Folk life and folklore series scheduled at SCCC

Newton —Sussex County Community College hosted a talk and video about another part of the Garden State, the Jersey Shore, on Thursday, Oct. 26, in the Sussex Bank Theater. Folklorists studying the Jersey Shore discussed their work at the opposite end of the state. The video “The Sea Bright Skiff: Working on the Jersey Shore,” made by Rita Moonsammy and Louis Presti, was also presented. The Sea Bright-style skiff dates back to the mid-1800s along the North Jersey Shore. Charles Hankins still hand-crafts these boats made of New Jersey cedar and green oak, though they no longer serve as fishing vessels. He demonstrated the process of building the skiff, step by step. Dr. Peter Guthorn and other Jersey shoremen traced the history of the boat, from its use as a fishing boat to its service as a life-boat and a competitivie rowing skiff. The Sea Bright Skiff influenced the design of many boats to follow, as some styles evolved to carry motors and heavy cargo. Some served as rum-runners during Prohibition. Today, most of these skiffs are used by the lifeguard communities along the Jersey Shore as patrol boats.