As the United States of America prepares to celebrate the 248th anniversary of that daring time when brave patriots made the decision to oppose the strongest power in the world in order to ensure freedom and independence for a new nation, we also appear to be facing the real danger of tearing apart the very Constitution that Declaration signing made possible.
Our nation’s leaders in the 18th century made the foundation of the Supreme Court Article III of the Constitution. That Act established a judiciary system new to the world, and one that identifies “the judicial Power of the United States, SHALL be vested in one supreme Court….” together with inferior Courts as the Congress may from time to time ordain and establish.”
The Constitution established the Supreme Court and gave the legislative office, Congress, permission to decide how to organize it. Hence, the Judiciary Act of 1789 created a Supreme Court with six justices.
Over the years, various Acts of Congress have altered the number of seats on the Supreme Court, ranging from a low of five to a high of 10, but shortly after the Civil War, the number was established at nine where it remains.
Members of the Supreme Court are appointed by the President, confirmed by the Senate, hold office for life, and remain apolitical in their actions. Congress also dictated that salaries of justices could not be decreased during their term of office as a means of ensuring their independence as a judiciary that remains clear of all political branches of government.
More importantly, Article III, Section II of the Constitution guarantees it is the Court that can hear any case that involves a point of constitutional and/or federal law. The court can make the decision to hear, or not hear, a case.
But the most well-known power of these one of three branches of government in a republic is the Court’s right to declare a Legislative or Executive act in violation of the Constitution, the right established by the Marbury v. Madison decision in 1803.
The Supreme Court plays an all-important role in our constitutional system of government. This is the court of last resort. This is the branch of government that ensures each of the other two branches, executive and legislative, realizes its own limits of power.
This week, the Supreme Court handed down its decision on Presidential privileges. That decision makes it the Law of the Land. Already, there is talk of those who look for ways to ‘get around’ what they now know the Supreme Court says.
Perhaps they will.
This is America, this is a republic, they have the right to go back to court with new arguments and new evidence.
But, for the President of the United States, the only person in that one Executive Branch of the three branches of government, to say the Supreme Court is wrong, is in error, or should not be involved, is shameful and embarrassing on any day.
In the week when the United States of America is celebrating, with grateful memories, those men and women who suffered so much so that, 248 years later we can still have God-given rights they protected so fiercely, an Executive Branch of government challenging the Supreme Court branch of government is an insult to Thomas Jefferson, John Adams, Benjamin Franklin and all other brave signers of the Declaration of Independence who created our United States.
Whether you were a youngster in one of her classes at Our Lady of Perpetual Help school when she was a favorite teacher there, or an educator at the Elementary School when she was on the Board of Education, or for that matter, a parent or taxpayer when she was a member of the Henry Hudson Regional Board of Education, the name Joan Wicklund is synonymous with common sense, intelligence, and thinking things through before making any decision. Advice
Combining her years as a teacher in Highlands, and a member of both boards, this lovely and ever pleasant lady has given more than three decades to education of youngsters who have since grown up and frequently stop to tell her just what she has meant in their lives.
Today, Joan still lives in Highlands, still keeps up on every bit of local news, and still has very strong opinions after insisting on getting all the facts from every source possible.
These days, she is certainly happy the two local school boards are now a thing of the past, and she has serious doubts about the transitional board for the new PreK-12 district.
Always putting education at the top of her list of what’s important in a school system, Joan is on a mission to be sure both Highlands and Atlantic Highlands voters become well informed, know statistics, and follow the news of what’s been done that isn’t made public until after the fact when it comes to Henry Hudson.
She’s a strong advocate that everyone has to vote for five Highlands members for the nine-member board that will be on the ballot in November and she wants to be sure they know which five will lead the new district to provide the best education while not burdening the taxpayer.
She is a strong proponent of Sea Bright coming into the district to share in the cost and an even stronger proponent of being sure the board is open, honest, transparent and listens to the people.
