30

British Seagull 387 Where Did All Those People Go? My fr>nd Spy is usually a very rational follow and ho knows almost ovorythm* that's RoinR on In South Jersoy But last wrok ho just about loot all his foathors looking for lh "| P ton > you. 387, tho hoachos wore full yestorday and tho noxt day , poof! It just doosn t make sonoo." said the younK bird ' I Jookwl "al my friend and shook my tired, old head. Yod’re young. Spy. and you Just don't know \nhat goes on down in those, parts Sure you know what’s happening day ‘by day but this <*nd of summer thing is something else, ft s a strange phenomenon You see. humans aren’t like birds, humans are crazy They do things by a method called calendars or dates I think it all started when some human discovered it took nine months to make another human ANYWAY. THIS DATE THING caught the imagination, of those two legged hamo sapiens and now most of them measure their lives by the calendar method. For instance. • when a human reaches 6f> or 65 he’s supposed to stop living and stop doing things When he reaches 13 or 14 he’s sup—sposed to undergo some mighty interesting changes and so on Not only does he measure things by years, but also by seasons.’’ I said . i. Spy looked at rfic curiously and then he spoke Now look here.. 387. I’ve done a lot of spying in my short time • here on this earth but no oneKcr told me about this calendar bit What’s it have to do with all the people disappearing'’’’ he asked "There’s got to be a better explanation Th*re,has to be some button that somebody pushed to send all these people home." he persisted Spy wiggled across the teach looking under the Jettystones and clamshells. "There’s got to be some explanation for this change some scientific explanation some artificial intelligence that cleared the teaches.” I HAT ON THE BULKHEAD watchjng as my friend called to some other gulls to'get them to help him look for a button The otter gulls looked at Spy curiously and then moved off laughing hilariously at his request. 'After A few hours of searching. Spy came up td the bulktea"where I’d been dozing. "How can you sleep at a time like this?" he asked. "Don’t you realise that thousands of people have disappeared’’ 1 thought you were concerned about humanity. I thought you wert one gull who still cared about what was ’ happening on this earth " I looked at Spy and shook my head "Look young fellow. Just as surely_as all those people disappeared, they will return again - probably next Memorlth’Day weekepd - that’s usually how the calendar works." I said dryly. "That’s something you can tei.on." I added. “Instead of worrying about the people, think about how beautiful it is that we birds got our teaches bftck,~9t least for another eight months " SPY STILL LOOKED worried, so I explained in great detail all about humans and their calendar. "True, some people don’t observe that method. They are the ones you'll see walking the almost empty teaches after Labor Day. •We gulls call those people the ‘bird people'.and. for the' most part, they are the kindest, most considerate of the species." . 1 cpuld see.that Spy still didn’t get the message, so I urged him to move dowh on the beach by the ocean. “In a little while you’ll understand." I said; standing with him.' Soon they came, thousands of gulls, sandpipers and other creatures who had been hiding all summer from the masses of humanity They came and stood albng the shore \ine in a massive display that would have warmed the , heart of the late Rachel Carson. They stood in silent tribute to the end of tourists . . . to the end of summer. SPY WATCHED HIS FRIENDS as if'seeing them for the first time It was obvious even to his ignorant soul that the teaches had been given back, once more, to the wild creatures of the earth. It was obvious that Summer had

ended,

Spy turned and looked at me with knowing eyes and then he turned toward thq sea The birds took to the atr^nd in a voice that was almost hurhajV, filled the skies with thundering noise - "Goodbye Summer goodbye."

.opinion.

Htrald * UMwn It Stptembf 81

n In favor Of Incraating Th« National WaolthA. I Ju*t Don't Want tha Rich To Moka Any AAonay Whil* It't Baing Dona..."

Q. I have a child 4Vfc years old who is in love with nature. She is fascinated by all baby creatures and particularly little fish, hermit crabs, and all forms of sea life. Is there a place that I can take her for a closer look at

nature.? «

A. I am happy to report that there is a wonderful place to take children of any age — it is called the Wetlands Institute — sponsored by Lehigh University. They have a living museum with live sea horses, hermit crabs,.and starfish, some of which can be touched by the children. They also have microscope displays of horseshoe crab embryoes, crustaceans and sea horses, with a large display of fowl and wildlife indigenous to Cape May Co. Call Ann Galli at368-12U. P S. they also have terrific lectures on Jersey Cape Wildlife geared to

children and adults.

viewpoint

Motels, Marinas Yield To Housing

Q. My son is 18 years old and does not know quite what he would like to do with his life. He will probably go to college but for the next year is thinking about VISTA, or the Peace Corps. Where could I get recruitment information

for this?

A. There is a local and National Office located in Philadelphia. The local office is at 1421 Broad >at Cherry Street, Phila., Pa. 19102, 215-597-3543; the National Office is located at 320 Walnut Street, 4th Floor, Philadelphia, Pa. lil06, 215-597-0744. If you have a question for the First Call for Help column write to David G. QuiaUn Jr. First Call For Help. Social Services Building, . Rio Grande. 08242 or call 729-2255 or 729-Call.

