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Creature Feature: Ocean City, White Marlin Capital of the World

Kristin
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Get your rods, reels and tackles ready — The White Marlin Open returns for its 45th year August 6 – 10, with purse money expected to exceed $5 million. The white marlin has all but been crowned the official fish of Ocean City, and every year the billfish and its annual tournament draws thousands of anglers and onlookers to the water and the weigh-ins at Harbour Island on 14th Street and the Bay. 

The tournament has been on an upwards trajectory since its start in the 1970s, and if it remains on course, the 2018 WMO and the white marlin themselves will be bigger and better than ever. Records were meant to be broken, and that very sentiment is what draws so many fishermen and spectators to the mid-Atlantic every August. It’s…

Hanging shark
In addition to white marlin, prizes are also awarded for sharks (pictured here), blue marlin, wahoo, dolphin and tuna.

The largest billfish tournament in the world.

Not only is the White Marlin Open the largest billfish tournament in the world, it’s also held in the “White Marlin Capital of the World.” It was President Franklin Roosevelt who first awarded Ocean City that title after a prosperous day spent fishing at the Inlet in 1939, and the town has more than lived up to its designation in the decades since. 

The first White Marlin Open was held in 1974 and continuously awards prize money to white marlin, blue marlin, tuna, wahoo, dolphin and shark catches. The first tournament awarded a total of $20,000 in prize money, with a top prize of $5,000; in 2017, more than $5 million was awarded in total, with a top prize of $1.6 million. 

The tournament was already a decent size in its first year, with 57 boats and 150 anglers competing for 20 grand, but since the 70s the White Marlin Open has absolutely exploded. In 2017 there were 358 registered boats and over 3,000 anglers. In 2018, it’s expected that the total payout will exceed $5 million. And still, the tournament’s founder Jim Motsko remembers a time when the White Marlin Open was only a dream.

I was on my honeymoon and I told my wife, wouldn’t it be nice to earn a living doing the job you really love to do? And to make a living out of it?

“At that time, golf had been paying prize money for people to compete in golf tournaments,” Motsko said. “Tennis just started offering prize money. I thought, wouldn’t it be neat to be a pro angler? To just put up a flat entry fee, and whoever catches whatever the most, they could win some money.”

Motsko worked his way through school at the University of Maryland by working on charter boats in Ocean City every summer. That’s where he learned how to reel in a white marlin, and eventually the White Marlin Open materialized. He himself fished in the first 34 tournaments — “I wanted to win the money so I could take it and go fishing with it, because it’s not a cheap sport or hobby,” he said — but nowadays he does most of his fishing after the tournament is over. 

The White Marlin: Fast Facts

  • The white marlin’s upper jaw, also known as its bill, is twice the size of its lower jaw. White marlins use their bills to stun fast-moving prey, which include small fish like mackerel and flying fish.
  • White marlin are known to put up a fight when hooked, leaping into the air and waving their tail around.
  • They have an average lifespan of 25-30 years. 
  • While they inhabit waters deeper than 100 m, the white marlin swims closer to the surface. When swimming they’re known to show off a technique called “tailing,” where the dorsal lobe of their caudal fin can be seen peaking above the surface of the water. 

 White Marlin in Ocean City

  • White marlin fishing season in Ocean City typically begins in mid to late June. The earliest documented catch was May 25, and the latest documented catch was June 20. The season is over by early September. 
  • The Town of Ocean City awards a $5,000 prize to the fisherman who makes the first catch of the year, while the Ocean City Marlin Club and Fishermen United for Ocean City each award $5,000 prizes of their own. That’s how the crew of the Stalker took home around $15,000 this year for making the first catch of 2018. 
  • The largest white marlin catch of the WMO was a 99-pounder caught by Steve Bass in 1980. The largest white marlin ever caught on record was 181 pounds, caught off the coast of Brazil in 1979. The state record for Maryland is 135 pounds. 

White Marlin Fishing Tips

There are no age restrictions when it comes to competing in the White Marlin Open. Whether the angler is seasoned or novice, Motsko said, isn’t of much importance, although someone who’s able to catch more white marlin in general will obviously have a bigger chance catching a larger fish. But still: 2017’s top winner took home $1.6 million for his first-ever white marlin catch. Teenagers have taken home top prizes in the tournaments. Like its name says, the WMO is truly open, and full of possibilities, for any angler — regardless of age or skill level.

“We have altered the rules so anybody can hook the fish and once it’s on the line, they can give the line to someone else,” Motsko said. “That lets novices or people who aren’t adept be part of it, instead of just thinking, ‘we can’t compete.'”

Here are a few of the WMO founder’s white marlin fishing tips. 

  • White marlin are not fish that can be hooked by the passive fisherman. The angler can’t sit back on the boat and doze off while waiting for a bite. “In order to be successful, you gotta pay attention to what’s going on,” Motsko said. 
  • “The secret is to get to the fishing rod and get a hold of it before the marlin bites the bait.” You have to let him eat it more or less, Motsko said, for a 5 or 10 count, letting the line freespool once the fish bites so it doesn’t feel any tension. Then after that 5 to 10 seconds, put it back into gear. 
  • Circle hooks are mandatory in tournaments that offer prizes for catching white marlin, as they’re less likely to catch in the throat or gut of the fish and allow minimal trauma to fish that are caught and released. “When you’re trolling, a lot of people just get bored and put the rod in the rod holder, wait for it to bend, pick it up and wind.” The hooks are designed for the marlin to grab the bait and swallow it, and then as the bait is winded out, the hook catches the corner of the marlin’s mouth. It’s advice worth repeating: “You gotta get to the rod before the fish gets it when you’re fishing with bait.” 

