Fortescue Beach
Cumberland County
Fortescue, NJ
Top things to see in the Philadelphia Area before you die.
I told you I would be featuring “secret beaches” and here is my first. The second beach is even more private and will feature in another week.
Just hop over the metal divider to your own “semi-private” oasis.
Fortescue Beach is a great get away from it all natural beauty beach. The town’s population is 400 and is the “weakfish capital of the world” a great little fishing spot.
I came here on a whim with my mom and son. I have been checking out google earth and mapping out possible unique beach locations and doing research on cool places to see in NJ. I also had heard there was a beach here, but couldn’t find much information about it. All I saw online was that it’s just a small fishing village with a very small beach.
Gorgeous pristine Delaware Bay
The trip in getting here is very scenic with marshlands and the New Jersey countryside of farms growing produce and livestock.
We arrived by going down Downe Street and then making a left at the stop. If you turn right takes you out to a small marina.
The beach wasn’t small at all. Perhaps a half mile long. With expansive views of the Delaware Bay. It is gorgeous.
Fortescue is a stomping ground in the spring for thousands of migratory birds from South America heading to the Arctic.
Shot of the long beach
The beach is very natural. Clear waters (not like the Caribbean, but clear for Jersey).
A great spot for families. NO CROWDS… A plus in the summer months. We came here on a Saturday midday.
It’s nature at it’s best. Home to sandpipers, plovers, eagles, monarch butterflies, and horseshoe crabs.
It’s off the beaten path and no facilities around so pack accordingly.
A picture of the water
There’s a little B&B called the Charlesworth Inn, nestled right on the beach and has gotten high reviews over the years (perfect for couples).
A wedding taking place on the one end of the beach at Fortescue
There is also a great party boat that goes out daily called, The Bonanza II. It offers folks fishing enjoyment along the Delaware Bay area. Usual sailing times are daily from 7:30-3.
Bring a picnic lunch and enjoy the natural beauty of the calm bay.
My son enjoying Fortescue Beach
This beach is a get away from the summer shore crowd kind of spot.
Check it out it is gorgeous. The best time to come is near sunset as the sun disappears over the bay.
another gorgeous shot
NJ beauty at best.
Getting here. Route 55S. To exit 27 towards Millville.
Merge onto 2nd St. Make right onto County Road. (East Main Street)
left onto Cedar St. Continue onto Cedarville Rd (County Rd. 310)
Slight Left onto County Rd. (629)
Then Left onto Cedarville-Newport Rd (Main Street)
Make right onto Baptist Rd. (656)
Then make 2nd Left onto Fortescue Rd (637)
It then turns into Downe Ave, which will take you to the beach
Going home, take the Bridgeton Pike. A fabulous ride back home.
My only recommendation:
Bring the bug-spray as green heads can come at you on a non-windy day.
Other than that, the beach is fabulous and very tranquil and you will enjoy your day here.
Enjoy a day at Fortescue
Update: New Restaurant at Fortescue called the Fortescue Grill. Open for lunch and dinner on weekends.
Please welcome this new restaurant to the community.
South Jersey History & Adventures 
We should have checked this out when we were fishing at Eastern Point. But ran out of time, spent the whole day there, will have to check this place out next. Will let ya know how the fishing is!
Should be good, since it’s the weakfish capital of the world. Bring that bug spray. I did see folks fishing here…so maybe you will catch something.
Love Fortescue! Almost purchased a house down there and I am still looking for the right spot. Beautiful town with all of its natural charm unspoiled by development.
Fortescue has been hit terribly in this storm. My heart goes out to them. I truly love the serenity and quiet of this little bay town. Thank you for reaching out and telling us your story!! Hope you get your find the “right spot!”