That goes back to Joan’s early days on one of the boards. The late Kathleen Mendes, the lady largely responsible for the district getting that plush piece of land for a school, and also a former board member, thanks in part to her very generous father, Haak Kavookjian, gave Joan advice one day.
That advice was to always conduct all board business at open meetings, and to listen carefully to the people before taking final action on anything. Kathleen also had words for the public at board meetings, which at that time often ran late in the night. Kathleen would tell residents they had three things to do, assuring them they would be heard and any advice given. As Joan recalls, Kathleen would tell the public at meetings to “be Prepared, Be Brief, and Be seated.”
She laughs now, remembering her own explanation of why public sessions were always so long when she was on the board. “I always wanted to hear from the public,” she said this week, “because I found that my hearing was always so much better when it was a member of the public who was doing the talking.”
As the sun began to set over Sandy Hook Bay each summer evening, a man with a white beard grabbed a microphone at a seaside restaurant and began talking about pride and sacrifice, patriotism and service. He invoked the nation’s war dead, welcomed visitors from other countries, asked everyone to stand up, take off their hats, hold hands with the strangers at the next table, and give thanks.
“The freedom you enjoy did not come free,” Ed Segall said. Then he led everyone in singing “God Bless America” with the song invariably ending, to applause and a few tears, just as the sun dipped over the horizon.
So wrote Reporter Peter Applebombe in the New York Times in August 2013, the year after the famed Sea Gull’s Nest at Sandy Hook was wiped out forever after Hurricane Sandy.
Even so, Reporter Applebombe only told part of the story. The natives knew even more.
If you came up to the Sea Gull’s Nest, you better be a patriot. You don’t take your hat off for the Pledge, or sing God Bless America with fervor, you would be invited to leave. It rarely came to that. Once Ed’s practice of a nightly thank you for our country became tradition, it would be the guests who would unceremoniously invite any non-patriot to leave before he got in trouble.
This July 4, in addition to remembering Thomas Jefferson and John Adams, two Signers of the Declaration, it’s a time to remember Ed Segall, who died Feb 3 of this year at age 96.
Jefferson and Adams, the two Patriots, Presidents, political enemies and true friends, died in their homes, Jefferson in Charlottesville, Virginia, Adams in Quincy, Massachusetts on the 50th anniversary of their daring and brave declaration that Americans should not have to pay taxes without representation nor pay allegiance to a King an ocean away.
But Ed Segall was a man for the 20th century, a man who grew up in Newark, the son of a Romanian immigrant and a mom who raised her nine children alone after her husband’s death.
Ed was one of four brothers who fought in World War II, one of only three who came home safely.
Ed turned to boxing as a hobby as well as college coach and ended up a Golden Gloves welterweight champ. He ran an ice cream truck to get himself through college and later concessions at state parks before founding his own trucking company.
In 1962, before it was Gateway National Recreation Area, Ed started snack bars and a souvenir shop as the concessionaire for what was then Sandy Hook State Park with all its magnificent beaches. And after the federal government took over the park as a national recreation area, they even built the building and gave Ed the concession rights to what became known as the Sea Gull’s Nest, Ed Segall’s popular and only eatery on Sandy Hook.
Hundreds of local kids got their first work experience and made their first money working at Ed’s Sea Gull’s Nest. They came back during and after college, bringing along through the years the next generation of folks who will forever keep Sea Gull’s Nest a great party of their memory.
But when Sandy destroyed the first floor of this magnificent site on the beach wiping out all the electrical stuff that kept grills and refrigerators working, and Ed’s insurance company only covered the cost of a small part of it, he knew he was in trouble. The Park Service didn’t want to finance the repairs to their own building, rather, they wanted Ed to run concession stands, kinda going back to how he started.
He fought. He fought hard. But the NPS is a big organization, they owned the land, and Ed Segall and his patriotic nightly rituals, became a thing of the past. Every Summer beachgoer cried along with Ed Segall, but the Sea Gull’s Nest became history. So did the nightly National Anthem and God Bless America at the national recreation area.
The feisty Jewish patriot did have some recognition after he lost his business though.
