New Jersey Coast

New Jersey Coast

Onward to America’s Playground. The AC. Brick City. Boardwalk Empire. Wow! That all just sounded too good to pass up! What am I referring to? Why, Atlantic City, NJ, of course!

Trivia tidbit: Did you know that the original version of the game Monopoly was based on Atlantic City?

After we left the idyllic environs Cape May, (we were followed out by a pod of playful dolphins), we continued our north-bound journey. Sailing alongside mile upon mile of white-sand beach, I pointed out ferris wheels and amusement parks galore. Ohhhh! This was going to be so much fun!!

After tying-up to the T-dock at the Atlantic City aquarium, I stopped in at the aquarium to pick up a city map. We were headed to that famous boardwalk!

“Don’t go that way, it’s… residential”, Aquarium-Girl told me, pointing to a section covering about half the map.

“No, it’s cool. Residential is fine, and it’s shorter.”

“No, really. Go THIS way,” she highlighted the perimeter of the map. “The other way–it’s— RESIDENTIAL.”

Brick City

Coast Guard training exercizes in rough seas

As we strolled along the residential short cut, her meaning became clear. We were walking right through the middle of the local housing projects. Derelict buildings, abandoned cars and drug deals surrounded us, and I was none too happy to see the boardwalk straight ahead. Saftey in numbers, right?

Our first “greeter” shook his can of loose change at us, asking for a handout. We were then followed by a duo of “pants on the ground” trying to convince us to purchase their rap cd.  About half of the storefronts were Out of Business, and the casinos had seen better days long, long ago. (This was also the weekend that the Trump Casino closed.) A sense of resignation hung like a dark cloud and we were relieved to get back to the comfort of our boat for the evening.

As we exited the channel the next morning, a row of locals fishing off the wall hurdled negative comments at us. Were we motoring too close to their space? Or was it the fact that indeed, we were at least able to leave the ruins of the city behind?

Do not pass Go.

Onward and upward to accomplish the goal of this trip – New York City!