Hi Yummygal. Here’s some info on Fortescue you probably couldn’t obtain. I spent many spring and summer days there as a child and adult. My wife’s uncle was the Mayor, Police chief, Fire chief and just about everything else there for many years. Of course, he was also the only policeman and fireman on the island. A one-man government! Her Aunt ran a famous restaurant just across the bridge on the left side. She was famous for her Aunt Mary’s crab cakes, which won best crab cakes at the Jersey shore in the Atlantic City press every year. My wife is one of the few with the recipe and still makes them for me today. I fished on the original “Bonanza” party boat many times and knew the Captain well. We also used to charter private boats for night weak fishing. The beach is nice and the water clean, and people do know about Fortescue Beach, but they also know about the GREENHEADS! Almost unbearable on a hot day. There is only one road in and out of Fortescue, and on very high tides it often floods and you are stuck on one side or the other. During a certain time of year, the horseshoe crabs mate in the bay in the beach area, and you can see hundreds of them in that area. Also, on the beach front there for many years up until the late seventies, was a restaurant and speakeasy. You could get couple of beers and basic drinks, and if you knew the right person, you could play poker in the back room. They even had two or three old slot machines to play. Yeah, days gone by, sure do miss ’em. Keep up the good work and thanks again for finding these hidden gems.
Rick, thanks for sharing! I was at Money Island/Dyers last week. I love the Bay towns. They are often quite forgotten. I thought the coverage in Sandy was minimal. I appreciate you adding to the story of Fortescue. I just can in possession of some old photos too. I’m working on a project to list every South Jersey town with a bit of history about it and some old/new photos. I truly appreciate you reaching out. Especially the greenheads, haha!
You are a blessing. I know this amazing area of South Jersey. The wetland here could never ,ever, be replaced by any amount of power or money. They are being forgotten in the damage that hurricane Sandy has had on this beautiful,historical,fragile,gem of the Delaware !
Thanks Elizabeth! There will be a ton more blog features on areas of the Delaware Bay and a follow-up on Fortescue after Hurricane Sandy. As it gets colder out, the less exploring I do and the more I write. I am very far behind. The Swedesboro post that I put up today was from a visit way back in March. I have a lot of catching up to do!
Have lived on the bayfront in Fortescue for 15 years. Those on the bayfront suffered the most damage from Sandy, especially Gandy’s Beach. It’s a great fishing village with party boats going after weakfish, stripers and flounder. Spring to fall, Betty Higbee’s restaurant is open for early breakfast til 3pm. She is also a wealth of history and wrote a book about Fortescue. Greenheads have a season. They tend to be here when the horseshoe crabs are in. Toward the end of July, they are pretty much gone, having been replaced by dragonflies and butterflies. Sadly, the Charlesworth Hotel and Restaurant took a lot of damage and may not be open this year.
It is a bit upsetting. I have a friend whose family had property in Dyers and it just breaks her heart all of this damage. The shore towns received a ton of attention in the aftermath of the nightmare because millions of dollars of tourism are funneled into them on a yearly basis. Someone had mentioned to me on Facebook in regards to the Charlesworth. I truly find these bay shore towns to be gems in the state of NJ. I’m sorry to hear this and I hope you were spared damage. Diane, thank you for sharing.
Hi Yummygal! Love your blog! My husband & I are native New Jerseysans & LOVE exploring our great state. We discovered Fortescue a few years back. On our back road travels, we always find many cool places!
Love back road travels! I actually went back yesterday and explored other areas. Thanks for stopping by Maire!
Im 25 years old , and have been coming down to my shore house every weekend in Fortescue for the past 20 years .Its a perfect get-away on the weekends. Some of us actually would prefer if you didnt give directions on how to get there . Look at it from that point of you and respect the residents . With a population of 400 , of course we dont want all the Philly assholes there on the weekends and the noise of the city . Stay away from Fortescue , my home a way from home . Thanks
Nice Freddy! Anyone can GPS directions and A LOT of folks know about Fortescue…Gasp! It really isn’t a secret. It is public knowledge with anyone with a brain and a map.
I have lived in South Jersey my entire life and enjoy all of what we have to offer. The directions I gave are back roads so that people can enjoy the country air.
