First drop – the May 2026 Ocean City Magazine has landed

May 2026 – My friend Becky shared the story with me of Earl Paul, a 90-year-old Ocean City resident who has been on the beach more than 10,000 days – a journey that began as a path to healing after his wife passed away. Chances are good you’ve heard Earl’s story and it moved you as much as it did me. The Ocean City beach is so many things to so many people… like Earl, I’m always in awe of its healing power, happiness, and overall peacefulness. Cheers, Earl. Here’s to many more days on the sand.
Speaking of sand… the other day, I took a late evening beach walk. I was struggling with a decision and needed clarity (thank you, beach!)… About three minutes in, I passed a white bucket lid. So, I picked it up and kept moving. Within 100 feet, I came across a deli container and soft drink lid. My collection was growing and now I had a vessel for even more trash. By the end of my walk, the deli container was overflowing with found trash – mostly plastic labels.
Last year, there was a bucket system implemented to help reduce waste being left behind. But perhaps a simple system where there are biodegradable bags for picking up trash, like the ones used at dog parks, trails, etc, would work. Ocean City (thanks to the hard work of the city team) has some, if not the, cleanest beaches out there… and this could help keep it that way. Let me know your take… DM @ocnjmagazine on Instagram to get in touch.
In this issue, we take a closer look at the horseshoe crab, go thrifting in OCNJ, get a lesson in Pickleball and so much more. The sun is shining, the weather is sweet… Bob Marley said that.
I say… see you on the beach.

Stef Godfrey