The "The Jersey Shore: One Last Look...Could It Really Happen?" Story

It was an ordinary day.  Picked up a copy of the "Seven Mile Times" during a recent visit to Stone Harbor, New Jersey to eat at our favorite Italian restaurant, Marabella's Family Restaurant.  Leafing through the newspaper when I saw the headline on page 64 that read, "One Last Look - Behind the Walls of Villa Maria by-the-Sea."  

Nun's Beach located in front of Villa Marie on Seven Mile Beach.

It was five years ago that I wrote a story about the Nun's Beach Surfing Compe- tition and our visit to Villa Maria.  As I read the article it told the story of the coming  destruction of the 80-plus year old landmark in Stone Harbor.  This house on the waterfront is so beautiful and I image it must be heartbreaking for the nuns to even think about tearing down a piece of Stone Harbor history.  

Villa Marie by-the-Sea

This place has been a "home" for many nuns in the past, but after reading the fiscal hardships that face the order, I can see why they might have to come to the conclusion of demolition and building a much smaller building.  The tradition of the sisters of the Immaculate Heart of Mary spending the summer months at the shore began seven miles north of Villa Maria in 1913 in Sea Isle City.  

View of the Villa Marie in the 1930s.

The family of Sister Kathleen Rowan offered the use of their spacious summer home in Sea Isle to be used by the order.  The spiritual invigoration provided by the summer escape to the shore by the order made them realize they should look for a larger place along the shore.  

Another view of Villa Marie in 1955.

They eventually purchased the Hotel Carlton in Cape May Point and that was home for the sisters for almost 20 years.  But, storms caused problems with that site and in 1936 they began to look at Stone Harbor.  They found a site adjacent to 111th and 112th Streets for $2,000.  Can you imagine buying a property on the beach for that price today!  But, it was a time of instability and during the Great Depression.  

Picture Postcard of Villa Marie by the Sea in Stone Harbor, N.J.

Groundbreaking took place February 2, 1937 with the nearest home being on 96th Street.  Villa Marie, with a construc- tion price of $125,000, became the second largest structure in Cape May County, behind the Flanders Hotel in Ocean City, NJ.  

Groundbreaking for Villa Maria on February 2, 1937.

When ground was broken it impacted many people who obtained a much needed job.  

Garden with Stations-of-the-Cross.

During the winter of 1937 as many as 300 workers worked on the project.  It was a "godsend" to the community.  Initially the house had only small rooms and a chapel with offices, dining room, kitchen, laundry and assembly hall.  Hey, you're at the beach!  That's all that's needed!  Today there are 185 rooms.  It was considered a miracle that the construction took only 118 days.  The funding to maintain Villa Maria comes from each convent in the order.  The sisters were given the chore of maintaining the building.  

Lancaster Catholic High School art teacher
designed this T-Shirt for Nun's Beach competition.

They did every chore from painting to cooking to maintenance and cooking.  Villa Marie houses about 130 sisters who  typically attend ten-day retreats.  Six days are devoted to liturgy, meditation and prayer while the other four days are free to socialize with family and friends.  The final decision hasn't been finalized as far as destruction of the Villa Marie.  Perhaps they have plans to rebuild another retreat that is less costly to maintain, but will still allow them to enjoy the rejuvenation they experience while visiting the shore every year.  I'm sure many await their coming decision.  It was another extraordinary day in the life of an ordinary guy.

The "A Visit With Bernadine Ali: Part I" Story

The Creperie on Paradise View before Hurricane Irma.

It was an ordinary day.  Early Sunday morning and I told my wife I was heading to Paradise View to take a few photos.  Paradise View is a small outcropping of stony land overlooking world famous Orient Beach on the island of St. Martin, F.W.I.  During our yearly visits to the island while on vacation Carol and I always made a few stops at the Paradise View Creperie for breakfast or lunch.  

The view of the Orient area from Paradise View.  (Click to enlarge)

Not only did they have a fantastic menu, but the views of the surrounding area were outstanding.  But that all ended on September 6, 2017 when Hurricane Irma devastated the island.  

An entire row of brightly painted shops could be found on Paradise View.

Paradise View was totally demo- lished as well as a row of tropically painted tourist shacks leading up to the restaurant and a small shack where a beautiful island woman by the name of Bernadine Ali sold bottles of island rum. My mission this morning was to take photos of the devastation that still remains almost two years later and share the photos with you.  

Bernadine's rum shop on Paradise View.  It was destroyed!

We had heard that Bernadine had escaped the island after the storm, but weren't sure if she ever returned.   We found a "Go Fund Me Page" to try and get funds for her to return and try to get her life back to normal, but I wasn't sure if she had returned as of yet. I should tell you that Bernadine is somewhat of a savior for all the stray animals on the east coast of the island.  

Total destruction can be seen in this photograph.  The
Creperie can be seen in the right rear, totally destroyed.

Every year during our visit we would stop at a grocery store and buy a big bag of dog and cat food to drop off at her small abode that was close to her rum stand.  Every time we would arrive we would be greeted by her multitude of dogs and cats that she had rescued from harm and starvation.  Well today, after driving back the small desolate road past the totally demolished shops I saw a few dogs heading toward my car.  

The house on the right was at one time the home of Ms. Ali.

I knew right away Ms. Ali was back on St. Martin.  As I walked toward what used to be her rum shack, I saw an island man coming toward me.  I asked him if Bernadine was nearby.  After a positive response I asked him to tell her she has a visitor.  Wasn't long before I had a big hug and kiss from her as her 15 cats and 4 dogs gathered around.  We talked and then she showed me the place she called home until the storm struck.  

Bernadine is now living in this run-down house on the property.

Totally demolished!  Then she ushered me to her new residence and gave me a look at what she now calls home.  No running water or electricity!  She keeps items cold with the use of a cooler and must flush her toilet with buckets of water from nearby water supplies.  But, she seemed happy and her animals all loved her.  

Bernadine checks on some of her friends.

She told me it was a tough time at first after returning to the island a few months after the storm.  She was being robbed quite often so she found a fellow, Rasheed, in need of a place to stay who became her security force.  Seems to have worked out well for both of them.  I gave her a donation from Carol and myself and asked if there was anything I could do to help her.  After a minute or so she said, "Why yes!  Can you take me to the vet tomorrow with one of cats.  My car's tire is leaking air and the vet is on the other side of the island.  I have to be there tomorrow at 8:00 am.  If you could pick me up at 7:00 am I would appreciate it.  

B Ali is listed on her mailbox along the road.

I can be waiting for you at the bottom of the hill by that metal lounge chair down there."  Well, I had asked so I couldn't say no to someone who had suffered so much the past year or so.  I snapped a few photos and promised to return the following day to take her and her cat to the vet.  Another hug and I was on my way back to tell Carol what we were going to do tomorrow on our vacation.  Follow along tomorrow as I give you a rundown.  It was a another extraordinary day in the life of an ordinary guy.