I am not an “asshole” and most folks aren’t “Philly” assholes. I respect my state’s land and enjoy its vast beauty. I have much as a right to visit as everyone else does as long as people do not trespass on private property. However, the beach area is open to the public. Sorry if that disappoints you.
HaHa!! You are so right about Fortescue, the directions, and the Philly JO’s!!! I spent every weekend of every Summer, and some full weeks also, along with Winters in the 1970’s when the entire Bay froze over Solid!! Looked like Giant Ice Bergs!!! We owned Property with 4 homes in total at the time, 2 were normal looking Houses, 2 Story, one was much bigger than the other…..we had a home constructed Well House, that was Big as a Small Home…..and had a very deep Well with the Coldest Purest Water, that didn’t freeze up in Winters…..so my Grandfather used to supply local friends with Water……like Mrs. Hamilton at her Store on Garrison St……..the Homes and Property are still there today, but one of the Homes and the Huge Pier attached finally went away with a Nasty Storm in the early 1990’s. Our Homes and Property were just over the last small Wooden Bridge on the Island, near the old Marina that was owned by Lenny and Gert Saunders who were good friends of ours!!
Just found this article as my grandparents used to have a duck hunting/fishing camp in Fortescue and were good friends of Lenny and Gert’s too. I’m wondering if you knew Oz and Mary Thomas. They owned a bait shop in Cherry Hill and used to go to Fortescue whenever they could. I believe their camp was the last one out on the point and has long since been washed away. They loved their time spent there and I have some fond memories of it as a child as well except for falling into the creek and the smell of riding home with our dog who was sprayed by a skunk.
there is a new resturant opening up in a couple of weeks the fortescue grille all new equement should be open by june first tel#856 447 1200
Hi Yummygal. I like your website. I live in Fortescue. It is a special place and right now the shorebirds are really enjoying all of those horseshoe crab eggs. The beach in your pictures has lost a lot of sand from hurricane Sandy and at high tide we really don’t have too much beach anywhere. But it is still a good beach for anyone to come see and enjoy. My favorite place is down the road, past your pictures, toward the bridge. That used to be a giant beach before the storm and at low tide you can really walk out pretty far. But it changes shape all of the time from storms. Hopefully it will build back up again because that too is gone at high tide. That beach is closed now until June 7 so the shorebirds can eat. It looks like a really good year for the crabs as well. We are also enjoying our strawberry flies and gnats right now. People need to come prepared if they want to see the beach right now. The fishermen did pretty well this spring catching some striped bass from the beaches. I built the website for Captain Jim Higbee, III, who has been a party boat captain for the Miss Fortescue fishing boat for most of his life. We have 3 open headboats here in Fortescue, the others are the Salt Talk and the Bonanza, as you mentioned. They are boats open each day for anyone to get aboard to fish. No reservations are necessary. Flounder season has just opened. Other fish being caught so far this year are the striped bass, weakfish, bluefish, croakers, kingfish, and blowfish. My father taught me to fish, as his father taught him. The Delaware Bay is nice and calm most time so fishing is not too rough for kids and it is a good thing for families to do for a fun, day trip. Unfortunately Fortescue has lost 20+ homes from the hurricane and only a few homes have been able to fix their damages. Our little town depends on visitors to keep our businesses alive. Right now there are at least 8 ospreys roosting on the road into Fortescue. You can see bald eagles just about every day soaring around. There are blue herons, white egrets, night herons, everywhere. We are in the monarch butterfly path when they take off. I am pretty sure there are more turkeys than people here in Downe Township, too. The new Fortescue Grille is now open and I hear the food is very good. Betty Higbee is open everyday until October and her menu has breakfast and lunch. We have two bait and tackle shops in town, too. So thank you for telling everyone about our little island. If anyone is looking for a shore home that is affordable where you don’t have to pay tolls and wait in long freeway lines each weekend…there are plenty of homes for sale here now. Hopefully the state will help us keep our historic fishing village from disappearing. Places like this are few and should be preserved for everyone to enjoy.
