Sea Bright Charlie and Mookie from Monmouth Beach happy to be back on the beach.
We took Mookie to the beach the first day after Labor Day. The “Mook” likes the beach and he likes to run around without a leash and chase a tennis ball, but not if it rolls into the water.
As Mookie can explain, local Shore Dogs go to the “beach.” They do not go the “The Shore”, because they already live at the Shore. Dogs from Bergen County and Staten Island or any other dog that lives north of GSP Exit 125 go to “The Shore.” Local dogs go to the beach.
It had been over three months since Mookie walked on the sand because dogs, even if they are full time residents, are not allowed on the beach in Monmouth Beach from Memorial Day to Labor Day.
Sea Bright Charlie had to wait an extra week.
Charlie is also a fan of the beach. He seems to appreciate the smells specific to beach walking and is not afraid to get his paws a little wet. Sea Bright does not let dogs on the beach until September 15 and he seemed pretty disappointed when he read the sign on the public stairs behind the old police station two or three days after Labor Day.
“Sorry Charlie, I thought all the beach walking rules were the same”, and explained that dogs were already allowed on the beach only one town south.
“Lucky dogs”, he said.
We did go to the beach on September 15. I stopped to read the “No Dogs on the Beach” sign and tried to parse the legalese on the sign about whether the ordinance meant it was OK to go on the beach “on” September 15, or only “after” September 15.
Charlie said, “Who cares?”
I said, “you’re right Charlie, who cares?”, and we climbed the stairs to the beach.