Photo Friday: Rainy Day Fun

Kristin
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The forecast for the week was dismal. Last Friday, I pulled up the weather app on my phone and saw the thunderstorm icon next to every. Single Day. I know Apple’s little weather icons are not the pinnacle of accurate meteorology, but the local news reports confirmed that this was going to be an absolutely terrible beach week. 

The thing about weather forecasts is, they’re usually wrong. Saturday and Sunday passed with only a scattered shower here and there. There might have been a shower on Monday or Tuesday, too, but I mostly remember the sun shining through the clouds. Wednesday was the only bad day, with a major downfall in the morning and gray skies all day, and then Thursday saw blue skies and sunshine, too. 

>> Submit your own Ocean City photos here 

The point is, “Rainy Day Fun” may not have been the best theme for this week’s Photo Friday, since there was only one full day where someone could have taken advantage of the weather. We did get a handful of submissions, however, and our winner this week is Rich, who submitted the cool double rainbow photo. (Remember, you have to include your email address in your submission in order to win!)

Next time I will try not to pick a theme that is dependent on something as erratic as the weather. In the meantime, feel free to submit your vacation photos above and they may be featured in a Photo Friday, and you might even win a fun prize just for submitting! Thanks to all who did brave the elements this week, and as always, keep checking back for more reader-submitted photos. 

Rainy Day fun! Enjoying a walk by the OC sign.
Saturday july 21 2018 assateague Island we drove from upstate new york to spend sat and sunday on the beach! We could not swim but had our feet in the sand and the ocean!
‘Rainy Day Fun’. My daughter and I enjoy fishing for flounder on a rainy day as a great ‘thing to do’ when the sun is not shining. We enjoy fishing on the bay at Harbor Island.
Photo by Tina on Facebook.
Photo by Scott on Facebook.

And after a day of rain comes…

Taken on the beach June 13th around 6 p.m. it only rained for about 10 minutes I was getting ready to go eat some crab cakes came out of my room and saw that double rainbow and thought to myself there’s something you don’t see everyday.
I took this photo at sunset from Heron Harbor on 120th bayside on July 18, 2018 during our family vacation to Ocean City, Maryland. I never planned on including the seagull but it flew into view and turned perfectly as I snapped the photo. I hope you all enjoy this photo as much as I have.

Hot spots: How to avoid heat illness

OceanCity.com
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From the staff at Atlantic General Hospital

Warmer weather means a higher risk for heat illness. Plan ahead and heed the signs to keep yourself safe.

Heat may be natural in the summer, but it isn’t always harmless. High temperatures increase the risk of heat illness, especially for young children, older adults, and people who are overweight, ill, or working or exercising outside.

You can protect yourself by taking some simple precautions, and by knowing the signs of heat illness. If you or someone else has symptoms, acting right away can prevent a medical emergency.

A healthy respect for the heat

High temperatures should affect what you wear and what you do. To reduce your risk of heat illness:

  • Use air conditioning or cool showers or baths to keep yourself cool. If you don’t have air conditioning, spend a few hours a day in an air-conditioned shopping mall or public library, or call your public health department to find out if there’s a heat-relief shelter in your area.
  • Wear lightweight, light-colored and loose-fitting clothing.
  • Drink plenty of fluids. When you’re well-hydrated your urine should be very light or clear. This is especially important when you’re active. Learn more about exercising during hot weather here.
  • Avoid caffeine and alcohol, which can dehydrate you.
  • Schedule outdoor activities during the coolest parts of the day, usually mornings and evenings.
  • When you’re outside, wear a hat or visor, sunglasses, and sunscreen.

Signs you’re overheating

Heat illness is a sign that your body temperature is getting dangerously high. If you ignore the symptoms, your temperature can keep rising. Your body can get hot enough to cause brain damage or death.

The three types of heat illness, in order of increasing severity, are heat cramps, heat exhaustion and heat stroke.

Heat cramps are often the first sign that your body can’t handle the heat. These muscle cramps usually affect the legs, arms or abdomen.

If you have heat cramps, stop all activity and rest in a cool area. Drink water or a sports drink.

If you have heart problems or are on a low-sodium diet, you should seek medical attention for heat cramps, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). You should also see a doctor if heat cramps don’t go away within an hour.

Heat exhaustion can come on gradually (possibly over several days). According to CDC, symptoms may include skin that is cool, moist and pale; dizziness; nausea; fainting; headache; and muscle cramps. People with heat exhaustion may also develop fast, shallow breathing and a rapid, weak pulse.

Again, resting in a cool area and drinking fluids can help your body cool down. Consider a cool shower, bath or sponge bath, and seek out an air-conditioned environment.

Heatstroke is a medical emergency. The body’s systems for cooling itself shut down, and body temperature can rise to 106 degrees or higher within 10 to 15 minutes.

Symptoms can include:

  • Red, hot, dry skin.
  • Rapid, strong pulse.
  • Throbbing headache.
  • Dizziness.
  • Nausea.
  • Confusion.
  • Unconsciousness.

Heatstroke can be deadly. If you see someone who has these symptoms, send someone to call 911 while you try to cool the person down. Move the person to a shady or cool area and use whatever means you have for cooling them, such as a bath, shower, garden hose or sponge bath. If you’re in a dry climate, wrap the person with a cool, wet sheet and fan him or her vigorously.

Be a buddy

Because people don’t always recognize their own symptoms of heat illness, it’s a good idea to use a buddy system on hot days. If you have an elderly or ill neighbor, for instance, check in on him or her at least twice a day during heat waves. If you work or exercise in the heat, assign yourself a buddy. If one of you gets overheated, the other can help.

Test your knowledge to prepare for a safe and happy summer. Take this heat stroke quiz.

For more information, click here.