V-

CAPK MAT

COUNTY

PablKhM Kvm H«lnr»4l»> I TK» Sra»a«r < of(MMatinn JohnH. Andrus IT William J. Adams Bonnie Reina Darrell Kopp

Hrrali

Editor Advertising Director General Manager Publisher

• C«va Alt ratafvad All prop*,i, nghir lire •ntlra (ontvni, 04 *h.» pxibUnt.or ••wD b* tb* P'Opa'ty o4 tba Cofp No gore mO, bo i»pfortv<»d wifbo^t p«.o« wriHyt fftwaoni DEADLINES New* A Photos Thursday Advertising Friday • 3 p.ni. Classified Advertising Friday - 3 p.irt. I 917-3312 For ^iew* 6r~Advertlslng Information I Nrtlbrf parilrlpallnx adtrrtWrr' nor th* publWhrr* o( tba Tim M l) AfcO t.ANTF.HN bill br rbfpomlblf nr hablr lor mNInformallon. iti la print* lyMffrapbkal rTror*. Hr. in itaaar Tbr rdltor rrarrvra Ibr rlgbl larStt any Mtrr or arllrlr* aabmlitril lor poMtra

-LANTERN

PaMtabral Krrry WntaraSa? Bv IW Saataarr CarjamUaa

——v-r P O Boa 4M Cold Spring, N J. 0S3D4

by Jane Ann Cunningham There is a subtle, but clearly enjerging change in the make-up of communities along the east coast, including Cape May County. Most of the resdrt towns on the barrier beach islands have, as they have grown, offered a variety • of residential, business, recreational and entertainment

possibilities.

The ever-increasing valute of land onlthe islands is precipitating a dramatic transformation in the character and structure of many coastal communities. Property,, alopg the water, whether ocean or bay, is the rRpst desirable for prospective buyers. The v supply of such izmd is limited, as much of that zoned for residential use Has

been built on.

Developers looking for new areas are finding them in sections which have bedn used in the past for motels, marinas and otter recreational facilities. Motels in a number of towns are being converted into condominium apartments. Land along the waterways which contained marina or was zoned for such use is rapidly being filled up with townhouses and apartments. If the trend continues, it may be only a matter of time until even some areas now reserved for business become residential. SEEMINGLY. THERE IS LITTLE which can be done to stop this trend. Eventhough recreational and commercial boating is important to Cape May County’s economy as a tourist and business attraction and the elimination of such areas is undesirable, we may soon see few marinas. The value of the land has increased to the point where those ' who own the land cannot make a fair income with the present usage, and can make a profit only by selling to developers. Ik is an unfortunate situation, for as one person noted, "Houses do not have to be located on the water,

but boats do."

The conversion of motels presents the same problem. Maintaining a motel 12 months a year to be used for only three can be an expensive proposition. A financially

reader's forum

Police Praised

For Summer Work

by Nicholas A. Mamolou *

I wish to compliment the Sea Isle City police department on the job it has performed in the 1981 summer season. The commissioners and police obviously have pride in our city apd they are trying to restore law and especially order, llie alcohol and noise violations have been reduced to a point wtere both residents and visitors can enjoy the pleasures of sea Isle City. I especially wish to compliment Capt. La Rosa on his direction and supervision of the forces at his disposal. Congratulations, keep up

the good work. *

Nicholas A. Mamolou is a motel operator on Landis Ave

in Sea Isle City.

The SOVEREIGN STATE of AFFAIRS

‘A’

9.

astute person would not be InterestecTin buying one at today’s inflated prices if he knew he could not make a profit. However, by convert!hg the motel into apartments, the. buyer could, as we say, clean up. . This is actuation vyhicn not only will affect the resort communities, but Will spill over onto the mainTand. If motel housing becomes scarce on the Islands, luxury motels will be built on the mainland. There may even be recreational facilities setup to accommodate the motel users as well as those in the campgrounds. There will be an increasing number of people coming into the resort towns by the day Wjjse the beaches. These changes in tte pattern of housing will make a difference to year round residents, second home owners, businessmen and tourists. Whether it yrtll be beneficial or « detrimental remains to be seen. t . Jane Ann Cunningham Is former publisher of The Herald. * * ^ ^ R N E

The Clan Of

The Cave Bear by Jean M. Auel

Knowing little about prehistoric man made me a little dubious about whether I would enjoy this book, but I really

found it fascinating.

It takes place beforM^e human race diverged into its present pattern. At tluft time there were the cavemen, and a group called "fee Others", who seemed to have most of the characteristic^ of today's man. A small group of cavemen, losing their home cave in an earthquake, find a young girl, one of the Others. They feel no particular compassion for the young of another species, but the childless le^icine woman of the clan insists they take care of her. Theplot details the life of the girl growing up in the company of the cave people. She is resented by some because of the difference in ter appearance, and feared by some because of her ability to do things they can't. As the vocal chords of the cavemen are minimal, they Communicate by elaborate hand signals, which the girl so6n learns. The book is a compelling adventure rtorV.^s we follow the cave people through the seasons and learn how they handle the problems of existence. We learn how they capture the wooly mammoth, how they treated illnesses, and gffeatdiffen • - • • • ^

the great difference in their mental and physical abilities

which eventually doomed them to extinction. The book is both entertaining and thought-provoking

Leslie Steyson is the pseudonym for a very real area bookstore proprietor.

DAVID BOYD