Short trip to Seaside, post Sandy. Boardwalk On FIRE

[Beckers 1,136]

We went to Seaside growing up as kids, and as teens would often go after work. So needless to say it was always a special place to me. And back in 2005, Brian and I got engaged on the beach at Seaside :heartsmiley: and even had some of our wedding pictures done on the beach (um yeah in March, it was cold and my photographer SMB so I don't have any pics to show). We haven't been there since Sandy hit and have been curious as how it looked and Adam has been asking lots of questions about the hurricane damage. The weather was supposed to be 83 today, we had no plans, Mimi was free, so it sounded like the perfect day to go.

We were about 10 mins from Seaside (it's about 90 mins from my house) and we opened the windows to smell the nice fresh ocean air. We weren't met with the smell of the seashore like we expected but hot humid air. There was a land breeze which meant it was 89 and the green head flies were in full force :banghead: . We assumed parking was going to be a PITA since it was nice day and were really surprised (and sad) to see how empty it was.

[Beckers 1,136]

The plus side is we had a good parking space, and after pumping the meter full of quarters (.25 per 10 mins!) we were ready to go.

 

 

We weren't going on the beach because it was so stinking hot and I didn't feel like hauling chairs, umbrella, etc. Our goal was see what storm damage was done, eat pizza, play some stands and some arcade games.

 

This is the Fun Town Pier.

 

 

 

 

[Beckers 1,136]

I'm trying to find some before pictures to post to show you what it should have looked like.

[DaveInTN 3,247]

That is sad. 

[Beckers 1,136]

That is sad. 

 

It's super sad. I don't know what we were expecting, but I guess I thought it was going to be busy even wthout the rides. My mom was talking to an employee there and she said it's never very busy

[Beckers 1,136]

[GaDawgFan.....Kelly 799]

Sad, really sad

[Beckers 1,136]

I do have a pood forn pic so things will get a little better!

[AC in A2......Aaron 693]

That really sucks Beckers.  Hopefully the place will be brought back completely at some point.

[alexwyattmommy 181]

All our summer trips were to Seaside also growing up.  We would rent an efficiency apartment on the beach at Seaside Heights.  We could look out our balcony and see the fireworks from the Boardwalk.  So sad to see it this way now. 

[Beckers 1,136]

The actual boardwalk boards have all been replaced as well as the benches. I was happy to see they still made them flip benches. Being able to have the choice of sitting and facing the ocean and then deciding you want to watch the people walk by on the boards is great. Adam thought it was the coolest thing ever that he could flip the back.

Notice the beach isn't very crowded for a nice day in July.

And flipping the back

[Beckers 1,136]

We stopped for a bathroom break. The original bathrooms were destroyed in Sandy so this is what is there now. I'm assuming it is a work in progress?

Some artwork they had in there

[CCIntrigue...aka Gwen 547]

Looks like a beautiful beach.

[RestlessNative 6]

This is so sad. My entire house had to be gutted after Hurricane Charlie in 2004 - I slept on the floor of my laundry room for a year and a half - my heart breaks for the poor folks up there. It can be life-changing and not in a good way. Hopefully it will be rebuilt so future kids can enjoy it.

[DaveInTN 3,247]

When are you going to share the picture you put on FB this morning??  :drool1:

[Beckers 1,136]

Haha Dave! I totally thought of you when I took it. We haven't made it to lunch yet!

[Tri-Circle-D 2,059]

Seaside Heights is where I went as a kid whenever we went to the "shore."

 

I am surprised by these photos.

 

I haven't paid much attention to this, but I sure remember the NJ Governor grandstanding just a couple of months ago about how the shore was reopen for business.  He ought to be ashamed of himself.  I know that storm was devastating, but looking at the condition of this place- they could have and should have done much more.

 

TCD

[Beckers 1,136]

This is so sad. My entire house had to be gutted after Hurricane Charlie in 2004 - I slept on the floor of my laundry room for a year and a half - my heart breaks for the poor folks up there. It can be life-changing and not in a good way. Hopefully it will be rebuilt so future kids can enjoy it.

I can't imagine how awful that must have been. Someone my mom was talking to said that if we went a few towns over you would think it happened yesterday

[Beckers 1,136]

Seaside Heights is where I went as a kid whenever we went to the "shore."

I am surprised by these photos.

I haven't paid much attention to this, but I sure remember the NJ Governor grandstanding just a couple of months ago about how the shore was reopen for business. He ought to be ashamed of himself. I know that storm was devastating, but looking at the condition of this place- they could have and should have done much more.

TCD

All of the boardwalk (as in boards you walk in) have been replaced as well as the benches. I would say about %75 of the food/stands/ crap stores were open.

I was looking at old pictures and they have actually done a lot of work to the pier I posted pictures of. If anyone recalls seeing the picture of the roller coaster in the ocean, that was the pier.

[RestlessNative 6]

This is so sad. My entire house had to be gutted after Hurricane Charlie in 2004 - I slept on the floor of my laundry room for a year and a half - my heart breaks for the poor folks up there. It can be life-changing and not in a good way. Hopefully it will be rebuilt so future kids can enjoy it.

I can't imagine how awful that must have been. Someone my mom was talking to said that if we went a few towns over you would think it happened yesterday

Yes it was a rough time. And it takes years to come back from. But...unless someone dies, it's just "stuff". That's what I learned. Good lesson. :)

[Beckers 1,136]

While we were in the bathroom, people were saying how awful the green head flies were by the water. This confirmed my decision on not going on the beach. Plus, I was kind of nervous of what might still be in the water. I have heard they have been pulling chunks of metal, etc out.

We normally go to Ocean City, NJ. The positives of OC is it is dry, so no drunks on the boards at night. Plus, no gambling, which means no stands with wheels, dart balloons, basketball, etc and the arcades can't give out tickets. That all means less money coming out of my pocket!

Well, Seaside has tons of games and arcades. Adam was seriously foaming at the mouth to start playing. Most of the prizes are crap, but they had Minions from Despicable Me, which is currently his movie obsession. And needless to say most games are impossible to win.

[Beckers 1,136]

So we went to the arcade on Fun town Pier. About 1/2 of it was destroyed. They lost their bathrooms (which they used to charge .25 to use them, offices, a skee ball and their flashback game section. It was filled with old classics (okay classics for my age? ) like Paperboy, the bar sliding pitcher of beer game, cenetepiede, Q*Bert, etc. I didn't realize they lost this section and was telling Adam about it because he always asking about some old games that were in Wreck Ot Ralph. Somehow their Merry Go Round was saved.

[Beckers 1,136]

If you look, the floor is plywood.

Notice Adam is playing on the left side.

And look at this picture. Still standing on the left yet his ball ended up on the right.....

[Beckers 1,136]

Adam and Mimi went for a spin on the merry go round.

Once it stated, I realized it was moving fast. I was worried poor Mimi would have a cow but all was good.

If you look at this picture you can see on the ceiling where part of the building was lost.

[Beckers 1,136]

Now to Dave's favorite picture! Lunch time!

This picture is true to size, no fish lens, nada. The pizza is that large! It was great too! I don't know how it was price wise because Mimi footed the bill.