A to Z Theme 2016

For my 2016 A to Z theme I used a meme that I ran across on the blog of Bridget Straub who first saw it on the blog of Paula Acton. This meme is a natural for me to use on my memoir blog. It's an A to Z concept and it's about me. No research and nothing complicated. I'm given twenty six questions or topics to discuss that are about me.

In April I kept my posts short and uncomplicated. In the midst of it all you might learn a few things about me that you didn't previously know.

Saturday, July 25, 2015

New Jersey Memories


   

        New Jersey never figured into my past in any big way.  Now ironically New Jersey is a big part of my more recent past, my present, and undoubtedly will be a major part of my future since three of my daughters now live in this Atlantic coast state along with four of my grandchildren.  I don't see any of them moving from here anytime soon so I guess New Jersey is now a big part of me.

       Prior to my touring show career starting in the late 1970's, I'd only been to New Jersey twice for brief visits.  The state flew low below my radar most of my life.  My mother used to tell me stories when I was very young about her visit to Atlantic City when she was still in high school.  I longed to see the amusements at the Steel Pier and ride the rides.

        Then in the mid-1950's--I forget exactly when--our family took a vacation trip to the Big Apple and then to Atlantic City.  I don't remember too much about either place other than having been there.  Snippets of memories of visiting Coney Island, going to the top of the Empire State Building, and riding the Staten Island ferry vaguely reside in some dusty corner of my brain.  Only a hazy remembrance of visiting my mother's cousin at the Metropolitan Museum of Art where he worked.

         The Atlantic City memories are even less vivid.  One that stands out most is my ride on the Bathysphere or Diving Bell as it was most commonly known.  My search on the internet found little about this attraction though I did find some confirmation of what I remember.

         The Diving Bell (my parents called it The Bathysphere which is a term that was apparently more well known back then) was a small vessel that dropped to the depths at the pier giving riders the experience of being under the ocean for a brief period.  I still recall the stuffy cramped interior that now would probably give me feelings of claustrophobia, but at that time didn't bother me much.  It was more than an amusement ride for me.  It was an adventure.

        As we dropped into the depths I gazed out the porthole before me in wonderment.  The murky greenish waters were mysterious and foreboding.   I had expected to see fish and other undersea life--maybe even an octopus.   All I saw was the algae encrusted pilings of the pier and unknown particles floating in the water, but to me even that was exciting.  I felt the pressure change in my ears as we descended to the sandy ocean bottom.

        Then suddenly the small capsule that we were in rushed to the surface with riders squealing with delight or maybe terror--I couldn't tell quite which.  For me it was a thrill, but I was glad that we were back out of the water.  The ocean bottom was a fascinating place to visit, but I wasn't too keen on staying there for long.

        Though my internet research gleaned little knowledge about the Atlantic City Diving Bell, I did find an informative little article at The Atlantic City Free Public Library website. There is also a very brief video (embedded at the top of this post) that shows the Diving Bell submerging and then reappearing on the water surface.  Apparently the Diving Bell can still be seen on display in Atlantic City.  Maybe after my wife arrives to rejoin me in New Jersey we'll take a trip down to Atlantic City to see what it's like now.

        Have you been to Atlantic City?   Do you have any memories of Atlantic City in the pre-casino days?    Does a brief dunk into the ocean depths interest you or does the thought make you uncomfortable?




8 comments:

  1. I grew up on Cape Cod so I was in the water a lot. That said I never liked dunking my head under the water even with a mask. It was creepy. I tried to never get into water that was over my head.

    As for NJ, I was through it a couple of times when my parents went to Florida. I saw the Grateful Dead at Giants Stadium in 1989, and flew to SF out of Newark once. But my former inlaws lived there so we visited them a couple of times and they took us to Ocean City for a couple of hours. That was where they always rented a cottage for 2 weeks in the 60s and 70s when Brian and his sisters were kids. It was fall and nothing was really open.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. JoJo, your NJ experiences sound a bit more extensive than my experiences of youth. Beach areas are often seasonal in the East, but I can understand why.

      Lee

      Delete
  2. Even though New Jersey is known for it's huge cities, I always see it like Georgia. You have the beaches, the farms, the country rides, etc.
    I know New Jersey may be a small state, but it is a big state in your heart with you daughter, son-in-law and grands there now.
    I just finished reading Roxanna Britton which is a biography of Shirley S. Allen's great grandmother. It was just a story of someone's life but it was fascinating. Write your memoir folks, it may not sell like a rockstar's but there will be people in future generations who will appreciate your story.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Ann, in my more recent explorations of NJ I've been surprised how rural the state actually is for the most part. You're right about writing memoirs. Not all of us prefer to read about celebrity memoirs and just want to read about people with whom we might identify.

      Lee

      Delete
  3. Interesting story about the diving bell! We spent a few days in Atlantic City back in the 80s, but I don't remember that. My impressions at the time weren't too favourable. Everything was incredibly overpriced, compared to Las Vegas and there was so much less "bang for your buck". The hotels and boardwalk were nice, but as soon as you left that area, the city was shabby and rundown. Hopefully, it's improved in the meantime.
    Enjoy your time with the family. ☺

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Debbie, I think the Diving Bell stopped operations in the 70's sometime. I'm sure Vegas has more to offer than Atlantic City even now. I guess they were trying to upgrade AC but never quite managed.

      Lee

      Delete
  4. I went to Atlantic City in maybe 1976, pre casino days, for just one day. I'm sure I wanted to visit Boardwalk and Parkplace (ok, I'm sure we were on the Boardwalk, but I don't remember Park Place). It was kind of a dump as I remember. I think we lost keys on the beach. That's about it for my memory. My husband went back once to gamble and won $300.

    I grew up outside of Washington DC, and we went to Ocean City Maryland. It was nicer when I was young than it is now, and not nearly as crowded.

    ReplyDelete
  5. Thea, I think we often are disappointed when going back to places we have good memories about--at least that's been my experience. Of course with some places I've been pleasantly surprised.

    Lee

    ReplyDelete

Tell your story. Express your thoughts. We want to hear from you. This blog no longer accepts comments from "Anonymous"--That guy is really starting to bug this blog. If you want to leave me a comment then please register if you aren't already--it's easy to do and I really want to hear from you.

Arlee Bird