Canadian geese, Baby oil and Sunburn

They arrive every summer like the geese that fly in from places to the north. What am I talking about you might ask?  I am talking about the Canadian geese and the summer vacationers that would visit the quaint shores of the New Jersey beachfront.  

Let me take just a moment to tell you about the Jersey shore that I knew. It was not like the sensationalized stories you see on the reality TV show by that same name. 

This is my Jersey shore.

 Scattered along the coast of New Jersey, you will find many delightful small towns. The shoreline, with its broad beaches, has always been a favorite location for the vacationers who invade its quiet shores and villages each summer. At the same time but a bit further inland, flocks of geese arrive each year from Canada to settle on their favorite lake or pond and cornfield.

Like the geese, the beach vacationers arrive faithfully every summer. They return each year to their favorite beach houses, cabins, or hotels.   They drive in from places to the north such as Newark, Iselin, Woodbridge, and New York City.  Their cars are overflowing with umbrellas, beach chairs, beach blankets, and other necessities that they felt they would need to survive their days on the white sand. 

 The northern visitors refer to the local residents as Clam Diggers. A term originated from the area's history of harvesting clams along the muddy shores of the Shark and Manasquan rivers. 

 

In late spring and early summer, the beaches quickly become littered with bikini-clad young women who smelled of baby oil and iodine—a magical mixture designed to quicken the tanning process.  The belief among these sun worshipers was that this mixture would turn pasty white winter skin a deep golden summer tan.   

Sadly users of this mix spend their evenings trying to cool the burning heat of a fiery and angry sunburn with a cooling ointment of either aloe or noxzema skin cream. The victims of the sun's heat, pretend not to be bothered by the pain.  Should the soothing lotions did not temper their heated skin, the summer visitors try to numb their pain with a frosted margarita or some other frozen concoction with a tropical name. 

   Handsome young men with muscular and toned bodies would play volleyball or football in the sand.   The men secretly hoping to attract the attention of one of the pretty young bikini-clad women.  This migration of geese and vacationers happened each summer, and upon their arrival, the yearly rituals would begin. 

Just like the geese, the summer visitors arrived faithfully every year. except for this year of the pandemic, The crowded beaches are not as full as the vacationers try to keep a social distance.  Will the geese will be made to social distance, wear masks, or will they just not show up to the waterways of the New Jersey shore?