Decided to see if there was gas at 330 A.M. and after a short ride up Route 66 I found WaWa up and fully operational both at the pumps and inside. I had my truck with some empty cans for the generator on board and after about an hours wait I was full. The only problem was I blew a radiator hose or water pump and limped home with the engine hot and overheated. I was able to take my putt-putt car back and even my wife's car so she could get to work in Newark. Three cars plus the cans in three hours.
Back at home with the hum of the generator going and the family and neighborhood asleep I loaded up a fly rod and put on my waders and headed to Deal. Needless to say everything is different on the beaches, access to the beaches, and the groins themselves. I found the water more stained then yesterday and din't find any bait, although the birds were active in the pockets picking away. I had mixed feelings about fishing four days post Sandy. At 7A.M. there wasn't much I could do, and getting down to the water and making a few casts with a popper gave me some peace as I reflected on the devastation that the Jersey Shore and surrounding areas experienced.
On my way home I stopped by Allenhurst and found two anglers at it hopefully with better results. I then got around the detours around Deal Lake and close to 8th Ave where the Asbury Park Fishing Club calls home. I walked through the parking lot and found our sign down and damaged. I dragged it over to a curb, dug out a hole, and stood it up. After pushing some sand around it it stood tall once again. The club was founded in 1888 and I the club and it's members have survived and thrived through many storms before, as it will with this one.
