The South Riding RV Travels

743

17th-18th October 2012 - Jersey City NJ to Southampton PA and Long Beach Island NJt

Getting out of Jersey City was a stressful drive with roadworks and masses of traffic. But once on the interstate system it got easier although very expensive. This lifting railway bridge is across one of the many inlets.
At the edge of a huge city there is a container port with thousands of containers waiting for transport by sea and rail.
Arriving at the house of our friends just north of Philadelphia we walked to a local nature reserve. This is an American robin which is larger than the English one.
This is a Carolina chickadee, another common bird in some parts of the state.
Somewhat larger is the common or purple grackle. This is purely an American bird and not seen in Europe.
The colours here are changing. Being further south they are somewhat behind New York.
We had a trip out to the New Jersey Atlantic coast on Long Beach Island. Here there are hundreds of holiday homes. This is typical.
A slightly larger example. This is raised on piles so that when the storms and hurricanes come it is less likely to be swept away. Current planning rules now require homes here to be built in this style.
But then people box in the lower sections to provide garages. This is a larger example and is potentially more vulnerable.
Looking at the beach one can see why folk come here. But it is a very vulnerable shoreline in the many storms each year.
Barnegat lighthouse is at the north end of the island. It is 165 feet high and has many warnings at the bottom about not trying to climb to the top if you have any health issues.
It was built in 1859 and in service until 1944. There are 237 steps to get to the top.
There are views over the island and the surrounding waterways.
I was testing the zoom on the new camera. This bridge is at Atlantic City about 35 miles to the south.
The fresnel lens around the light at the top of the lighthouse.
There were few seabirds. This is a common cormorant.
There were more on the seashore like this juvenile ruddy turnstone.