Kathy, I’ve heard the new restaurant is good too! I look forward to trying it out, I’ve been away in Europe, but can’t wait to come HOME. I truly appreciate the extra little Fortescue tidbits. I hope to go out on a fishing excursion this summer via Fortescue.
This is the time of year for tons of laughing gulls, shorebirds, horseshoe crabs and the gnats! Bug repellant recommended! Those of us who live here are pretty much toughened up to them, but a slow east wind will really bring them out, or a muggy day. They usually die down when the horseshoe crabs move out. Blue claw crabs are available now!
Diane, I’m going to have to make another trip! I was in Fortescue a few weeks back before vacation. I’m always here to support our local places. I can’t wait to return and take photos with a new camera I just got. I love nature. Fortescue is like that. No crowds and just a very peaceful place.
In order to see the horseshoe crabs at their best, this would be the best week, as they will be tapering off. The last full moon brought in the most crabs, and there are plenty to see. They are also best seen around high tide, when they come up to the beach area to lay eggs.They often get flipped upside down, and the proper way to help them is to simply turn them over by the side of their shell. The tails are not really handles, as most people think. These crabs cannot hurt you, even though they have pincher type claws. Also, we do not return them to the water, as they may still be trying to lay eggs. They will either head to the water again or crawl somewhere on the beach. They leave a “railroad” track behind them and it’s interesting to see some of the designs, as they don’t always go straight! The Fortescue Grill is open for dinner, Friday, Saturday and Sunday. Yay! Dinner on the island!
Yummygal….here’s a personal invite to fish with Captain Jim and I when you get back into the area, on the house! I have an extra rod and it is always nice to have another lady on the boat. Bring your son…kids somehow win the pool a lot of the time. Either way…let me know if you’re coming to town so we can meet. Hope you are enjoying Europe. My roots go back to Lithuania……did you travel there? Have a safe trip home.
Kathy, thank you. That is very kind of you. I actually enjoy fishing. Lithuania, wow would love to go there someday. What interesting roots! It was a gorgeous and one of my most memorable trips, but happy to be back home 🙂
hi the fortescue grille is now open friday sat and sun for dinner you can,t miss it ithasa palm tree out front
hi how do i send you a picture frank
Frank, you can email photos to theyummygal@gmail.com. Congrats on the new business. Best of luck to you.
than you i think they have plans to bring the island back to the old days thanks frank
hi not open for lunch yet but check on phone #856 447 1200 for up dtes one xpanded hours thanks everyone who stoped in frank
hi are there any old gost towns in the pines in south jesey also when i was real young they were talking about south jersey becoming its own state still any talk about itfrank
Frank, there are a ton of Ghost towns. Friendship and Martha are good ones to start. You’re right on South Jersey becoming its own state. Went to the state assembly and almost passed too (with the exception of Atlantic County.)
ok i have a old book on south jesey gost towns if i can find it but i will check out your info thanks frank
any one wishing a gift certificate to cover a desert and beverage please send your address to fortescuegrille@aol.com and we will get one out to you forescue grille 102 delaware avfortescue nj 08321 friday sat sun 1pm to 7pm thanks frank
Frank, that is so kind of you!!! I’ll reach out privately. Thank you for extending such a gracious offer to folks!
Hi Yummygal, I’m looking for a place to stay in this beautiful area, a hotel or a cabin would be great, can you give me any recommendations? Many thanks!
All the best
Aran
I would try looking at house rentals. Possibly Homeaway. They use to have a lovely Bed & Breakfast that had excellent reviews. Unfortunately, was destroyed by Sandy. Hopefully, it will be back next year. The nearest hotels that I’d recommend are probably in Millville, which would be a bit of a hike.