Fuzz Harrison was the commanding officer at NWS Earle. He knew all the stories that Ed talked about how the ships over at the Earle Pier in Leonardo would blink their lights to say thanks to him. He knew all the Sailors who could relax, be applauded by crowds and feel appreciated at the Sea Gull’s Nest when Ed called for patriotic moments and everyone complied. Capt. Harrison himself visited the Nest many times, always appreciated, always honored, and always in awe of Ed’s patriotism.
So at his own change of command ceremony, Capt. Harrison invited Ed to be his guest at the military ceremonies over in Colts Neck. He told his story and called Ed up to be recognized. Capt. Harrison led the crowd, which included two admirals, two captains and dozens of military and civilians and invited them all to hold hands, face that huge American flag ever present at Earle, and then invited Ed to lead the crowd in singing “God Bless America.” The tears in this patriot’s face flowed freely as he accepted thee honors from the people he most admired and always protected and appreciated.
When you think of July 4, you think of Patriotism. And when you think of patriotism, you think of Ed Segall. Legend Legend Legend Legend Legend Legend Legend Legend Legend Legend
In 1976 Atlantic Highlands was one of the Bayshore towns that truly went above and beyond in celebrating the nation’s 200th birthday. Besides hosting cadets on the Tall Ships that formed the Parade of Ships into New York Harbor, every polcie officer from Chief Jim Egidio down along with every borough employee took on extra work loads to be sure motorists weren’t blocked in traffic, boats were able to dock in the harbor, and families could feel save in their homes with crowds anticipated to be so large the Highlands Police Chief wanted machine guns and extra law enforcement assistance. Proud
But when it was over, it was a fine Fourth of July and we as Americans treated guests from so many countries as new friends, welcoming them, showing them why we are so proud of our country, and inviting them to come back and visit again.
The following is the editorial in The Courier in July, 1976, that gives an idea of how friendly, courteous and genuinely happy everyone was, resident and visitor alike.
USCGC Eagle
PROUD TO BE AMERICAN
The good natures, smiles, hugs and kisses and continued sound of laughter in the air told it all over the big Bicentennial Weekend. America loves a parade, especially one on the “sea”.
The warmth and generosity with which Americans greeted strangers from across the ocean, and the sincere and heartfelt reactions returned them from cadets also told a big story. We’re a people who really don’t want to make war, but rather would like to live in peace and harmony with other countries.”
People who live on or by the sea are a whole different breed. They recognize the beauty of nature, the solitude of the sea, the vastness of the earth. And they react accordingly.
They know the important things in life are not whether or not you speak the same language, but whether you can transmit your ideas and feelings with no need of a- common tongue.
They know a smile and a warm handshake will go a lot further towards crossing the sea. They know committee people like the Wallaces, the Wheatons, the McCallums and the Ruddys, and many more like them, organized their own homes and dinner plans so as not to miss out on any of the excitement of the town while still providing home cooked meals for the cadets.
Dedicated people like John Fox, head of the harbor commission, harbormaster Lou Papa, and employees at the harbor, went about the job of keeping things running as smooth as greased wheels while still having the time to smile, welcome every visitor, and enjoy themselves.
Sunday night’s fireworks were spectacular.
The parade on Monday was beautiful, a colorful array of floats and people proud of their heritage, proud of the celebration, and proud of their community. The family fun time was excitement, smiles, gossip and good food, just like family days are supposed to be.
The town as a whole, and the Bicentennial Commission in particular, deserve a great round of applause for a job well done. There’s got to be great satisfaction in knowing your neighbors at home are pleased and delighted.
And the new friends you met from the tall ships carried back with them, besides the apple and pecan pies, the platters of Virginia baked ham and turkey, the buckets from the Clam Hut dinner they won’t forget, hearts full of love, admiration, and respect for the American people because of lasting impressions you gave.
Patriotic long hours of deliberation and talk. They know there’s a big difference between politics and people. And they prefer the latter.