Stories From the Stands: OCBP Crew Chief Steven DeKemper

Kristin
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The Ocean City Beach Patrol mans 10 miles of beach every summer from the Saturday of Memorial Day Weekend to Sunfest Weekend, which is usually the third weekend after Labor Day. The OCBP guards are on duty every day from 10 a.m. to 5:30 p.m., and as the old adage goes, beach-goers should always “keep your feet in the sand ’til the lifeguard’s in the stand.” The waters can be rough. On certain weekends this summer, there have been up to 300 rescues over the span of three days. 

OCBP members train vigorously before each summer to ensure the swimmers and beach-goers of Ocean City remain safe. They’re trained to navigate rip currents and heavy surf, to watch for swimmers who are too far out and for lost children wandering the beach, and to perform CPR and other first aid as needed. It is estimated that in a typical season, the Patrol goes to the rescue of about 2,500 bathers, handles 1,000 lost children, and is called on for first aid about 500 times.

Crew Chief Steven DeKemper is one of those Ocean City Beach Patrol guards, and has been for the last 15 years. He’s from Indiana — in fact, he still lives in Indiana, where he works as a special education teacher — though his mother is from College Park, and he grew up spending plenty of summers on the beach in Ocean City.

In 2003, while studying education at Indiana State University, DeKemper found himself in Ocean City, speaking with a guard who had been spending his summers on the Beach Patrol for the past six years. He decided he’d give it a try, thinking his term on the Beach Patrol would be a one-summer deal. Obviously, the universe had other plans. This is one OCBP member’s personal story from the stands, where he looks out over the sea and the sand daily at 127th Street. 

Steven DeKemper Ocean City Beach Patrol
DeKemper has been on the Beach Patrol for 15 years, and has been a Crew Chief for the last 10.

Photos by William Strang-Moya. 

Do you live in Ocean City full-time? 

I still commute from Indiana every year. I’m a special education teacher there and I come down here in the summer. Every year seems to be a little different, right now I’ve been hooked up with a buddy of mine for the past four summers, so it kind of works out well. We’ll have to see. Eventually I’ll have to grow up and buy a place down here.

What’s the difference between a regular guard and a Crew Chief?

As far as the duties go, a lot of them are very similar… Being a lifeguard out on the beach and taking care of everybody. But on top of that, you do a lot more paperwork, sometimes you’ll be assigned duties as far as supervision, things like that.

Ocean City Beach Patrol stand
OCBP guard Megan takes over the stand, because someone has to be watching the beach while the Crew Chief gets interviewed!

You’re expected to kind of be a mentor, work with the younger guards and things like that. I’m lucky enough that I have some crew members here such as Megan, who has 12 years of experience, people I can roll ideas off of. I’ve got a great assistant, so it really works out well. You’re supposed to be a mentor role to the assistant, but I’ll tell you what, she’s on it. Emma’s my assistant, she’s two stands down.

What does a typical day on the Beach Patrol look like for you?

You know, that’s one thing I like about being a part of the Ocean City Beach Patrol: Every day’s different. Today we’ve got big surf, strong rips. Yesterday we ended up with near 200 rescues — that’s not a typical day, and on certain days there’s hardly anything to do.

Each day brings it own set of unique attributes. You could have things that you’re dealing with on the beach, anything from CPR to unfortunately search and recoveries. A typical day is maybe making a rescue or two and, you know, just staying alert.

I shouldn’t say — that’s not every day, but this year’s definitely been more [rescues] than most!

127th street beach
The beach at 127th Street on a cloudy Monday morning.

What’s the number one cause of needing to perform a rescue?

The rip currents are by far the number one rescue. I’ll be honest, aside from that I guess heavy surf, things like that once in awhile. But I’d say 90% of our rescues are from rip currents. And that’s a made-up statistic, but still.

You can see right here, we’ve got one in front of us. Luckily we don’t have anybody in there. And they’ll move, sometimes you’ll get a fixed rip, sometimes you’ll get rips that’ll move with the currents a little bit. Those are the ones that are harder to keep people out of.

Don’t people know by now to swim parallel to the shore when they’re caught in a rip current?

It’s harder to see when you’re in it, I think that makes it a little more difficult. But people should always look for the plume of light at the top, the sediment on the bottom coming up, you get discoloration, maybe even a darker color in a deeper spot — those are some things you should really look for when it comes to rip tides.

What’s kept you coming back to the Beach Patrol every summer for 15 years?

One, probably the people. You develop some of your best friendships, some of my best friends I’ve worked with here for the past 15 years or so on the Beach Patrol.

And two, the job, it’s unique. Maybe not to someone from around here, but coming from home, it’s totally different. I’ve become addicted to the ocean.

Coming out here for these three-and-a-half months gets me through the year. And each day is unique, you could have a busy day with lots of rescues or you could have a very slow day. And I’d say your hardest days are when it’s cold, windy and you’re guarding seagulls, there’s no people on the beach. Those are your hardest days, because the days are so long. Like Saturday… that was a long day.

Will you come back next year?

Yeah, I plan on it. I enjoy the job too much to give it up. If I can make it work, I’ll be here.

The 6 best bars in Ocean City, at this very moment

Kristin
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At least… According to you. 

The Best of Ocean City 2019 voting just started about a month ago, but the competition’s already heating up, especially in the ‘Best Bars’ category. The Best of Ocean City is our annual ‘Best Of’ competition that’s not based on advertiser dollars, and is voted on by tens of thousands of Ocean City lovers. You may not always agree with the final verdict, but when that’s the case, we just say… Go vote! 

A screenshot from our Castle In the Sand webcam.

Check out the Best Of winners of 2018 here. Below are the votes that have been garnered since the Best of Ocean City 2019 voting has been open. Definitely take these results into account when planning your next night out in Ocean City. After all, how often do you get to go on vacation? That orange crush better be good. 

You’ll find the best Happy Hour on the beach at Coconuts Bar & Grill. 

