DUI Lawyers in Sea Girt, NJ

SEA BRIGHT —The first whale of the year to strand on a Jersey Shore beach had to be euthanized because of its weak condition.

On Wednesday, the Marine Mammal Stranding Centers stranding team was called to an area ¼ of a mile north of the Ship Ahoy Beach Club in Sea Bright where a long-finned pilot whale was lying on its side and struggling in the surf.

Witnesses said the whale was initially swimming into open water only to turn around and beach itself.

It later was trying to trying to free itself and head to open water but kept sinking in the sand, according to the MMSC. When the stranding team arrived, they found a 14.5-foot-long male pilot whale stuck in the surf.

'Very lethargic and underweight'

It wasn't easy to move the whale by hand because of rough surf and the receding tide. The closest access point for heavy equipment was over 2 miles away at the Sandy Hook Gateway National Park.

"Upon examination by MMSC’s veterinarian, the whale was found to be very lethargic and underweight. The whale’s weakened body condition, along with the animal stranding himself again when he was clear of the surf, made the whale’s prognosis for survival very poor. After veterinary assessment, the decision was made to humanely euthanize the animal to prevent further suffering," the MMSC said in a statement.

The initial necropsy found the whale's lungs to be pale and filled with green mucus. Its overall body condition was thin, and its GI tract was completely empty.

Nine whales were stranded on New Jersey beaches in 2024, according to MMSC records.

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NJ Memorial Day Parades 2025 (Alphabetical)

New Jersey remembers those who made the ultimate sacrifice on Memorial Day with parades, solemn services, reenactments and fairs. Most events take place Monday, May 26 unless otherwise noted and are subject to change without notice here.

Add your community's parade to our list with an email to dan.alexander@townsquaremedia.com

NJ Street Fairs are back! See the latest 2025 schedule

Please check back often as additional street fairs may be added or revised as the year progresses. All New Jersey street fairs are listed in date order.

Jersey Shore restaurant is a waterfront hidden gem

You've heard of the bar where everyone knows your name, but what about the place where everyone falls in love?

Well, according to People magazine, that could just be The Parker House in Sea Girt.

"What’s the most romantic place in America? It might just be a New Jersey beachside restaurant and bar," the article begins. "Take a stroll down Beacon [Boulevard] ... and you’ll come across a Victorian-style beach house [at the corner of Beacon and First Avenue] that's always bustling [during the season], complete with a long line of eager visitors.

"Ask anyone in town about The Parker House, and they’ll stop you in your tracks, likely calling it legendary. This restaurant by day, bar by night, has been serving up great food and music since 1878 — and sparking hundreds of love stories along the way."

The article then highlights some of the couples who met at Parker House, which is currently closed (there's a countdown to opening day on the website — now at 84 days).

But you don't have to read the article to learn about the love stories; just visit parkerhousenj.com/parker-house-love-stories.

"The Parker House has been the source of memorable experiences for thousands, and for some, it has been the beginning of a beautiful relationship," the site says. "For young and old alike, the magic is always here and every story is unique. Share your story and be a part of our story."

The first couple on the site is Kerri and Alex L., who were married in 2021.

“My husband and I met at Parker House in June of 2016," the story states. "He asked me if I wanted to dance … and the rest is history. We will always remember “God’s Basement” with fond memories. We can still point out the exact spot on the basement dance floor where we first met."

Melissa and Brendan D. tied the knot in 2016.

“Brendan and I 'officially' met at the Parker House in July of 2013," their story begins on the site. "He was down at his family’s house in Sea Girt for the weekend, and I was meeting up with some friends on the back porch. We were introduced by mutual friends and spent the afternoon on the porch and that evening down in the basement singing, dancing and having a blast.

"At the end of the night, after agreeing that dating in your 30s is not as fun as it sounds like it should be, I asked HIM on a date! Three years later he proposed on Beacon Boulevard beach, where we had spent many summer days — and went right to the Parker House to celebrate. We were married eight days later ... "

The Parker House story is itself romantic. It was one of the first buildings erected in Sea Girt, even before Sea Girt was officially a town.

It's run by three families "who see themselves more as curators rather than owners of an 1878 building," the site states, " and who are deeply committed to preserving this important piece of Sea Girt history for future generations."

Go: The Parker House, 290 1st Ave., Sea Girt, currently closed; 732-449-0442, parkerhousenj.com.

More warm air temps are in the forecast this week to compliment what has been some of the best fishing of the fall to date for striped bass, giant tuna and sea bass.

Last week, the tuna hunters came back to the dock with several giant tuna wrapped in cold ice blankets from inshore fishing grounds. Capt. John Decker, of Kraken Sportfishing, which docks behind Spike's Fish Market in Point Pleasant Beach, came in with another giant, this one topping 775 pounds.

Decker said they had observed the tuna breaking just a few miles east of the Sea Girt Reef. They followed the fish out there, and just after daybreak set up a couple of Penn International reels on 130-class rods with Joe Shutes Ballyhoo Skirt spreaders. He didn't have to troll when they had a taker at about 7:30 a.m.

Crew members Ed Markiewicz and Mike Murray took turns cranking the reel and they had the fish boatside within an hour where Decker harpooned it. They finished landing it with a couple of gaffs and ropes.

The Queen Mary party fishing boat was already reporting a good striped bite by mid-morning Monday. The boat was in the neighborhood of Asbury Park. The day before the fishing was explosive in the same general area. Capt. Alan Shinn said both the Miss Belmar and Miss Belmar Princess were in on the stripers on Sunday. He said they did land a lot of big stripers that had to be released but there were also smaller, keeper size fish running with them which they caught and could keep.

The bass continue hitting the beaches but there hasn't been many bluefish to speak of in the surf lately. Quite a few of the bass caught within the last couple of days were taken on artificials, such as paddle tails, Mag Darters and AVA lures. Grumpy's Tackle in Seaside Park reported a striped bass early Monday morning on an AVA jig. There were no stripers entered into the Long Beach Island Fall Surf Fishing Classic, so George Konowal Jr still leads the contest with an 11.66-pound bass.

The yields from the bottom fishing boats remains a good value. Capt. William Egerter on the Dauntless party boat said his high hooks are catching about 40 fish of a mix variety. On any given day he's observing catches of porgies, sea bas, blackfish and winter flounder.

When Jersey Shore native Dan Radel is not reporting the news, you can find him in a college classroom where he is a history professor. Reach him @danielradelapp; 732-643-4072; dradel@gannettnj.com.