Remembering Holgate, Then and Now

by Bob Lick

(from Jersey Coast Anglers Association May 2001 Newsletter)

I really can’t remember the first time Dad took me fishing; it had to be over 55 years ago. But, I clearly remember my first, and many trips to Holgate. These trips started when I was 10 or 12 years old. Prior to my going to Holgate, I remember watching Dad and his fishing partner, Bill Olver, working evenings and weekends building a beach buggy. After they explained what a beach buggy was and that they planned to use it at some far away place called Holgate, my interest peaked. The buggy began as a 1930 Model A Ford four door sedan, but after many weeks of cutting, hammering, painting, etc what emerged was a beautiful flatbed, wide open, big tired fishing buggy.

The buggy was kept in Holgate behind Rae’s Luncheonette. I remember Rae as an older, rather rough women that scared me in the beginning, but I soon learned of her gentleness and kindness. After the long trip from Haddonfield to Holgate we would stop in and visit Rae, with coffee for the men and hot chocolate for me, and always something to eat. Then, outside the battery would be removed from the car and installed in the buggy. That way, Dad and Bill told me, we would always have a fresh battery. After all the gear was loaded onto the flatbed, we were off. After a short ride and going through a cut in the dunes we were on the beach. Our family and the Olvers’ enjoyed many sojourns to Holgate together, and I caught my first fish from the surf there.  Although Island Beach has been my regular New Jersey  haunt since 1956, Holgate will always hold a special place in my heart, as that is where becoming a beach buggy surf fanatic all began for me.

The Audubon Society held title to Holgate during my early years there, and in 1960 they deeded it to the Brigantine National Wildlife Refuge, now known as the Edwin B. Forsythe National Wildlife Refuge. Ed Forsythe was my Congressman for many years, my friend, and a friend to all fishermen and conservationists. When time allowed Ed would fish at Holgate using his beach buggy, and was the driving force in establishing the refuge. After becoming federal property, fishermen and their beach buggies were allowed to continue to use the state owned beach, operating under rules, regulations and permits administered by Long Beach Township.

In 1972-73 a effort was made to designate portions of the refuge Wilderness, under the Wilderness Act of 1964. The Refuge Wilderness Bill was introduced by Senators Case and Williams with the Holgate Unit of the refuge later added to the proposal. At that point in time, I was serving as President of the New Jersey Beach Buggy Association ( NJBBA).

Knowing vehicles are not permitted in Wilderness Areas the NJBBA became concerned, so I phoned Senator Case’s office. The Senator’s staff member, familiar with the issue, told me Wilderness designation would not affect our access, as we use the state owned beach. Assuming our concerns were put to rest, NJBBA took no further action. Additionally, Congressional Hearing minutes, the Congressional Record, and Senator Case’s Press Release all talk about the historical use of the beach by the public, including fishing and beach buggies. As an example, in 1973, during the Wilderness Hearing before the Subcommittee on Public Lands, E. U. Curtis Bohlen, then Assistant Secretary of the Department of the Interior for Fish and Wildlife and Parks stated, “There will be no change in public use due to wilderness status,.” Also, “Fishermen and nature enthusiasts would experience no change in access”  Congressional intent is very clear, historical public use was to continue. The Refuge Wilderness Bill was subsequently signed into law, including Holgate.

Now in 2001, after almost thirty years of continuous beach buggy access with the adjacent Wilderness, and under several different Refuge Managers, current Manager, Steve Atzert thinks he has a better idea. Atzert and the Fish and Wildlife Service, in spite of Congressional intent and overwhelming public opposition, have adopted a year round beach buggy ban in Alternative B, in the Final Comprehensive Conservation Plan for the Refuge. I might add that this plan also institutes a seasonal closure for walk on access at Two Mile Beach in Cape May, another popular fishing area.

Manager Azert claims he wants to provide Refuge visitors with a true Wilderness experience, thus vehicles must be eliminated from the state beach. He ignores the high density,  typical Jersey shore housing outside the northern boundary of the Refuge, water craft of every description to the east, west, and south, to say nothing of the skyline of Atlantic City off to the south. A Wilderness experience? I am certain this is not what Congress envisioned when they passed the Wilderness Act of 1964. Atzert’s actions remind me of our governments treaty dealings with our native Americans, promises made are promises to be broken by some arrogant, uninformed, ambitious, bureaucratic zealot, like Atzert. No longer will children have fond lifelong memories as I do, nor will older or handicapped anglers be able to get to the inlet. Do you think Atzert cares?

What is being done about this clear abuse of power? The fight is on! Many individuals and organizations, from all across the country, have joined the battle. Fishermen’s friend, Congressman Jim Saxton, has introduced legislation into the Congress, H.R. 896, to allow a narrow transition zone above the mean high tide line where motor vehicles can be safely driven and parked. Many communities on Long Beach Island have adopted resolutions opposing the closure and supporting Saxton’s Bill. Of course, NJBBA is deeply involved, along with JCAA, United Mobile Sportfishermen, Inc, United Four Wheel Drive Associations, Blue Ribbon Coalition, and many fishing clubs.

I urge my readers to join me in helping fellow fishermen by writing letters, both as individuals and from your fishing club. Write to Congressman Saxton in support of his Bill and thanking him. Write and/or visit your member of Congress asking him to support and co-sponsor Saxton’s Bill, H.R. 896. Also, letters to President Bush and Interior Secretary Gale Norton are needed.

For an almost daily update on the Holgate issue and Long Beach Island fishing action, check out Jay Mann’s web site at www.maxpages.com/jmann2001 . Jay is with The Sandpaper on the island and he really is on top of the situation.

The past administration in Washington was very aggressive in eliminating the publics freedom of recreational choice on our public lands. They even started declaring massive areas of ocean surface off limits to sport fishing. Additionally, during the past year we saw Monument Designations, Forest Service road closures, National Park Service snowmobile and PWC bans, and an almost endless list of lost recreational opportunities across our great country. Holgate and Two Mile Beach are only two tiny dots on the past administrations giant radar screen for public land closures.