how Ocean City can evolve into the 21st century without losing its low-key character.”

The Betz Club is open 5:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m. Thursday through Sunday.

It is $25 per person to join for the season. You can find all the details on their signup form here.

This looks absolutely delicious.

🍊 Gritty Will Join Night in Venice

Last week we told you how the Phanatic will join Jim Gardner for the “It’s a Philly Thing” themed Night in Venice.

Now we are happy to report that Gritty and new Comcast Specactor CEO Dan Hilferty, who led Philly’s bid to get the 2026 World Cup, will also join the parade.

🚔 Reports of Cars Stolen From Gardens

Lock your cars, folks.

💎Henry’s Landmark Jewelers Is Closing

Henry’s Landmark Jeweler’s is closing.

Here is the announcement owner Jeff Sherman passed along to us:

It’s with very mixed emotions that we – Jeff and Sam, the owners of Henry’s – wish to inform you that we will be closing our landmark Ocean City location at the end of this year. Oh man, what a bittersweet time!
Since 1972, Henry’s has been the trusted spot for both locals and OC vacationers alike, and we, along with our families and our fantastic staff, have been so greatly gratified by your support through these 50 incredible years, allowing us to form so many personal, warm relationships with our customers, and to have contributed to the many activities of this totally unique, terrific city.

We started Henry’s with nothing but a dream and a vision – to create a welcoming atmosphere while offering quality goods at reasonable prices – and as we retire to spend more time with our kids and grandkids, golf, travel, and whatever else our futures may hold, we leave OC with a lifetime of joyful, heartwarming memories!

Thank you so much for your trust, your friendship, and your support! It’s been a blast! Please know that Henry’s will continue to remain open in our Cape May location, where our merchandise and our values endure. We hope that you’ll see your way to visit us there. We’ve been hearing from so many of you how much you’ll miss Henry’s. From the bottom of our hearts, please know that – sincerely – we will miss you just as much!
Thank you, thank you, thank you....Jeff and Sam, and all your friends at Henry’s

🛟 Updated List of Guarded Beaches

The Ocean City Beach Patrol guards beaches from 10 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. weekends and holidays and from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. on weekdays.

The following beaches will be guarded until further notice:

• Seaspray Road

• Surf Road

• Atlantic Blvd. (at Morningside Rd.)

• North Street

• Stenton Place

• St. Charles Place

• Delancey Place

• Park Place

• Brighton Place

• 5th Street

• 7th Street (Surfing Beach)

• 8th Street (extended hours to 7:30 p.m.)

• 9th Street (extended hours to 7:30 p.m.)

• 10th Street

• 11th Street

• 12th Street (extended hours to 7:30 p.m.)

• 13th Street

• 14th Street

• 17th Street

• 18th Street

• 20th Street

• 22nd Street

• 24th Street

• 26th Street

• 28th Street

• 30th Street

• 32nd Street

• 34th Street (extended hours to 7:30 p.m.)

• 36th Street

• 39th Street

• 42nd Street

• 44th Street

• 46th Street

• 48th Street

• 50th Street

• 53rd Street

• 55th Street

• 58th Street

🏠 Real Estate Update

Did you know Walking The Boards has a newsletter dedicated to Ocean City Real Estate?

If you would like to opt-in, just click the subscribe button right here:

CBS News Story Doesn't Accurately Reflect Rental Market in Ocean City 👁️

CBS News found a single couple at the Jersey Shore (north of Atlantic City) who has had trouble renting their vacation property this year, so the network used it as a jumping off point for a story on how the vacation rental market is struggling in the US:

As is always the case in real estate-- location matters.

The Jersey Shore couple and realtor are from Monmouth County. And Airbnb data in San Diego is about as relevant to Ocean City as the price of grain in the midwest.

By all accounts, Ocean City and the real Jersey Shore (South of Atlantic City) market is still thriving.

So we checked with Kevin Laskowski, a realtor at Berger, which is the city's leading rental agency by a wide margin. Here's what he had to say:

He says 2021 and 2022 were record years for rentals in Ocean City, and this year Berger projects to be even with last year in terms of rental volume, even with prices up.

That said, Berger has seen some availability and last-minute rentals extended into summer. They were maybe about 2% off their pace from last year as of last week, but expect to wind up in the same place. Though they have launched a page for last-minute discounts.

Meanwhile, the city reported a 7% decline in beach tag sales up to Memorial Day Weekend. And The Inquirer has happily run articles about people being "priced out" at the Shore.

Still, Ocean City officials claimed record crowds over Fourth of July weekend.

In short, this CBS News story is getting a lot of play around here, but it doesn't necessary apply to Ocean City.

👨‍💼 We’re Hiring!

Love Ocean City? Love the Shore? Good a social media? Have a passion for real estate?

We’re hiring for two roles:

Also thanks to those who sent in resumes following the last newsletter. We haven’t had a chance to review submissions, but we will next week.

1) Writer

Looking for someone with professional experience in digital media, journalism, or anything where you have to hold the attention of an audience.

You will write about news and events in Ocean City. Bonus points if you have a working knowledge of the entire Jersey Shore or real estate.

2) Social Media Manager

Looking for someone to plan and run our social media accounts— Instagram, TikTok, Facebook, and Twitter.

You must be able to show awesome examples of your work.

Both of these roles can be full- or part-time, or freelance, depending on the person.

If you are interested, either respond to this email or email me at [email protected].

🎟️ Tickets and Discounts

• Registration for the Night in Venice 5k run (and one mile walk) is now open. The event will take place on Saturday July 29 at 8:00 a.m. at the Ocean City Intermediate School. Registration by July 15 guarantees a commemorative t-shirt. You can register here.

🌊 Weather and Tides

As always, we recommend getting up-to-date forecasts from THE GOAT of South Jersey weather, NorEaster Nick, directly on his Facebook page. You can also download his app.

Tides (9th Street):

• Friday (7/14)

  • Low: 12:25 AM

  • High: 6:11 AM

  • Low: 12:09 PM

  • High: 6:37 PM

  Saturday (7/15)

  • Low: 1:16 AM

  • High: 7:02 AM

  • Low: 12:56 PM

  • High: 7:22 PM

  Sunday (7/16)

  • Low: 2:02 AM

  • High: 7:48 AM

  • Low: 1:41 PM

  • High: 8:03 PM

  Monday (7/17)

  • Low: 2:45 AM

  • High: 8:31 AM

  • Low: 2:23 PM

  • High: 8:43 PM

  Tuesday (7/18)

  • Low: 3:25 AM

  • High: 9:11 AM

  • Low: 3:04 PM

  • High: 9:21 PM

  Wednesday (7/19)

  • Low: 4:03 AM

  • High: 9:51 AM

  • Low: 3:43 PM

  • High: 9:58 PM

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