It was a good time for America, too, because no one was ashamed to be patriotic. No one seemed to care if you didn’t know all the words of the national anthem, or sang Columbia the Gem of the Ocean slightly off-key.
Everybody felt good about wearing red, white, and blue and draping flags from open windows or on a stick perched in a tub of flowers. Just about everybody felt a special affinity towards Thomas Jefferson and the other 55 signers of the Declaration of Independence.
Our nation’s birthday party was a huge success, partially because of a feeling of warmth and patriotism, partly because of the rousing Happy Birthday accorded us from across the sea.
Let’s hope the happy feelings and the new friendships stay behind when the whites of the sails are far beyond the horizon.
Dick Stryker, in addition to being the former Mayor of Atlantic Highlands and first generation owner of the 60-year-old Bayshore Pharmacy in the Foodtown Shopping Plaza, is also a local historian who loves sharing stories from earlier ages, how things began, and other snippets of fun stories that make for entertaining reading.
Dick Stryker
Dick shared the story about how pharmacists not only invented Coca Cola and Pepsi, but also Dr. Pepper as well. And if that isn’t enough, it was pharmacists who first introduced the soda fountain!
Born in 1859, the soda fountain came about since it was the custom of people with any variety of physical ailments to seek out their pharmacist for a drunk to cure whatever they had. A quarter of a century later, in 1886, one of those concoctions made by John Stith Pemberton, a pharmacist in Atlanta, Georgia, became the drink known as Coca Cola.
Patients with headaches and other mild but uncomfortable illnesses liked the concoction of flavored drugs like caffeine and cocaine, the popular cure at the time for headaches. People liked the formulas as each pharmacist concocted himself and came back again and again. So pharmacists started putting in ice cream sodas and milkshakes made with carbonated water, a raw egg, and sweetened flavored milk on their list of things to make.
In the meantime, two years earlier, over in Waco, Texas, yet another pharmacist, Charles Alderton, who worked in a pharmacy owned by Wade Morrison, created what is regarded as the oldest major soft drink in the United States, Dr. Pepper.
Charles Alderton
But in 1914, Harrison Narcotics Act banned the use of cocaine and opiates in over the counter products, so business fell off at the drug stores. Then Prohibition began in 1919, putting a closure to bars and pubs, so folks began to socialize at ice cream parlors instead of soda fountains and taverns, and business declined even more at drug stores.
It was a pharmacist who began manufacturing carbon dioxide in tanks that ice cream parlors could use for their soda fountains and the Soda Jerk was born.
The soda jerk could add fruit juices and syrups, along with flavorings, and make a Cherry Smash or an Orange Crush, Peach Fizz or similar carbonated drink which prompted syrup companies to give pharmacists free dispensers in exchange for advertising. Those dispensers also enabled pharmacists to mix their own therapeutic concoctions simply by mixing medicinal syrup with carbonated water for the sure to cure drink.
Not long after that, bottling soda companies came into people and soda fountains became less popular. But those Dr Pepper, Coca Cola and Pepsi Cola names had been made famous in drug stores, so once bottled, they became popular purchases at markets.
Photo Courtesy of Navesink Maritime Heritage Association
The recent very well attended Jersey Speed Skiff races in Highlands gathered the enthusiasm of a crowd few of whom remember or were around for the actual first Jersey Speed Skiffs, the ones much larger and made of wood and popular along the Bayshore beginning in the 1920s.
One of those was the Lasting Impression built of mahogany and white oak back in 1967.
Photo Courtesy of Navesink Maritime Heritage Association
As reported in the Asbury Park Press in July, 1990, the skiff was so named because that’s what speed boat races did for its owner, Nat Garratano, who loved the history of the original skiff that was used during Prohibition powered by World War I airplane engines, plenty fast enough to outrun federal authorities as men who clammed or fished but other nights went out to the three mile limit and brought in illegal alcohol for others who trucked it up to willing buyers north of the shore.