Hi Yummygal-Hope you are enjoying summertime. We have some exciting news here in Fortescue and I would like to let everyone know about it. August 3, 2013 is the date for SWIM Delaware Bay. Meghan Wren, founder of the Bayshore Center at Bivalve, and the NJ Tall Ship A.J. Meerwald will depart Port Mahon, DE and swim 13.1 miles to Fortescue, NJ. She is hoping to bring awareness to our beautiful bay and all it has to offer. There will be a Bash on the Beach from 1-4 PM to help celebrate and there will be lots of kid activities. Bring your beach chairs.. All donations are tax deductible and proceeds support education about the Delaware Bay. Anyone who hasn’t been to Fortescue should take this opportunity to come on down and see what we are all about. Our new Art Gallery at the Fellowship Hall of the Chapel will be open, too. For more info, please visit http://www.bayshorediscovery.org or call 856-785-2060 x108.Hope you can make it.
August 3rd sounds like a rocking time. I’ll also post on Facebook in the next upcoming week. Thank you!!
Wonderful site. I hope it keeps up and expands forever. I love South Jersey and the pines and Cape May especially. You should consider making youtube videos. I hear people get paid for them. Chuck Letts
Thanks Charles. I have a lot of upcoming Cape May and Pine Barrens stuff as well as all of NJ. I am about 7 months behind in the site of adventures. Thank you for the feedback!
I was looking for info on Fortescue and came across your blog, loved it…While researching my family tree I found that my grandfather married a woman named Rosanna Fortescue so I’m looking for information on how the town got it’s name. We are actually going to visit there tomorrow, just to see it.
Betty, I hope you enjoy yourself in Fortescue. I’m not 100% sure of its origination. There is a book about the history on the market and may be worth picking up.
Be sure to stop into Higbee’s Restaurant right after you cross the bridge. Betty Higbee is a wealth of information about Fortescue and wrote a book about it. Also a good place for breakfast and lunch!
Well, we did go and had lunch at Higbee’s, I wasn’t disappointed, met Betty’s daughter and she gave me a copy of the book to read while we were there. I found out that the town was named after Lord John Fortescue of Great Britian he and his wife settled it in the 1700’s.
I loved the whole area, but I was sorry to see the damage from Sandy, we have had the same damage where we live. I definitely felt a connection. It was well worth the trip.
Glad you had a good trip! We are a unique little island community.
hi email me so i can send you something frank yumygal
just down there yesterday things are looking good
Great to hear!
Headed to the Fortescue Grille tonight!
lisa email me @ fortescuegrile@aol.com soi can send you something ok frank
yummygal did you get letter i sent you? frank
Yes and thank you Frank! I thought I emailed you back. I will have to stop in!
is this beach a ood spot for findings sea glass
Petee I would say no. It’s just similar to a sandy beach as you would find on the Atlantic Ocean.
More sea glass here than we could want! Many folks make sea glass jewelry and use it for decorating.
I guess I should open my eyes more when I am on the beach, Diane! Hahahaha! Thank you!
I have so much sea glass from this beautiful beach. I need to go back
hi just to let everyone know fortescurgrille is closed sundays open friday and sat 4pm seating to 8pm any sunday coupons will be good friday and sat thanks all frank call 856 447 1200
Thanks Frank! I will be stopping by soon!
hi yummygal
Just wanted to tell everyone this Friday night is our 4th Friday at the Bayfront Art Gallery in Fortescue. I am the featured artist this month and am hoping to see new people come out to see what we have here. We have many talented,local artists. I am a mosaic artist working with stained glass, and make unique pieces from found objects. I am currently working on paper bead jewelry. There will be live music and food and beverages. Hope to see some new faces. The gallery resides in the fellowship hall of the Fortescue Chapel at the corner of Downe Avenue and Delaware Avenue.We are open every 4th Friday of the month from 6-8 PM.
My family owns the restaurant so thank you for the plug . i own a house on Virginia ave . my grandfather built it in 1945 . We tend to want to keep the traffic and builders out of Fortescue but , at the same time as locals we want people to value and appreciate my home away from home’s beauty . Stop in my restaurant for a good cheesesteak and jump aboard the Ronketty’s Bonanza for fishing or lighthouse tours !
