Ancient Rovers of the Sea...

....By Herman Gieske

        "The settlers here are mostly Danish, Norwegian or Swedish fishermen. They wrest their living from the sea, as did their forebears immemorially. When a few of them settled here 14 years ago there was hardly a house, and what is now known as a thrifty fisher village was just a desolate wave whipped marsh, nothing here but "Old Barney" the light and plenty of fish, if one knew how to catch them.

            These fisherfolk from Norway, Sweden and Denmark knew how. A group of 23 men in the original colony,for that is what is was, subscribed $200. cash each and agreed to furnish $200. worth of work to build their own fishing dock. A banker took their notes of hand for the balance of the money they needed.

             Thats not all. They built a road and with many a chuckle and lusty swing of hammer and saw, they built  a firehouse. 'Think of it' remerked Jens Jensen, one of the leaders of the community, 'think of a bunch of squareheads building a firehouse. And it's a good one' he added. 'Two stories high, neatly painted, it's one of the village showplaces.'

              From December to April they fish for cod down here. Prices of codfish have been good of late, up as high as 12 or 14 cents a pound, and averaging as much as 5 to 8 cents. Now they're getting ready for sea bass season, and though it seems a bit incredible they also catch sea bass in lobsterpots.

              Sea bass fishing boomed in Barnegat City, where every man is  an independent fisherman, nearly evey one owning his own boat. They fish six to seven miles, sometimes twenty miles out.The sea bass season lasts well into October. A fisherman down here makes about $1000. to $1600. a year, typically owns his own home and has no boss but himself."