There is something about Coconuts’ Happy Hour that people just seem to love, and it’s really not that hard to figure out what: it’s the specials. The fastest hour on the beach is daily at Coconuts, from 5 to 6 p.m., and offers 2-for-1 specials. Beer, crushes, frozen drinks… They’re two for the price of one. Just make sure one of those drinks is the Drunken Monkey Ale, brewed specially for Coconuts by Ocean City Brewing Company. 

As always, the best sunset view is at Fager’s.

You’re seeing the same sunset no matter where you are on the bay, but it’s where you are that makes the difference. And year after year, everyone agrees that Fager’s is the place to be. Every evening at Fager’s, the sun goes down to the sound of cannons in the 1812 Overture, and when the weather’s nice, guests can stand on the gazebo and watch the sky turn orange and pink right from the middle of the water. In fact, that might just be the most photographed spot in all of Ocean City. 

The best sports bar is Buxy’s.

It’s a bit of a change in pace for the Best of Ocean City’s ‘Best Sports Bar’ category, but Buxy’s Salty Dog currently takes the lead! Buxy’s pride themselves on being a locals tavern, but perhaps what attracts visitors the most is Buxy’s Pittsburgh roots. The bar’s owner, Douglas A. “Buxy” Buxbaum, originally hails from Pennsylvania, like many others who call Ocean City their summertime home. 

Tap handles at the 45th Street Taphouse.

The Taphouse is the place to go for craft beer

Are you in midtown near 45th Street, or on the Boardwalk around 9th? Either way, there’s a Taphouse in your orbit that’s just waiting for you to take a seat at the bar and order a local craft beer. Or a not-local craft beer. The Taphouse keeps tons of local options on tap from Burley to 3rd Wave to RAR, but they’ve also got craft beer from everywhere else in the country, too. With almost 40 beers on tap, there’s bound to be something you love at the Taphouse.

Best Brewery? Backshore on the boards!

Maybe it’s because it’s summer that now Backshore is leading the race for the Best Brewery, and no brewery screams “summer” more than Backshore. It’s on the Boardwalk, it faces the beach, they do tons of fun summer releases, and the Backshore van even just got a new paint job. Does Backshore have what it takes to stay the Best Brewery year-round and ultimately win the title of Ocean City’s Best? Only time will tell, and only you can decide…

Brett Andrew & Company Seacrets
Inside Seacrets’ Morley Hall.

Seacrets has the best drinks, the best live music and is the best bar overall?!

Obviously Seacrets is great, but come on people… We have to divvy up the winners at least a little bit. Seacrets is currently in first place across three categories, including Best Drinks — their signature Tropicale beer brewed by Evo comes to mind — Best Live Music — there’s really no better venue in town than Morley Hall, true — and Best Bar Overall. Okay, touche, maybe the combination of fantastic drinks and a revolving door of top local and national musical acts has led them to be Ocean City’s Best Bar Overall. Again, only time will tell.  

When to go to the ER vs. Urgent Care

OceanCity.com
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You might be on vacation, but things can still happen — and you want to be prepared in case they do. 

From the staff at Atlantic General Hospital

The ER is for life-threatening situations, yet many people go there when urgent care is more appropriate. According to one study, nearly half of ER patients whose ailment didn’t warrant being admitted to the hospital had gone to the ER simply because their doctor’s office wasn’t open.

Urgent care would have been more appropriate — and less expensive. Out-of-pocket costs are likely lower than for an ER visit, especially if the facility is in your health insurance network.

Realize, too, that the emergency department treats people in order of need, so you may have a longer wait time. Urgent care centers usually see people on a first-come, first-served basis.

Here are some examples of reasons to seek urgent care:

  • Fever and flu symptoms.
  • Minor injury.
  • Painful urination.
  • Severe sore throat.

More serious problems, like severe pain and difficulty breathing, as well as traumatic injuries, do need screening and treatment at the ER.

In serious emergencies, driving to the ER won’t get you help fast enough. It’s safer to call 911, especially in life-threatening situations. Paramedics can start care immediately.

Here are some reasons to go to the ER:

  • Any sign of stroke, including paralysis, difficulty speaking, altered mental status or confusion.
  • High fever or fever with a rash.
  • Persistent chest pain, shortness of breath or wheezing.
  • Serious burn.
  • Serious fall or an injury involving the head or eyes, a broken bone, deep cut or dislocated joint.
  • Severe bleeding or pain.
  • Sudden, severe headache or loss of vision.

If you’re unsure what constitutes an emergency or what costs will be covered, contact your insurer before you need any of these services. If you’re ever in doubt, go to your closest ER. But if the problem is simply that you just can’t reach your doctor, consider urgent care.

For more information about ERs and urgent care centers near Ocean City, visit www.atlanticgeneral.org/immedicare.

Children’s Day on the Bay Festival Aug 5th

OceanCity.com
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The Ocean City Life-Saving Station Museum will be hosting their 8th Annual Children’s Day on the Bay Festival on Sunday, August 5th from 12:00-3:00 pm. This free, family friendly event takes place on the bay at Sunset Park in Ocean City, MD.  Families will get to experience live animals, games, crafts, live music and Dough Roller Pizza!

The Salisbury Zoo and Maryland State Parks will be there with live exotic and native animals. Chincoteague Bay Field Station, Ocean City Surf Club, Furnace Town, Maryland Coastal Bays, Ward Museum, Indian River Life-Saving Station, Ocean City Library, Ocean City Recreation and Parks, Rackliffe House, and the Art League will be on the scene with demonstrations, crafts, and games to engage kids of all ages! Throughout the day the Ocean City Police Department will be out and about with their horses!