Thanks Tim
Hi, Yummygal! I’m so glad to have found this blog – love it! My husband and I recently purchased a home in dire need of restoration in Fortescue, and we love learning any tidbit we can about our community. While we’re from Philly, we’re not technically assholes – I grew up spending summers in Gandy’s and have tons of family in South Jersey. I’m hoping Betty Higbee still has her history book for sale. And I can assure everyone that, hands down, the Fortescue Grille has the best crab scampy I’ve ever eaten.
Thanks Darla and congrats on the new home! Sounds like you are putting a lot of love into it!
fortescue grille is now open friday and saterday soon to be open sunday . new enclosed deck by the way new beaches on north end of island from the dredging great for sitting on the beach frank at fortescuegrille@aol.com
We visited yesterday and noticed it IS a tiny little town. Storm damage was still visible – particularly one old home falling into the Bay. Nice and quiet. There is very little beach left due to the storm, however if you want a quiet place to watch the water, this is it. You’d have to drive a long way to the grocery, but the peace and quiet are well worth it. We were surprised by the hundreds of horseshoe crabs mating and laying eggs on the small strip of beach. We’d never seen that before and that was so interesting, it was worth the trip. They clustered in groups of 5 to 7 or more along the water line, and a few were up on the sand. Several were totally buried under the sand, presumably laying eggs. The birds were going nuts. I saw small fist-sized clusters of matter, with little tiny green dots on them — presumably these are the eggs the birds were going nuts after. Occasionally, I’d come across one laying on its back, appearing dead. But as soon as I flipped it over, it began crawling through the sand or to the water. Only one was truly beyond saving–hey I saved some lives yesterday! I watched one crawling on top of another that was upside down – but saw others crawling on top of the back of the female. I was fascinated to watch some of them PUSHING the other back to the water. I was happy to get a biology lesson on our short 3 days in the area and am now going to read up on horseshoe crabs.. Good luck to all who have repair work to do on their tiny, modest cottages. Nothing appeared to be open yesterday – would have loved an ice cream cone!
Hi juls
I am a full time resident in Fortescue. Thanx for taking the time to visit. You just missed our horseshoe crab festival on may 31. You can check out what we did to celebrate by visiting
http://Www.downebythebay.org. next years festival will be may 16. Mark ur calendar
We have the best sunsets, too.
I am so glad I discovered your blog…I am always looking for something local and new to discover. I have lived in NJ my entire life but we always went to the typical Jersey Shore…Ocean City and surrounding areas. I can’t wait to explore the bay area with my kids and husband! Fortescue looks like a great place!!!
Thank you Jess. Just bring some bug spray though. The green heads come out from time to time depending on the weather.
Are pets allowed on the beach?
Yes
Before Hurricane Sandy I know Fortescue was a wonderful place to find sea glass. Is it still worth the trip to come and look for glass, or is there not enough beach left?
fortescue grille now has a email address fortescuegrille@aol.com any questions i will be glad to answer thanks frank
Hi, Joan
We actually have more beach then before Sandy. They dredged the channel this past winter/spring, and there is beach where some of the houses were razed.
Did you ever get this answer? I would be interested in coming for sea glass as well.
hopefully dogs are banned tear round from the beach
I just went for a kayak ride on sunday. I live in Fortescue year round. You probably did see dog feces on the entrance from the road but all of the other feces are a result of ships and boats that emptied their toilets at sea. You don’t normally see it on the beaches here. When i went kayaking i did see some, too. I am not sure what caused it to be there. Guess it depends on which way the wind blows and low tide. Our beaches here are not cleaned each morning at dawn like AC or Wildwood….you would see the same thing there if they didn’t do it. Fish eat other fish and crabs, mussels, and oysters. Fortescue is not for everyone. It is the Delaware bay, not Atlantic ocean. We see beautiful sunsets, have no crowds, toll roads, or traffic lights. We get greenheads a few weeks a year. Brigantine sees them all summer. Some years bugs are better than others. People who live here want to live here. Our beach does not normally have what you experienced. Most people pick up after their dog.