In 1990, Garratano sat near the Navesink River watching his son Rob, the world record holder in the straight-away at over 82 mph and the five mile-four lap record at over 70 mph at the National Sweepstakes Regatta in Red Bank. Rob, a veteran of 15 seasons on skiff racing, finished fifth in the race heat and had to sit out the finals. But he didn’t stop him from talking about the rush of driving a Jersey Speed Skiff.
“It’s just a rush. It’s like people driving race cars or parachutists. It’s just that rush and thrill of going that fast and having boats around you going that fast. Once you drive you never want to go back to being a mechanic,” this mechanic said.
But he admits “I was obsessed to go out and race and be the best there was. It became a job and as much as I love it, I had to get away from it,” explaining his semi-retirement from racing.
The Lasting Impression was built by Rob Garratano’ s mentor, his father-in-law, George Wolcott. It took first place in the special class of classic boats in Lake Hopocatong Boat Show as well as best in show in the 1990 competition.
Photo Courtesy of Navesink Maritime Heritage Association
How Can They Run a School District … When They Can’t Even Do The 2 Step?
Cheers and praise to Highlands Council President Jo-Anne Olszewskifor taking such giant steps to ensure the public has the right to vote.
Highlands Council President Jo-Anne OlszewskiRug
Once the Superior Court Judge told her she needs to provide more information in order to get an injunction, she immediately decided that is exactly what she is going to do.
Obviously, this is a lady who isn’t about to take a back seat to anyone.
As it should be, but it’s hard to find elected officials who are that dedicated,and have that much integrity. Ms. Olszewski said she did it because she believes everyone has the right to voice their opinion, the right to hear everything that impacts them at all levels of government, and the right to vote with full knowledge and intelligence.
All that being said, there is a necessary burden that must be placed on the shoulders of the electorate. You’ve got a fighter willing to do her job; but it’s the residents’ job to pay attention.
The entire injunction question is over whether the people of three bayshore towns can vote to see whether Sea Bright wants to come into the new Henry Hudson Regional School District (Pre-K through 12) and whether Highlands and Atlantic Highlands want them to.
Those who advocate told voters that bringing in Sea Bright means lower taxes for the two towns already in the district, simply because Sea Bright would be bringing in a couple of million dollars with them but not enough kids to mean building extra classrooms or anything costly. So having three towns pay for the same things two towns have been paying for….YOU do the math….
Those who did not want the public to vote for Sea Bright last September kept saying FIRST STEP. then the SECOND STEP.
They wanted the appeal of a lawsuit brought by Oceanport and Shore Regional settled before they wanted Sea Bright in.
So the original question that a lot of people thought was going to be on the ballot, simply, Can Sea Bright Join? Which would required a simple yes or no answer, switched to a question about whether the three schools already in the districts should come under one board, or whether they shouldn’t. The Second Step, those folks said, would let Sea Bright in … Soon after.
So first step is over and done with. The people voted, two school boards are out, and Henry Hudson is now a Pre-K through 12 district. The First Step is over.
But here’s the glitch.
A couple of weeks before leaving forever, the three boards that no longer exist, as their parting shot, took more action in the back room and without telling the voters, or heck, even the people who attended the public meeting, that what they agreed to was a deal with Oceanport and Shore Regional. The deal they all agreed to make would make it next to impossible for Sea Bright to ever join Henry Hudson.
There was not one single vote against it by any of the board members out of office June 30.
In essence, the Second Step that had been promised and touted so proudly before the vote a few months ago is now wiped out by the very same people who made the promise… and they did it just before their boards were ended forever.
Olszewski said “I have heard from so many people they only voted for regionalization between Highlands and Atlantic Highlands schools (“STEP 1”) because they were promised the next step (“STEP 2“) would be Atlantic Highlands, Highlands and Sea Bright with a second referendum vote on Sea Bright’s inclusion. It is a promise that was made to the people, but it has been made impossible to keep by the secret action the four boards took this month, and I plan on continuing my fight so the American right to vote is protected here in Highlands, Sea Bright and Atlantic Highlands.’”
