By John Miraglia
Imagine Sandy Hook without the huge crowds and long lines of cars vying for parking spaces and you’ve got the best place in Central New Jersey for a day’s viewing of marine wildlife and more. On January 22, 16 Sierra Club members and friends took advantage of the off-season to try our luck at spotting seals on the bay side of Sandy Hook Gateway National Recreation Area on this, our first “Photo Safari.”
We drove north to the Sandy Hook Lighthouse and Post Chapel area at Fort Hancock and found a pod of seals resting just offshore. They were in a cooperative mood and treated us to plenty of opportunities for taking photos. Also on hand were sea ducks and a mom and dad vulture team roosting on the top of a chimney of an abandoned military building. Refusing to be ignored, resident seagulls gave us an exhibition of aerial gymnastics.
Our next stop was as close as you can get to Skeleton Hill Island on the south end of the “hook.” A short causeway leads to a viewing platform of the Island. No seals (or skeletons) were in sight that day but the Island and surrounding waters were home to, or at least a way station for, a wide variety of sea ducks.
In addition to marine wildlife, Sandy Hook is home to a large herd of white-tailed deer. These deer appeared very accustomed to humans. A young family with a leashed dog stood among a harem of whitetails who seemed unconcerned about the human presence—a great photo opportunity.
A paved bike path facilitates hiking and biking on Sandy Hook and there are open stretches of beach on the ocean side for surf fishing.
If You Go
The seals inhabit the waters around Sandy Hook in the winter, starting in December. They hunt at night and rest up during the day. It is best to go at low tide. Parking is free in the off-season.
Note that some areas are marked “closed” to protect environmentally fragile sections of the park.