Owners are supposed to clean up after their dogs. Sounds like enforcement needs to happen.
Bite your tongue, Joe! We bought in Fortescue BECAUSE we could take our dog on the beach. I’m the crazy blonde with the chocolate and multiple bags cleaning up after my dog and others. Residents and visitors just need to be responsible for their pets.
There is no such thing as a responsible dog owner. The only thing filthier than a dog is a dog owner.
I just visited Fortescue for my first time last week. We found two baby northern dissonance turtles which was awesome. We helped them to the water where unfortunately a seagulls scooped one up :-(. It is a beautiful beach and very relaxing. It’s not all hectic like Wildwood, AC, or ocean city which seem to attract the party crowd. The only bad things that I noticed were the greenheads and dog poop. The greenheads were a nuisance. As soon as I entered the beach, I saw a pile of dog feces. It was actually quite disturbing but I ignored it. After swimming for a while, I noticed the water was calm and I found the perfect skipping rock. I tossed it and it skipped longer than I’ve ever been able to do before. I decided to look for more rocks and saw another good one-stop I thought… I picked it up and switched hands to notice Brown residue on my Palm.. it was dog poop! I thought I must be damn unlucky. I checked the next one by pressing on it with my foot….. and more poop! It was everywhere. I even found some in the water while looking for one of the kid’s toys. We were about to but a trailer off of a family friend but not now. Who wants to try and avoid dog feces the whole time your at the beach. It was disgusting! I would only ever go there again to try the charter fishing but I wouldn’t eat the fish lol.
yes there is a beach they build the beach back better than before new sand and sand dunes a access ramp to the beach has been instaled next to the fortescue grille you can walk your dogs but you must clean up after them come down you will like the new fortescue frank
Please reply to earlier comments regarding whether you can still find beach glass on this beach? We are considering driving there tomorrow…and we are visiting from Alaska. Please give information if you can. Thanks, Michelle
I never did a reply on my question about the status of beach glass. We decided to go anyway. We were there September 27, 2014. The good news is that we did get some glass- about 30 pieces total with 3 of us looking (green and clear- no blue or any unusual colors). We could have gotten more but we were literally attacked by flies. I’ve never experienced anything like it. They swarmed relentlessly and took out chunks of skin. They hurt like the dickens. We had bug spray (good quality stuff) and it was minimally effective -for about 2 minutes- and then they were back. Both my companions gave up after about 10-15 minutes. I covered up as much of my skin as I could (it was hot and I wore my jacket cinched around my face- not comfortable!) and looked about 15 minutes longer. Every once in awhile the wind would gust a little and I got some relief from the flies and the heat. If you happen to catch it on a windy day you may fare better. From other comments I understand that the flies are not always there. It would be worth finding out if it is fly season if you really want to enjoy the beach. The beach is very pretty- nice white sand.
Our first trip to the town of Fortesque was Jan. 2013 – just a few months after Sandy. Even with its devastation, we could appreciate the beauty and tranquility of this unknown shore town. To celebrate our 29th anniversary, my husband & I decided to go to AC yesterday & made a stop at Fortesque to search for sea glass. We weren’t disappointed! We stopped again on the way home today. Between myself and my husband and two days of searching, we easily came home with 100 pieces! A lot of very baked white and browns. A few of jewelry quality…
Sorry for the incorrect spelling of Fortescue. I realized my mistake after hitting post.
Lots of people spell it that way. There is plenty of glass for everyone. So happy you came to visit. Please come back again.