Indeed, there’s more. It should be noted that the defendant’s attorney, Jonathan Busch and the Busch Law Group were part of the Kean University state-funded Feasibility Study Commissioned by the Boards of Education.
In his presentation before the Tri-District Regionalization Town Hall to present the Study’s findings, Mr. Busch’s advice to residents and Board members present was to bring Sea Bright’s students into the Henry Hudson District “as soon as possible”. That could only happen once the Henry Hudson District was PK-12, which is right now.
But in that Superior Court hearing this week that same Mr Busch was the defendant’s attorney, the four Tri-District Boards of Education named in Olszewski’s action who were instrumental in negotiating the secret “settlement agreement” Olszewski Exhibits that nobody got to see. He’s the attorney who advised the four Tri-District Boards of Education that approved the secret vote and the agreement signed by the presidents of all six Boards of Education involved in the Shore Regional/Oceanport appeal litigation. So much for that SECOND STEP.
Superintendent Tara Beams
Did I mention the Superintendent of the Henry Hudson PK-12 Regional Board of Education resides in Oceanport?( That Story Can Be Read HERE)
Or that these same boards just approved a brand new contract for her for five years? (That Story Can Be Read HERE)
Even though it was only last year when they approved a contract that could have stood in place even with the regionalization? (That Story Can Be Read HERE)
Only in this brandy new contract they upped her salary even though she has touted how the regionalization would save her time and work. Now her time and work for her 260 day year will cost the taxpayers $191,000+ for the first year PLUS benefits for her and her family. And guaranteed increases for the next four years after that.
The settlement agreement these boards made in secret, only made public because of Olszewski’s demand in court, makes it impossible for the voters of Atlantic Highlands, Highlands and Sea Bright to EVER get to vote on a STEP 2 referendum to bring Sea Bright into the new district. You wouldn’t know that if the feisty councilwoman had not demanded information in court.
Mr. Busch is a great attorney, apparently a great mayor of Metuchen, and well recognized for his legal work on education issues across the state, kind of his firm’s specialty.
But here, he flip-flopped from Sea Bright coming into the new district “as soon as possible” to ‘never!’
Your neighbors, the ones you elected over the years to the Boards of Education approved it, unanimously. A parting shot in secret as one of their last actions.
It’s my guess Councilwoman Olszewskiand her attorney, Vito Gagliardi, are going to come up with enough additional evidence to get the injunction she is seeking to protect the rights of residents.
So you the people need to keep informed, register to vote, and be at the polls in November to elect board members who will vote for the people, not for what they’re told by employees.
Your Kids, Your Tax Dollars, Your Right, YOUR Vote
Superior Court Judge Gregory Acquaviva did not grant an injunction (Verified Complaint)sought in today’s hearing in Superior Court. However, the lawsuit designed to expose and challenge the secret deal to keep voters from having their promised say on adding Sea Bright to the Henry Hudson Regional Pre-K-12 School district will continue.
“The appearance before Judge Acquaviva enabled Mrs. Olszewski to expose to the public what has been going on,” attorney Vito Gagliardi told VeniVidiScripto after Superior Court action in Freehold Monday afternoon. “We will now pursue even more discovery to further expose what we all know was designed to intentionally keep the voters from what they were promised. “
Gagliardi, one of the two attorneys representing Highlands Council President Jo-anne Olszewskiboth for the Highlands Borough Council as council president and as a private resident of Highlands, made his arguments before Judge Gregory Acquaviva charging the Highlands, Atlantic Highlands and Henry Hudson Regional boards, all of whom will no longer exist next week, and the Henry Hudson transitional board, which will not exist after December 30, violated the Open Public Meetings Act by taking action in executive session without informing residents of the action taken.
Nor would the public still have any knowledge of the action, which essentially prevents Sea Bright from ever becoming part of this regional school district, were it not for information only learned because of Olszewski’s action.
Judge Acquaviva listened to arguments both from Gagliardi and attorneys for the school districts, Jonathon Busch and his partner Adam Weiss, questioning both for further information on the points they brought to his attention.
