Sanctuary at Sleepy Hollow. My place at the Shore.
It’s a seasonal campground in Scullville New Jersey, close to Ocean City and Somers Point. Scullville is a tiny hamlet that is actually in Egg Harbor Township, a town with no actual harbor. The lore is the ‘Egg’ name came from early Dutch settlers calling the water ways the Harbor of Eggs, noting the numerous sea gull nests full of eggs.
There are many waterways that surround the mostly wooded areas but they are actually creeks and large ponds. The creek that borders this wooded parkland is called Lakes Creek and it eventually empties into the Great Egg Harbor River heading to the Ocean. This is a place that is rich in history and family landowners that go back to pre-revolutionary times.
But that is not the magic for us of the Sanctuary at Sleepy Hollow Campground.
Over 15 yrs ago we planned to purchase a year-round mobile home in Capy May Court House in an over 55 complex.
Those plans fell through. With our change of plan, we then attended an RV show, made a purchase but had no place to put our purchase. We did some extensive research. Kind of like buying a house except there was no multiple listing book to refer to or a Homes.com website. We tried to stay in the Cape May Court house area but the campgrounds were restrictive on dates and some were even gated. Imagine that, a gated community for camping.
The days of ease with camping seemed to get a little high falutin for our experience and tastes.
Hubby kept researching and claimed to have found the place. He actually said “this is the place. I like their back story”.
Armed with a list of parks to check out from Cape May, Wildwood and finally Somers Point we found Sleepy Hollow Family Campground…emphasis on the Family part.
Sleepy Hollow’s story is one of a continuing legacy of a family business. Our hosts are grooming the 3rdgeneration to take over this family business they grew up around. As they are building their own young family lives they are embracing and sustaining Sleepy Hollow family campground.
Out Hosts are Randy and Lynn. They met as teens. Randy’s family already had Sleepy Hollow established. Randy and Lynn married and lived their newlywed years here and continue to live on the grounds. Their grown children are learning the ropes of maintaining a “Campgroundhood”, this tiny wooded neighborhood.
Enough background for this Sleepy Hollow on to the magic. I have named our site the Sanctuary. It is a place where I can disconnect from everyday stuff. That is not to say we truly disconnect. It is an option, but Camping today, seasonal camping is hardly roughing it in a tent and sleeping bag and cooking breakfast on a table top Coleman gas stove. If you’ve ever had that experience you know that exercise.
My trailer, also known as ‘Sanctuary’ has 2 air conditioners, 2 electric fireplaces, 3 TV’s and free wifi. Before the start of the next season, we get our propane tank filled and our electric bill from the previous season.
This year we did some renovation work - extended the deck of our screen room and added a hardtop roof, all with the expertise of a fellow Sleepy Hollow neighbor. We call him Bob, as in the Builder. Those are the technical details. Now for the fun parts.
We have developed a wonderful social circle of like-minded and age similar friends. We should call ourselves the Grey Brigade. I think I will hold on to that moniker. I like it. It fits.
A couple times during the week, if we don’t go to the lake we head to the beach in Ocean City with our beach badges in a baggie. Pop up the sun canopy and lather on sunscreen. We read and doze and later head back to the Sanctuary for a nap.
There are free concerts of various music groups on Friday nights on the point beach in Somers Point called Tony Mart Presents. The closing act last year featured Mitch Ryder of the Detroit Wheels. He’s old, but so are we.
Sleepy Hollow provides with many weekly activities geared towards all ages. There is yoga on the beach on Saturday mornings, sometimes with singing bowls. They host several events with themes throughout the season, Halloween, Christmas in July and finally the grand finale is a Luau complete with a pig roast, hula dancing and fire dancers.
We have a book club, meeting on Friday once a month. It’s a comfy get together meeting other campers. A couple of this year’s books were Remarkably Bright Creatures, Broken Country and Kristin Hannahs’ the Women. It’s mostly women and always great conversation.
Most of my mornings here are spent filling my bird feeders and watching cardinals, wrens and hummingbirds while I have my morning coffee. The hummingbirds seem to be a little aggressive with one feeder, but are mesmerizing and fun to watch.
My neighbor shared with me that while she has her morning coffee, she also enjoys watching the action at the bird feeders. A little more incentive to continue to feed the birds.
Last year I started a new trend for the Grey Brigade, a Camper Crawl/ it’s like a pub crawl, but we visit others’ participating sites, have a few snacks to eat, a few drinks and just plain old social conversation. This year was our largest, 10 campers’ sites participating. We are people who enjoy the company of others and what better way then around a campfire. When it’s all done for the evening, we head back to our own little home away from home in Sleepy Hollow.
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