Whether you find yourself, playing colonial games with Rackliffe House, creating a piece of art with the Art League or taking a closer look at a great horned owl, you and your family will learn all about the many local educational organizations that Delmarva has to offer!  This event is sponsored by the Ocean City Development Corporation. If you would like more information regarding Children’s Day on the Bay, please contact the Museum at 410-289-4991 or email christine@ocmuseum.org. This event is subject to cancellation due to inclement weather.

No Need for Rainy Day Blues

Carrie Dortenzo
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While vacationers and locals alike would prefer perfect sunny beach days all-day, everyday, sometimes nature decides to thrown in a rainy day or summer storm into the mix. But do not let the weather put a damper on your mood because there are still plenty of wonderful things to do in Ocean City. 

Eat! (And maybe explore new dining options)

The best and most obvious choice on any kind of day is to enjoy a nice meal, or two, or even all three. When in Maryland, you must eat Maryland style. Enjoy all the seafood you like or have a crab feast accompanied by fresh corn and local beer. There’s a seemingly endless supply of options no matter what kind of cuisine you’re craving, so if you’re having trouble choosing, check out our most recent Best of Ocean City winners in categories including best pizza, best crabs, best breakfast and more. 

Embark on a brewery tour

In Ocean City and all of the Eastern Shore in general,  there are always new, cool, and delicious breweries popping up, and older ones that continue pumping out fresh and unique new brews.

Head over to one of the many breweries to take a tour and a drink for the day. In Ocean City alone you’ll find world-class breweries like Fin City and Backshore, but head on over to ShoreCraftBeer.com to check out all the breweries in Ocean City and beyond. 

Visit the arcades

There is still plenty to enjoy on the boardwalk when rain strikes. There are many arcades around the south end of the boardwalk where you can spend a whole day having a ton of fun, and winning some prizes while you’re at it. Sportland Arcade and Marty’s Playland are the classics where you can go to act like a kid again, or even bring your own. Play some Skee Ball and Air Hockey or choose your favorites to rack up your tickets and fun!

Indoor golf
Old Pro’s indoor golf is a rainy-day go-to.

Hone your putt putt skills

Mini golf isn’t an activity that’s exclusive to sunny days thanks to Old Pro Golf’s two indoor courses. Bring your friends or your kids and make a little competition for a fun and exciting rainy day. Head over to the two locations in OC, one on 68th street (with the giant whale), and the other on 136th street.

Catch a mid-day matinee

Movies are a classic, but essential, rainy day activity, and even at the beach it’s a good idea to take a breather and watch a good movie (especially if you’re sunburnt and could use a little indoor time). On 143rd St. is the Fox Sun & Surf Cinema, which offers all the newest movies and has the comfiest red leather recliner chairs for an even more relaxing and enjoyable movie experience. Grab some popcorn and candy and head over to catch a film.

Go bowling

Ocean Lanes, Ocean City’s bowling alley, is another go to rainy day choice for all ages. Head up to 72nd street for a good day of bowling and a  little competition along with food and drinks for your rainy day.

Partake in some retail therapy 

Nothing makes a rainy day better than doing a bit of shopping and there are plenty of options in and around Ocean City. Check out local shops like Ragamuffin, Sea Quest, or Southmoon Under or head over to Tanger Outlets in West Ocean City. And for the surfers, or those who want a beach vibe, head to some surf shops like K-Coast, Chauncey’s, and Malibu’s. A little bit of shopping never hurt anyone, especially on a rainy day. 

Resiliency project keeps Assateague’s shoreline protected

Kristin
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For the past two weeks, a small region of Assateague‘s shoreline located west of the Verrazano Bridge has been host to construction equipment and dump trucks, temporarily obscuring an otherwise beautiful, natural view of the state park. But the presence of the equipment, the workers and the sounds of construction all worked toward a good cause: they’re providing resiliency to Assateague’s shoreline and reducing shoreline erosion along the coast of the state park.

The project is a collaboration between the Maryland Department of Natural Resources, Maryland Coastal Bays and design/build contractors Underwood & Associates, and is funded by the  Chesapeake and Atlantic Coastal Bays Trust Fund. Over the span of several weeks, natural structures including boulders, cobble and sand are placed along 10 constructed headland structures, which ultimately result in coastal resiliency against storms. 

These natural headlands were constructed along the shore to provide resiliency and protect the coastline from erosion. 

“Resiliency” is the big word of the project, said Roman Jesien of Maryland Coastal Bays, and the results of the project are long-term.

“The thinking here is, this will be as permanent as we can have a shoreline,” Jesien said. “If you see the size of the rocks here, when the sea level rises, these rocks will be able to withstand that.“

The long-term result of the resiliency project is a living shoreline, a stabilized coastal edge  that grows with time and uses natural materials that provide wildlife habitat, rather than unnatural infrastructure like seawalls that hinder the development of plants and the habitats of animals. 

“The way that we do a living shoreline is, we set these vegetative breakwaters offshore and those dissipate wave energy and they create these really, really nice aquatic lagoons, aquatic habitats basically,” said Underwood & Associates Project Manager Chris Becraft. 

Working on a final phase of the project, planting vegetation along the headlands.

While the shoreline is benefiting from the project in terms of resiliency, Assateague’s aquatic ecosystem benefits as well. The lagoons make the perfect shallow water habitats for fish and horseshoe crabs, Becraft said, while aquatic grasses will be able to thrive underwater and turtles can nest on the white sands of the headlands. 

Even humans benefit from the resiliency project (although everyone benefits when natural ecosystems and their wildlife thrive!). The resiliency additionally applies to state park’s boat ramps, fishing piers and other public facilities, and protects them from rising tides and major storm events as well. 

With the project now complete, this part of Assateague’s shoreline will be able to weather almost any storm that comes its way, and critters and beach-goers alike will be able to enjoy it for many years to come. 

Rates are great, views even better at Ocean 1

Kristin
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0
It’s still a haven, just now with a different name.

It only gets better with age.