In response to the Judge’s questioning on whether a single student is impacted at the beginning of the coming school year, Gagliardi argued the ramifications are considerably more far reaching than a single school year, pointing out the boards who made the decision will no longer be in existence, yet are holding Sea Bright hostage for its future, an action that impacts Olszewski.
Aquaviva indicated the actions taken at the May 28 meeting of the joint boards were moot by their actions at June meetings, since the agreement they apparently made with Oceanport and Shore Regional to settle their litigation against Sea Bright negated the May action with new action they took at the June meeting. He failed to accept Gagliardi’s argument that even that argument can only be presumed, since the public was never made aware of the action, nor have minutes ever been approved and released. Gagliardi also pointed out that the public never had the opportunity to either hear or speak on the resolution adopted in the executive session.
While Judge Acquaviva also said that while the complainant did not present sufficient proof the Open Public Meetings Act was violated intentionally, Gagliardi said that just as this proceeding enabled the public to know more about what is happening, Olszewski plans to continue to fight for the public’s right to know and will continue to pursue further discover that not only will convince the court actions by the boards were intentional and voters are not being given their opportunity to vote on including Sea Bright.
“I can only hope the citizens look forward to getting all their children in the best educational situation and with the best financial situation possible,” the attorney said, “there is no doubt they have been misled, and there is no doubt the voters have been denied a right that they were promised.”
Olszewski said she has every intention of continuing to present as much evidence as the Judge wants to be sure residents maintain their right to vote on whether to accept Sea Bright into the regional school. “This has become a very complicated issue because of so many of the boards’ actions over the past years since they were promised last year’s vote was a first step,” the councilwoman said, “I have heard from so many people they only voted for regionalization between Highlands and Atlantic Highlands schools because they were promised the next step would be to have a vote on Sea Bright’s inclusion. It is a promise that was made to the people, It has been made impossible to keep by the secret action the boards took this month, and I plan on continuing my fight so the American right to vote is protected here in Highlands, Sea Bright and Atlantic Highlands.’”
As Marion Bartholomew and all the other women in the Atlantic Highlands Yacht Clubprepare for the 20th annual MS Race this August 17. this particular Shrewsbury resident can look back on what sail racing has meant to her as well as how this particular race has contributed so much to 180 Turning Lives Around, the non-profit organization that assists abused women. Breeze
Marion was in that first race 20 years ago, another half dozen since, and now continues to be part of the committee that makes the event not only a great resource for 180 Turning Lives Around, but also a popular attraction at the Atlantic Highlands Yacht Harbor and a major summer event for seamen and spectators alike.
Sailboat racing itself is, according to Bartholomew, “something that happens in a magical place. It is a physical activity and probably mostly a mental activity.” That is because, she explains, “even just a small tweak on a sail could make you the race winner.”
Still, she cautions, “You have to know how to spot where to make that tweak, and when to make it. That’s the magic, the subtle move that is hardly noticed but just might get you across the line first.”
Nor is winning everything. As Captain of My Time in that first race in 2004, her team placed second. She hasn’t placed since. Racing has always been important to both Marion and her late husband, Jeffrey Goldfarb. since they first joined the Atlantic Highlands Yacht Club. He was a veteran racer, having participated in the crews for many Long island races.
“I was a cruising sailor,” she said, “We were invited to be part of the crew of My Time, a 35 ft. Beneteau, and I got hooked. From then on, for me our cruising vacations became a chance to tweak those sails if I saw another sailboat that might be passing us. My husband wanted me to sit and relax and enjoy the ride, but making our boat go faster was something I couldn’t resist.”
The following is the story Bartholomew wrote after that first race in 2004, as it appeared in Sail Magazine, a leading national wide magazine that chronicles the lifestyle, safety and seamanship of the sailing community.
