seaside park boardwalk

The Seaside Park boardwalk just can’t catch a break, can it? A year ago during Superstorm Sandy the Jet Star was lifted off Casino Pier and dumped into the ocean; the actual boards of the boardwalk were ripped off; and dozens of businesses were forced to shutter forever. As the site of our annual family beach week, Seaside holds an incredibly special place in our hearts, and we were so upset as we saw news reports of the storm’s aftermath. But in the ensuing months, they rebuilt the boardwalk, started raising houses, and we spent a week there this past July that was relatively normal.

But then two weeks ago a fire broke out at a Kohr’s near Funtown Pier and escalated until it became a 10-alarm fire (we didn’t know that existed) and consumed nearly the entire lower end of the boardwalk. The carousel, which we rode this summer. Maruca’s pizza, which had moved from its old location up a few doors to a larger space. So much gone. So many places that meant so much to us. It’s just heart-wrenching. This summer when we went to the boards, it was sad to see how quiet and empty they were. We bought dinner, played a game or two, got frozen custard… did our part to give back to the place we love so much. And now it’s gone. We can’t even describe how sad this makes us. In honor of the boardwalk, here are photos we took this past summer (including one of the Kohr’s where the fire started, we’re guessing.)