Just like a fine wine, certain special hotels in Ocean City only improve with each passing year. 2018 might be the best year yet to stay at Ocean 1 Hotel & Suites, a motel-turned-hotel located right in the heart of Ocean City, that proves the old “better with age” adage to be totally true.

If you visited Ocean City anytime between the 70s and the early ’00s, you might remember it as the Haven Motel. The motel, which featured 40 rooms and a wrap-around porch, was torn down and rebuilt sometime around 2003. When owner Franco Fidanza took over four years ago, he officially changed the hotel’s name.

“The name [Haven] didn’t really mean much,” Fidanza said. “Ocean City needs a spark of — you’re on the beach, you need sunshine, you need ocean and you need water. I felt the name just needed to change with the times.”

Welcome to Ocean 1.

And so, over the span of the decade, the entire building and its name changed with the times. Now the recently-dubbed Ocean 1 is managed by Real Hospitality Group, and everyone working in the hotel’s line of duty — that is, at the front desk — agrees that the past year has been a sort of turning point for the hotel. It’s due in part, they say, to General Manager DeVanna Young.

Any hotel is only as good as its employees

“The most changes I’ve seen here have been with DeVanna,” said Mary Anne Weir, who’s worked at the front desk for the last six years. “We did the lobby up with the furniture and everything, she really dressed it up.” 

In addition to a dressed-up lobby, this year the hotel also received brand-new mattresses and flat-screen TVs. 

“We’ve made a big impact here in the last year, just trying to push our reviews, really trying to renovate and make some changes,” Young said. “We’re really starting to invest in this place.” 

But to Weir, what makes a decent hotel is more than its bells and whistles. “It’s like a family here,” she said, referring to both the employees — the year-round staff like Young and Weir and the J1 students who come to work at the hotel every summer — and the guests.

“It’s homey, and we have a lot of guests that say they feel like they’re coming home,” she said. “We get a lot of repeat guests.”

Mary Anne Weir mans the front desk with a smile.

Marko Glusac, a J1 student from Serbia who’s spending his summer behind the front desk, echoed Weir’s sentiments.

“We all work here really well together,” he said. “Everything is functioning as it should and customers are really happy.”

Every room is a room with a view

Of course, more than anything else, the biggest draw of Ocean 1 is its prime location and the views from its guest rooms and condo units.

The hotel puts guests right in the heart of Ocean City: stand on the balcony, look straight ahead and there’s the ocean. Look to the right and there’s a perfect view of the Jolly Roger ferris wheel and the slingshot, and the smell of fresh funnel cakes and gyros wafts from the Golden Plate Sub Shop next door.

To the left, families come rolling down the Boardwalk on surreys, and artists carve intricate sculptures in the sand. If there’s anywhere that perfectly encapsulates the summertime vibes of Ocean City, Maryland, it’s up on a balcony on 1st Street. 

The view from a 2nd floor balcony.

“We have a great location but at a great rate, definitely,” Young said.

Til the end of the season, guests who book directly with the hotel can save 10% by using the code online or by booking over the phone and mentioning the Book Direct and Save discount. 

“My property is unique and special!”

Joanna Laslo
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0

You have probably always felt your property was special.  You are absolutely vindicated in your feelings in that regard!

In real estate, one of the first lessons you learn is, indeed, every property is individual and unique. This holds true even when considering lots in a new development: At first glance they may appear the same. However, when observing closely, one lot may have different boundary lines. One lot may have a tree, or a pond, or more road frontage, or a low spot, than its neighboring land, thereby making one lot substantially different than another.

Even if we consider condominiums we would find differences.

One condo may…

Be closer to the stairwell

Be an end unit

Present a different view

Have central air, or window air

Feature updated windows and/or doors

Possess more or less parking spaces

Have paneling or sheet rock

Include all newer appliances, or not offer all appliances

The list can go on and on. All these examples outline the many possible differences there can be, even between condominiums.

This rule is so definite that there is an action to define this fact. In a case where a seller does not honor his sales agreement, in some circumstances, a buyer could take a legal action called ‘specific performance.’ Specific performance is based on the concept that no amount of money can replace that particular property. For details of specific performance, please speak with your counselor. The law upholds the fact that all property is unusual and unique.

Other specific features to differentiate between properties may be their close proximity to:

Shopping

Theater

Dining

Golfing

Ocean

Bay

Amusements

Parking

Bus stop

The above items are all positive things that a buyer would perhaps consider important.

On the contrary, there are some things that make a property unique that may be issues to watch out for, as follows:

Power lines

Right of ways

Easements

Lines of delineation

Forestry conservation

Environmental issues

Encroachment

Zoning

Low areas

Drain off

Buried tanks

The lengthy list above clearly indicates the nearly endless possibilities that make each property very individual and specific. Therefore, each property is absolutely special, not just special to you.

Considering all these factors and variables, which may be somewhat overwhelming to consider, it makes a REALTOR invaluable when conducting transactions regarding your specific and special property. For questions please feel free to contact me: joanna@oceancitybeachproperties.com or contact your local REALTOR.

Toplessness in Ocean City Continues to Make Top Headlines ?

Carrie Dortenzo
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16
Covering from the sun is a no-brainer, but what about covering up breasts?

Since the summer of 2016, a debate has been brewing for whether or not women should be allowed topless on the beaches of Ocean City, Maryland. This controversy has made its way from the sandy beaches to the cold courtrooms. 

Five women — Chelsea Eline of Salisbury, MD, along with Rose MacGregor of Salisbury, Megan Bryant of Lothian, MD, Christine Coleman of Long Island, NY and Angela Urban of Pittsburgh, PA — have filed a lawsuit against the town. These women and many others believe in ‘top freedom,’ where men and women should have the equal right to be topless on the beach. The lawsuit is to declare that the ordinance against going topless violates an equal protection clause of the 14th Amendment of the Constitution and the Declaration of Rights to the Maryland Constitution.