A Little Extra Breeze
By Marion Bartholomew
There were enough of us females regularly crewing in the Wednesday night races at the Atlantic Highlands Yacht Club in Atlantic Highlands, NJ, to inspire the club to hold an all female sailing race in August 2005. We called it our “Ms. Race.” A fairly seasoned sailor, I was invited to captain the boat that, usually, I crew aboard. It’s a 36-foot Beneteau called My Time.
The winds in August in Sandy Hook Bay tend to be light, and the weather is usually good, and therein hangs my tale. The crew came together easily, though it was a fairly inexperienced group. We happily practiced for the race in early August, in the light wind conditions that are typical of Sandy Hook Bay at that time of the year.
Even crew members new to sailing seemed comfortable as we went through the maneuvers of tacking and gybing. We practiced reefing, though heaven forbid we should need to.
Saturday, August 27, 2005, dawned sunny, clear, and breezy. Quite breezy. We had a solid 15 knots, which in our case approached the upper limit for uneventful racing. We were all a bit intimidated as we dropped My Time’s mooring, but I wanted my crew to feel confident, and I did my best to look confident, myself.
Then came the start and gusts into the twenties. Where was all this wind coming from? On the first leg, with gusts now to 25 knots, the boat was overpowered and we reefed. (In all my past seasons as a crew, I cannot remember a single time when we needed to reef My Time’s main).
At this point winning the race was not important to me anymore, and while not one of my five crew expressed concern in words for their physical welfare, I saw anxiety creep onboard and tried to take charge. I had to stop worrying about losing control of the boat and stay focused on finding the marks, giving directions, inspiring my crew. I didn’t feel we were in any imminent danger, but the wind was challenging our confidence, and I had to be the one to bring everybody home. It was just a race, not a test of survival, right?
The story in brief: Did we finish? Yes, second. Did we make mistakes? Oh my, so awfully many. Then, as we crossed the finish line, the committee on the RC boat applauded and called out wonderful words like “Great job!” and “Congratulations” and it felt so very, very heartening to hear those cheers. I saw my crew’s faces utterly glowing with pride for just having done it, for having suffered no damages to body or boat. We were all stronger now, and our two hours of rough sailing became a precious and unexpected gift of increased self-confidence on the water and in ourselves.
Registration has begun for the Andy Rooney Ocean Mile or Two Mile Swim scheduled for Saturday, July 13 at 7:30 a.m. in Sea Bright.
The races are an annual event named to honor two Sea Bright Mayors, Andrew Manning who was Mayor at the time of his death in 1988 and Charlies Rooney, Jr., who was mayor for ten years from 1989 to 1999.
All registrations will be online and T-shirts are guaranteed for the first 125 registered. The swim is limited to 200 participants.
This year, the swim will be point to point, starting and ending at the Sea Bright Public Beach. The Race will be in a typical triangle format and all swimmers need to register that morning 30 minutes prior to their swim.
Several awards will be given to various categories in the meet, with the Amy Lynn Gill Award to be presented to the first place female in the One Mile Swim. That award will be presented by Ms. Gill’s daughter, Hayden Gill.
The Mike Hudson award will be presented to the first place male in the one mile swim.
Wetsuit swimmers will be in a separate division with prizes for the top three overall male and female finishers. Awards will be given in age group categories for non wetsuit wearers only.
Both swims will start at the south end of the Public Beach, in front of Donovan’s, with the two miles swim slated to start at 7:30 a.m. and the one mile swim 45 minutes later at 8:15 a.m.
The results will be posted live at SplitSecondRacing.net/results. Interested swimmers should keep their cell phones close, since the sponsors email each finisher as they have included their e-mail address clearly on the race day form.
Swimmers who chance waiting until the day of the race to register must do it online, since no paper copy registrations will be accepted. Credit card are necessary. It is recommended to register online before leaving for the race if registering that day. An instant e-mail will give the registrant a chip number to pick up when upon arrival.
All athletes are responsible for returning their timing chip at the end of the finish chute. Straps should be separated and folded properly before being placed in the separate bin.
Sea Bright lifeguards will be stationed along the route in the water. Anyone needing assistance is alerted to raise their hands and wave to attract their attention.
