NORTH WILDWOOD — When it comes to beauty, luck and comedy, there is no greater attribute than good timing.
A photographer can learn everything there is to know about a camera, but if he or she is not in the right place at the right time, it’s meaningless.
For those who’ve always dreamt of living within sight of the sea, the timing has never been better than right now.
Unlike the rest of the Wildwoods, North Wildwood and Anglesea have always had a rustic, real quality that is completely at odds with the Disney, Doo-Wop ethos of, say, the boardwalk and its surrounding area.
North Wildwood is a bit quieter, has always had more of a year-round community and seems more genuinely coastal than a typical white-sand resort. Winter sunsets seem to take all day, and the rising surf during a storm is dramatic and elemental.
This is an area that invites cable knit sweaters and songs about the sea; a very different vibe from, for example, Wildwood Crest, which feels like a neighborhood in Philadelphia became unmoored and drifted up next to Wildwood without changing anything about their day. North Wildwood has salt in its teeth, and a story to tell.
Not everything remains unchanged there, however; North Wildwood never tried to be like Cape May and become an open-air museum of turrets and gingerbread. Regency Tower was a symbol of modernity in 1980 when it was built, and a symbol of the muscular ’80s idea of elegance now.
The exterior has aged particularly well, acting as a focal point as Kennedy Drive winds inexorably to its northern terminus.
The Regency is only three blocks from the sea wall, which has a lovely end-of-the-world vibe particularly popular with artists and joggers. Not only is this stretch much quieter in the busy season, it’s arguably more beautiful in the off-season.
Unit #702 has the full advantage of being on the top floor of the tower, but also has a slanted view of the coastline looking north, right at the entrance to Hereford Inlet but with three sloping blocks of white sand as a frame.
The rooflines of other houses are several stories below, making a textured foreground for the views that dominate both the great room of the unit and the primary bedroom. The long balcony outside is not as deep as some newer buildings have made trendy, but it means the whole of the Atlantic appears to fill the room on one wall.
How anyone could focus on a television screen with that outside remains a mystery, but then again it does become rather dark at night, albeit with sparkling starlight and the lights of passing cargo ships to keep one company.
The joys of living next to the ocean, and more importantly within sight of the sea, are myriad and romantic even if they are quite simple.
As for the way one is living within sight of the sea, Regency Tower offers the kind of amenities people usually expect in a hotel or resort: a fitness center; a common room with games, seating and more views; an outdoor pool with a wide cabana-like deck and plenty of space to hang out or relax; and additional storage including bike parking.
This is a lovely place to be active, enjoying the changing seasons as well as the changing moods of the water. One could also enjoy setting up an easel in the living area perched high above the inlet with a gourmand’s kitchen just steps away, if that indoor life appeals more.
The unit itself contains two bedrooms and one bathroom: the primary bedroom, as previously mentioned, opens to the balcony and has the same amazing view as the living room.
The smaller bedroom is perfect for guests or art supplies, or perhaps as the studio to work on all the songs one will be inspired to write while looking out over the sea.
The bath has been recently updated with a really lovely touch of custom tile that looks almost like abalone shell or labradorite; a gorgeous pop of color in an otherwise clean white space. The large walk-in shower has been updated with river rock on the floor, and the vanity has a slab of marble that looks quite like the sea.
All of these little touches speak of careful attention, which the current owners have obviously devoted to this space during their time there.
As for the kitchen, this slender galley packs a surprising amount of well-planned space and luxurious features for the cook: the work triangle places hots on one side, wets on another and cold on the third — perhaps the only kitchen in southern New Jersey to actually get that right.
The hots include an induction stovetop and microwave; the wets include a sink on the long peninsula facing outward — with a view of the ocean for whoever does the washing-up — plus the dishwasher back by the wall where the open door will not block anyone’s movement (again, that was thoughtful); and the cold includes a stainless steel refrigerator and plenty of pantry space.
From there, all that is left is the living area, where most of the time indoors will be spent. Vinyl floor that looks like weathered wood makes cleanup easy while offering a ruggedly elegant contrast to all the white-washed, nautical-style decor throughout the home.
The dining space is simple enough: a few stools along the counter with pendant lights above feel comfortable without getting in the way.
This is a tidy nest above the sea, so all floorspace is precious, but the design has made the most of all of it. There is ample room for the kind of seating one can spread out on, the better to look out over the waves; plus there is room for a small table and chairs outside, allowing one to dine al fresco on the balcony seven stories above the world.
As for the timing, well, there has never been a better time to purchase a piece of the dream life (all views, no lawn to mow or gutters to clean) than now.