The town has declined to stop enforcement on striking down its mandate on topless women, and any woman who bares her breasts on the Ocean City beach may be fined up to $1,000. Because of this, the plaintiffs and their attorney, civil rights attorney Devon Jacob, filed a motion for a preliminary injunction on June 29. Now, Ocean City has until July 27 to prepare a defense in order to deny the motion to dismantle its ordinance on topless women until a decision can finally be made.

Ocean City Beach Patrol
The Ocean City Beach Patrol.

Jacob feels strongly about this topic in Ocean City, saying, “Public funds [are] being wasted on trying to shield citizens from seeing a couple of naked female breasts,” and that this money could ” be used to make Ocean City truly family-friendly” which includes to “fight crime, feed the homeless, fight drug addiction and care for children and the elderly.”

Last summer, the Ocean City beach patrol, was instructed to document  complaints about topless women, but they were told not to approach them; before the complaints were made, the beach patrol would tell women to cover up. The change prompted a statement from the town that stated, “Ocean City is not a topless beach and will not become a topless beach.”

What do you think – does it matter if women are allowed topless?

Ocean City MD Beach Patrol Leader in Rip Current Predictions

Ann
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0

For almost 80 years, past and present members of the elite lifeguarding team known as the Ocean City Beach Patrol (OCBP) have dedicated their summers to education, research and saving lives along the ten miles of Ocean City beach. For 46 of those years, Captain Melbourne “Butch” Arbin III has worked for the patrol.

Big Atlantic Storms Cause Rip Currents in Ocean City, Maryland

As we enter hurricane season, storms in the Atlantic can affect our coastline even when we can’t see the storm. Simply put, “When there is tropical activity in the Atlantic Basin, we can get rip currents in Ocean City,” Arbin said. Many may have heard that the ocean during such a storm, whether the storm is seen or unseen, has a higher than average chance of  producing rip currents, which are extremely dangerous to swimmers. 

Image of Tropical Storm Chris from My Radar App

Ocean City Beach Patrol Instrumental to the Creation of Rip Current Prediction Models

The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration issues these rip current warnings based on models that the Ocean City Beach Patrol helped develop many years ago. A scientist with NOAA was swimming off our coast with his son when they got caught in a rip. The Beach Patrol rescued both swimmers. Shaken, this scientist approached the OCBP and said that a prediction model needed to be developed to help warn swimmers of dangerous conditions. The OCBP began calling in the number of rescues each day and the scientists at NOAA correlated that data with wind speeds and direction, tides, and wave height. When a weather forecast is made with conditions that in the past have resulted in high numbers of rescues from rip currents, then models show that rip currents are likely to accompany those predicted conditions. 

Dr. Rip from scienceofthesurf.com

NOAA is not the only organization with which the Ocean City Beach Patrol has worked. Researchers at Johns Hopkins, the Maryland Sea Grant Program, and Dr. Rob Brander aka “Dr. Rip,” who has a site called ScienceoftheSurf.com, have all worked with the Ocean City Beach Patrol to understand ocean conditions dangerous to swimmers and to help educate and inform the public. Captain Arbin takes great pride in ensuring that the OC Beach Patrol “does more education than any beach patrol in the world.”

Rip currents can change every day and even many times a day.

What is a Rip Current?

Basically, rip currents are simply large volumes of water trying to get out of constricted areas.  When a sand bar is offshore and there is a trough of deeper water between that sand bar and the beach, water gets stuck in the trough. At high tide, the water is deeper over the sand bar and lots of water can wash back over the sand bar so there isn’t as much “trapped” water. 

When the tide is really low, much less water pushes over the sand bar into the trough where it gets stuck so, again, the volume of water “trapped” is lower. However, when the tide is falling and lots of water is in the trough but the depth decreases over the sand bar, all that water is still in the trough and is blocked by the sandbar. This water is pulled to the breaks in the sandbar where it can get out of the trough and back out to sea. Rip currents pull swimmers down the beach in the trough until they reach the break in the sandbar and then the current pulls swimmers straight out to sea through that break in the sand bar. 

Can Anybody See a Rip Current?

If you are on the beach, you can see breaks in the sandbar where the dangerous rip currents exist. The members of the Beach Patrol can see them better because they are higher off the beach and have a better perspective. What they look for are plumes of sand that go out beyond the breaking waves.  

 

When the waves are big and the ocean looks angry, most swimmers stay on the beach and the Beach Patrol actually see less rescues. It’s when the weather is great, the skies are blue and the waves are clean that more people venture back into the water. A storm may pass, but the conditions could still be excellent for increased rip  activity because lots of water is still pushing over the sand bars and into the beach where it gets trapped. It will find its way back out to sea and will take even the best swimmers with it. Rip currents can be so strong that even Michael Phelps can’t swim against them.

Most Rescues are from Rip Currents

My son was a Beach Patrol member for four summers. His first rescue involved two little girls who were pulled down the beach by the rip current and then out through the break in the sandbar off shore. Two other lifeguards were involved in that rescue.  Everybody was fine, but the impact on my son forever changed him.  He realized that people’s lives actually depended on him, and that if he didn’t perform his job well and if he wasn’t lucky, somebody could actually die. 

He rescued one child by diving for her as she went under water. According to Arbin, 95% of all rescues performed by the Ocean City Beach Patrol are of swimmers rescued out of rip currents. Only 2% of drownings in Ocean City over the last 80 years occurred when the Beach Patrol members were in their chairs guarding the swimmers.

“98% of all drownings occurred before or after the Beach Patrol guards were in their stands,” said Arbin. “PLEASE don’t swim if we aren’t there to help you.”

What Should You Do if Caught in a Rip?