I spent many summers in Fortescue I worked at the sanders boats at the very end of the island Lenny and Gertrude Sanders it’s all gone now my parents had a house at that end of the island it’s still there we had a pier that went about 120 feet into the bay also the road used to go way down past the bridge but that was a gravel road that washed out a lot yes green heads but the best fishing of my life in the early 60’s I made over 100 dollars a week catching bait and tips working on the little boats in the creek called oyster gut
Does anyone remember Adolph Miller from the Marina on the right hand side when you come into Fortescue?
Hi, I just happened upon your blog writing about Fortescue while looking for information on the town. Contemplating a visit…heard it was a good place to find sea glass. Like you, the last few years I have been discovering all the beauty in my home state of New Jersey. Cape May area is my favorite place to go, I’m often alone or with another girl friend, so going places we feel safe is important to us. Thanks for your nice little write up!
Very safe area, fishermen, boaters, families, lots of folks looking for sea glass. Unfortunately, the Fortescue Grille appears permanently closed, but the Charlesworth hotel and restaurant will be open again in the spring.
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I’m so happy to hear the charlesworth will reopen! As for the posts about dog poop, I’ve been there dozens and dozens of times and never have seen any. But the green heads can carry you away sometimes! Lol
I did end up visiting the small beach at Fortescue and found some green, brown and clear sea glass. My friend and I enjoyed having the place to ourselves on a fairly nice day in March. It seems like a ghost town, not much sign of life. But it a nice off-the-beaten-path place. There were end loaders and such working on dunes and such.
Does anyone have pictures of the old store that used to be at Gandy’s Beach and the 2 story house next to it? My family rented that house in the summer for a few years when I was growing up and they were great memories.
does anyone know about rentals? by the week? or the summer season?
Did the Charlesworth Hotel get opened?
Ah so happy to find someone who loves the wonderful find of Fortescue. My boyfriend is from South Jersey and I’m from PA. late Fall of 2013 he and his mom took me to Fortescue and told me plenty of pre-Sandy stories. It was obvious the town had been hit hard. But I instantly fell in love with Fortescue. Maybe because I spent many a summers on boats in the Chesapeake bay and grew up loving all things nautical. Fortescue is still my favorite place to visit every time I see my boyfriend. (So bad to the point I’m trying to convince him we should by our first house there and fix her up). We have not gotten to try the Charlesworth yet since the just re opened a few months ago. However does anyone know if the Fortescue Grill is still open?
Fortescue Grille was closed last year. Charlesworth was open for the season this year.
This has been a great read. As a child in the 40’s and 50’s, my family went there annually with me and my brother to fish and vacation. We actually lived in several nearby towns (Woodstown, Penns Grove, and Pennsville) over the years but the lure of the flounder and ‘weakies’ and non-touristy atmosphere kept us coming back to Fortesque. My uncle Walter and aunt Catherine Smith had a home there where they spent most of the year, even though their main residence was in Pennsville. They really loved it there. He was a senior officer (I think) in the Coast Guard Auxiliary and was often out in a boat checking to see if the other boats in the bay met all the safety requirements. I believe he passed about 5 years ago. Thanks to everyone for all the posts on this blog.
I’ve enjoyed reading most of the posts here and thought I’d post an update here. The Charlesworth is open for the 4th season now since Sandy. The deck and bulkhead were destroyed in the storm and the new deck is finally finished. The building has survived since 1924 and we are celebrating our 25th season this year. We always enjoy hearing how people discover us and their thoughts when they come in for the first time. Fortescue is waking up after a long cold and snowy winter this year so it’s a good time to venture down! The bugs aren’t out yet!
I grew up vacationing in Fortescue. My grandmother owned a home on New Jersey Ave.
I remember running directly across the street with my pucket and shovel to the beach. I believe the sandy lot my grandmother lived across the street from now has a big house built on it.
I also remember my siblings and I running on Jasper’s pier into the water.
Wow, brings back memories.
Fortescue certainly was a sleepy little beachy neighborhood.
Ty for the information – brings back memories
Cheryl
Is there still seaglass to be found in Fortescue? Would like to go tomorrow.
Or any other places near by? We are in Ocean city.