Latest news with #SeaIsleCity
CBS News
a day ago
- General
- CBS News
For lifeguards in this Jersey Shore community, the beach patrol is a family affair
Lifeguards in Sea Isle City, New Jersey, are back on the beaches for the summer. "Working on the beach patrol is more than a job. It is a life experience like no other," Sea Isle City Beach Patrol Chief Renny Steele said. Steele knows that best. He began working as a lifeguard in 1968. "I love the people that I work with. I love working with the young kids, keeps you young," Steele said. Two of those young lifeguards are siblings, Grace and Chris Gehman. They are in their third season working for the Sea Isle City Beach Patrol. "It's a family atmosphere, and everyone kind of enjoys being around each other," Chris Gehman said. The brother and sister are third-generation members of the beach patrol. "It's a great thing to be able to work with your kids. I take a lot of pride in seeing them be on the beach, be on the stand and do all the things that I went through and got to experience," Lt. Chuck Gehman of the Sea Isle City Beach Patrol said. He's Grace's and Chris's dad. The Gehman family legacy on the beach patrol dates back to the siblings' grandfather, who served as a guard in the past, alongside Steele. "My dad passed in 2014, so he didn't get to see this, but I know he would be totally in love with this situation," Chuck Gehman said. The beach is a family affair for the Gehmans, and they wouldn't have it any other way. "You call it a family, you call it a tribe, you call it a group of people, whatever you call it, you know you want to be a part of it," Steele said.
CBS News
a day ago
- Business
- CBS News
Veteran, high school teacher rolls into 24th summer as hot dog salesman in Sea Isle City
At the beach entrance on 59th Street in Sea Isle City, it's hard to miss the food cart to the right, and honestly, it's even harder to walk past without stopping for a hot dog. Earlier this month, Bubba Dogs opened daily for the summer season, rolling into its 24th summer in the beach town. "Who doesn't like eating a hot dog with, you know, sand between their toes?" Bubba Dogs founder Tim McNamara said with a smile. We met McNamara on a rather gloomy day down the shore. Still, the dogs were sizzling. Customers stopped by for lunchtime. One came after seeing the spot on Google Maps and reading the reviews. "If you were to ask me, you know, 25-30 years ago, what would I be doing for a living? Never in a million years would I say this is the case," McNamara said. It started in 2002 when the recently retired lieutenant commander in the U.S. Navy had a chance to get a vendor's license in the beach town he grew up visiting. "I've been down here since I was 8 years old, so I think, I guess this is our 50th summer, except for the time that I was on active duty," McNamara said. "What's really gratifying for me is to see those familiar faces, but then to see them kind of grow up as we've been here so long." Some of those smiling faces are past employees, who are often former students. McNamara is a teacher at La Salle College High School during the rest of the year. He even teaches about Bubba Dogs in his personal finance class. "All three of my children have worked here," McNamara said. "They've managed the business for me, so I'd like to set that example for them, but also, most importantly, for the guys that work for me, as well." Typically, summertime means long lines at the hot dog cart. Bubba Dogs is open daily, weather permitting, through Labor Day. Bubba Dogs has clearly gotten the attention of the beach town. Jason Kelce not only has a dog named after him on the menu, but the Eagles' legend has stopped by a few times. "My career here at Bubba Dogs, you know, I couldn't have imagined it. I couldn't script it," McNamara said. A significant part of that success, this hot dog vendor believes, is due to the city and the community.
CBS News
a day ago
- CBS News
NJ Beach Yoga instructor helps students find balance in the sand
The crash of ocean waves, the salty breeze and the soft, shifting sand. This is the setting for NJ Beach Yoga, where instructor Teri O'Connor has been guiding students through sunrise and sunset sessions since 2007. Every class on the shores of Sea Isle City's beach is different. Some mornings bring warmth and stillness, while others, like when we visited O'Connor's class, offer a thick, misty breeze that she calls "June-uary" instead of June. But no matter the weather, her approach remains the same: embrace the moment, let go of expectations and find joy in movement. "Beach yoga is about using the props nature gives us: the sand, the breeze, the sound of the ocean, the texture of the air," O'Connor said. Her classes blend lighthearted playfulness with meditative reflection, creating an environment where students feel uplifted and supported. CBS News Philadelphia Patti Gerew, a longtime yoga student, described O'Connor's energy as "catchy," and said O'Connor always reminds students: "It's your body. It's doing what it needs to do." Inclusivity is at the heart of NJ Beach Yoga. O'Connor emphasizes that yoga is for everybody. She welcomes students of all levels with a simple philosophy: "All you need to be able to do is breathe, show up as is — no competition, no expectation." Then there's the shell bucket, a signature tradition that makes each class even more special. At the end of the session, students reach in and pull out a seashell inscribed with a word or phrase, an affirmation meant just for them. "You don't look at them beforehand," Gerew says. "Teri believes you pick the shell you need," O'Connor says it's the universe's message for you. NJ Beach Yoga offers all-level beach yoga classes in Sea Isle at the JFK Blvd beach Monday, Wednesday and Fridays, starting at 7:30 a.m. Classes are also offered at the 5th Street beach Tuesday nights and Saturday mornings. For more information, visit NJ Beach Yoga's website.
