Hey New Jersey dads...

[Will'sdad]

You guys know anything about Tuckerton? We're thinking about heading over for the day on Saturday to go to this festival (http://www.tuckertonseaport.org/). Just wondering if you guys have any opinions on the place...it's nearly a 2 hour drive for us.

Thanks.

[Porschephile]

Yeah haven't been but that festival is usually a madhouse. The food is good but can be pricey. Wifey's brother in law has gone once or twice. To me I'd wait til next year when the kids are a bit older to enjoy it especially since it's a 2 hr drive.

[jeffus]

You'll be right down the coast from us. And we'll be in Philly this weekend.

Never been to this festival though. Let us know how it is.

They're having the AVP Volleyball tourney in Belmar this weekend. I used to love walking from my condo to watch the girls play ..... :sad:. Now I've made myself sad....

[Captain Dad]

How was Tuckerton? Did you go? Was it worth it?

[Will'sdad]

We didn't go but my parents did. They said that it was pretty good...lots of kid things going on. Maybe next year when the kids are a bit older.

[jeffus]

We went there this past Thursday. Although I personally found it underwhelming, we did spend the afternoon there. Quite a bit of history and art pertaining to NJ's nautical past, clamming, oyster, cranberry, menhaden, lumber, and iron industries mostly as it pertains to the 'bay' and pine barrens. It's mostly recreations/replicas of actual buildings concentrated around a lagoon. All stroller accessible. There were lots of kids groups coming and going and we may have gotten more out of it if we had a guided tour.

The baby didn't like it much. :eusa_whistle:

And horseshoe crabs have blue blood and are more closely related to arachnids - spiders, ticks, and scopions than actual crabs (crustaceans). Ick.

[Mark B.]

We went there this past Thursday. Although I personally found it underwhelming, we did spend the afternoon there. Quite a bit of history and art pertaining to NJ's nautical past, clamming, oyster, cranberry, menhaden, lumber, and iron industries mostly as it pertains to the 'bay' and pine barrens. It's mostly recreations/replicas of actual buildings concentrated around a lagoon. All stroller accessible. There were lots of kids groups coming and going and we may have gotten more out of it if we had a guided tour.

The baby didn't like it much. :eusa_whistle:

And horseshoe crabs have blue blood and are more closely related to arachnids - spiders, ticks, and scopions than actual crabs (crustaceans). Ick.

Thanks for the update......almost 2 years later!

How did you find this thread!?

[jeffus]

I have a really long attention span. :icon_lol:

Or, I may have searched for 'Tuckerton'. :eusa_whistle:

Here's some pics:

http://www.dadstayshome.com/imagehosting/334bbff22c34350.jpg

http://www.dadstayshome.com/imagehosting/334bbff22c5c455.jpg

[Mark B.]

Where are all the boats and seagul terd?

[jeffus]

That's what I said. :icon_lol:

Underwhelmed?

Like I said, most of this was focused on the 'Barnegat Bay' and the 'Pinelands'. At it's peak in 1940, clammers were pulling almost 9 million pounds of clams a year and supplying the Campbell's Soup Company for their clam chowder soup.

From a historical perpective, that's all well and good. But, unfortunately, we're living in the present - it's been over fished and polluted since then and efforts to revive the industry have met with minimal success. Global warming, over development, and surface run-off have so radically altered the environment that this is proving to be somewhat of a futile effort. Research and activist groups have been successful in drawing attention and educating the public and things are turning around. Give it another 100 years or so after humans wipe themselves out and there's a glimmer of hope for this ecosystem.

I'd rather spend the afternoon watching shiny metal things or staring into the sun. :icon_eyes: