Our family has been vacationing there for over thirty years. And today, my husband and I rode down to see "Old Barney" on a beautiful October day.

I went to Localism and saw nothing on our beloved vacation spot, so I decided to at least write something in honor of the weeks we spent down the shore.

My children learned to jump the waves, and make the "biggest and bestest" sand castles, only to watch high tide come in and wash away hours of construction. Freesbie on the beach, sand storms when the wind picked up and you had to hide under the umbrella or wrap your face in a towel. The sun warming our bodies to a golden tan.

Coming back to the house was the best part. Bringing the hose out to wash away the sand..."you are not tracking that sand into this house" and the peaceful angels all falling asleep so early from exhaustion from a fun filled day at the beach.

I found some history on the town and decided to share that part of it as well, with a few pictures I took today.

If you have some time, ride down to Barnegat and enjoy the day...it's really a very lovely beach town on Long Beach Island.

A Brief History of Barnegat Light NJ
Barnegat Light is located at the northern end of Long Beach Island. This quaint little borough of less than one square mile has a winter population of a little over 700 and hasn't changed much over the last century. Fishing is still "big business", just as it was when the English Crown first deeded the area in 1692. Barnegat Light is the homeport to many members of the East Coast's Longline Fleet. These fishermen set their sights on larger fish such as tuna and swordfish and regularly fish in high seas several hundred miles offshore.

Barnegat Light's most famous inhabitant is "Old Barney", the red and white-banded Barnegat Lighthouse situated at the northern tip of Long Beach Island. This 172 foot tall structure, designed by General George Meade and commissioned January 1, 1859, is the second tallest lighthouse in the United States. Although the tower's light was "snuffed out" in 1944, "Old Barney" still attracts thousands of visitors every summer to Barnegat Lighthouse State Park.

Besides being home to Barnegat Lighthouse, one of the last remaining tracts of maritime forest on Long Beach Island is also located in the park. Birdwatchers can view some diverse species of our "feathered friends", as the park is a key resting and feeding ground for birds migrating to and from their breeding areas.

Barnegat Light is a small, quiet borough of about 1100 residences, inhabited by retirees and former "Long Beach Islanders", who now maintain summer homes