If you do get caught in a rip that you can’t swim out of, stay calm. The worst thing to do is panic. If you remember that Michael Phelps can’t swim against some of the worst rips, then you have to keep your head and swim diagonally towards shore. 

Remember, the water only rushes to make it back out to open water and then the current dissipates. If a swimmer doesn’t get exhausted fighting the current, they will soon find themselves in calm water. Then he or she can swim back to shore behind the sand bar and out of the rip.  If a swimmer swims diagonally across the rip towards shore, they will soon find themselves away from the pull of the current so they can make their way back to the beach.

Stay Informed

The ocean in Ocean City, Maryland is beautiful and powerful. Some days it’s as calm as glass and others it’s wild and fierce. For some, this area is home and for others it’s a long-awaited respite. For all of us, the ocean provides a wonderful place to play and to enjoy nature at its best. Like with all outdoor activities, educate yourself and know the risks. 

Check out the Beach Patrol site.  Get to know the guards on your beach.  They will give updates each day with information and risks in your area. They might also be the people who save your life or help reunite you with a lost child. The Ocean City Beach Patrol technicians are  well trained, equipped with first aid kits, lots of information, and the skills to keep you safe on the beach and in the water all summer. 

More links:

General Information on the Beach Patrol

History of the Ocean City, Maryland Beach Patrol and of lifesaving

Beach Wheelchair Information

Semaphore Alphabet (Figure out what that guard is saying to the next guard)

 

What a storm!

Anne
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0

A storm blew over Ocean City this afternoon, and our visitors, enjoying what they hoped was going to be a long beach day, had to grab their belongings and run, but not before they snapped a shot of the formidable clouds, which they then sent to us. Here is a selection of some incredible photos from this incredible storm!

Thanks to all who submitted these photos!

The first  incredible picture of the incoming storm we received, sent to us by Chase Dawson


The last glimpse of the sun, by Amanda Campbell


Another great pic by Amanda Campbell


Clouds over the bay by Bonnie Dodds Marra


Dark clouds over the ocean by Brie Jadra


The storm’s getting close,  by Crystal Hess Bussard


That’s one scary looking cloud, by Donna Marie


Erin DellAngelo Benfer thought it was interesting to watch from the 17th floor!


Jody Smoker took this while sitting on the balcony.


And you’re still in the water? by Joe Merebeth Stringent


And the storm came rolling in, by Kelly Gastio


Deserted beach by Kristin Jones


Abandoned sand castle by Kristi Padgett


Laurie Beth Wilt’s view from 66th St.


Two seasons in one moment, by Mark Jones


Another by Mark Jones


Here’s what it looked like from Meridith Robinson Burton’s balcony on 115th.


Huge clouds dwarfing the people on the beach, by Rachael Brager


Shanon Phillips Armstrong’s view from 30th St

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Safety First on the Fourth of July

Anne
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0

Ocean City, Maryland – (July 3, 2018):  The Ocean City Fire Department would like to remind visitors of the dangers of consumer fireworks as the July 4th holiday approaches. The National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) reports that fireworks start an average of 18,500 fires per year, including 1,300 structure fires, 300 vehicle fires, and 16,900 outside and other fires.

“The power and danger of fireworks should not be underestimated,” said Ocean City Fire Marshal David Hartley.  “In addition to causing damage, fireworks can cause injuries and we want people to be safe during their holiday stay in Ocean City. The safety and wellbeing of all residents and visitors of the Town of Ocean City is the primary goal of the Ocean City Fire Department.”

Although the State of Maryland has approved the use of ground-based sparkling devices such as cylindrical and cone fountains, these are not legal to use or possess in Ocean City. All other fireworks that may be sold in neighboring states are not legal for use by the public anywhere in Maryland. 

Within the Town of Ocean City, products such as handheld Gold labeled sparklers, “Snap-N-Pops”, “Black Cobra Snakes”, and “Party Poppers” are allowed to be used and possessed without a license.  However, injuries and property damage may still occur from these types of products, so parental supervision is always encouraged. 

Further, Maryland law prohibits the shipping or transportation of fireworks into the state if the fireworks are to be possessed, used, sold, or distributed by citizens of Maryland.  Illegal fireworks found are subject to seizure by law enforcement authorities, and persons found in possession of illegal fireworks with the intent to use them run the risk of both criminal charges and the confiscation of the fireworks.  Fines for possession of illegal fireworks may be as much as $1000.

Anyone with questions pertaining to fireworks should contact the Ocean City Fire Department, Office of the Fire Marshal at 410-289-8780.

Reminder: Pay By Plate Parking Enforced at Inlet Parking Lot, Streets & Municipal Lots

Anne
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0

Ocean City, Maryland – (July 2, 2018):  As our summer season swings in to high gear, the Town of Ocean City is reminding our visitors that paid parking throughout the resort town is being enforced. More specifically, the town’s Pay By Plate system in the Inlet Parking Lot is automated and camera enforced.

For visitors who exceed their stay in the Inlet Lot by 30 minutes more than the time purchased at the meter or through the Park Mobile app, a bill will be sent in the mail for the additional time plus a $25 processing fee. Visitors can avoid the fee by simply paying for the time you were parked in the Inlet Lot at a kiosk or with the park mobile app upon entering the lot.

Further, if visitors stay longer than the original payment, simply add time at any kiosk or through the park mobile app before you leave. As long as the payment is made BEFORE leaving the Inlet Lot, visitors WILL NOT receive a bill.    

Finally, it should be known that the $25 processing fee is to cover the cost to the Town to review plate photographs at entry and exit areas, research plates through the MVA and prepare, and mail the parking invoice. For more information, visit:https://oceancitymd.gov/oc/ 

Download the Park Mobile App at: https://oceancitymd.gov/oc/departments/public-works/inlet-parking-lot/

 

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