"News" Story

Sun, sand, surf combine for a fine end to season
Sunday, September 2, 2007

By RICHARD COWEN and EVELYN SHIH
STAFF WRITERS

Some came to catch just one more wave, others to wave goodbye to the Summer of 2007.

Whatever the reason, hundreds of thousands of summer's faithful visited the Jersey Shore on Saturday, jamming the beaches, boardwalks and bars for the final big bash of the season.

In a summer where business has been just so-so, Mother Nature did her part and saved the best weather for the unofficial end. Bright blue skies, low humidity and a cool northern breeze that hinted of fall made for a great beach day to start the Labor Day weekend.

Amid all that sunshine, there was just a touch of blue in Russell Rabadeau's voice as he walked the beach at Belmar with his girlfriend, Cassie Gordon.

"We came here every other weekend this summer, and it was gorgeous," the Hoboken resident said. "But this will probably be it. This whole weekend feels like the end of summer, with people packing up their stuff and coming down for one last weekend. It's like the last hurrah."

The last hurrah also was going strong at Martell's Tiki Bar in Point Pleasant on Saturday afternoon, where beachgoers bellied up to the bar. Among the folks spotted at the bar was New York Giants tight end Jeremy Shockey, bidding adieu to summer before the NFL season gets under way next week.

Christiana Barbaro, 17, the hostess at Martell's, didn't want summer to end.

"This has been a very fun-filled summer," she said. "Lots of celebrities," she added, dropping the names of Bon Jovi guitarist Richie Sambora, singer Southside Johnny and actor Danny DeVito as faces she's recognized in the crowds at Martell's. "And I heard a rumor that Justin Timberlake was here."

Some shore businesses say they could have used a little star power. Overall, the weather has been pretty good this summer, with only one or two rainy weekends, but business has been flat. Tourism experts say the Shore is evolving into less of a vacation destination and more of a weekend getaway. That brings a different kind of crowd -- one that generally doesn't spend as much.

"It's the economy," said Barbara Steele, director of Ocean County Public Affairs and Tourism. "Discretionary money isn't there, and people aren't spending.

"I'm hearing that they're doing very well on weekends, but midweek is a growing problem. It used to be that moms didn't work, and they stayed here with the kids. Now they are usually working, and it's more and more challenging to get that full week's stay."

Still, by the looks of things on Saturday, New Jerseyans remain in love with their shore, even if it is a bit tacky in some places and a bit too crowded in others. Many say they go to the Jersey Shore simply because there wouldn't be summer without it.

"My parents met at the Shore," Danielle Labonia of Montville said between bites of pizza on the boardwalk at Belmar. "My parents used to come down to the same places that I go to now: D'Jais and Bar A. Every time I come down the shore, it's a special thing for them. My mom tells me where I have to go."

Perhaps a tradition was born Saturday for Alex Chan of Wayne and his girlfriend, Sabrina Lee, who were making their first trip to the Jersey Shore. They stopped into 3 Brothers and Santoros Pizzeria/Italian Deli for a bite to eat.

"That's the nice thing about it," Lee said. "It's close enough to come down just for the day."

Inside, owner David DiLorenzo was scrambling to keep his business going.

"We're shorthanded today," he said. "All the college kids are gone by Labor Day weekend. This is when you call your friends."

While Labor Day generally spells the end of the tourist season, it does bring some good news for visitors. After Monday, most of the beaches will be free -- with some great weather still ahead.

"Anyone who lives down here knows that September and October are the best months of the year," said Tony Giordano, owner of the Ocean Hut Surf Shop in Lavallette. "Around Halloween, the water starts to cool off into the 60s, and by Thanksgiving it will be in the 50s. We'll be open every day till Christmas."

Staff Writer Kevin G. Demarrais contributed to this article.

Copyright © 2007 North Jersey Media Group Inc.