Dear Friends of Sandy Hook,
We hope many of you have been out to Sandy Hook to see the seals from a safe distance and experience the quiet solitude and seasonal beauty. Sunsets from the bayside are unparalleled at this time of the year, and rare wildlife like the Snowy Owl have been making appearances.
We are looking forward to a terrific 2022 which includes the celebration of Gateway National Recreation Area's 50th birthday in the National Park System. We look forward to keeping you informed about activities within the park and seeing you at the beach!
The Staff and Board of Trustees of the Sandy Hook Foundation
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Tyrone Nulls
Interpretative Park Ranger
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Sandy Hook Ranger Tyrone Nulls will be retiring at the end of February. The park will be losing one it’s most charismatic rangers.
Dedicated to the National Park Service (NPS), Tyrone says it’s been a treat to have been able to have as many opportunities to meet new people, travel, learn a great deal about history and nature, and experience different careers within the National Park System.
Tyrone has been with the NPS for 37 years. Back in 1982, while still in school at Springfield Technical Community College in MA, his advisor suggested he apply for a seasonal position at the Springfield Armory National Historic Site, where for nearly two centuries the US Armed Forces and American industry looked for innovative engineering and superior firearms. Springfield Armory National Historic Site commemorates the critical role of the nation’s first armory by preserving and interpreting the world's largest historic US military small arms collection, along with historic archives, buildings, and landscapes. Tyrone was hired and kept up landscaping and building maintenance at the site. After eight years, he was provided an opportunity to become a law enforcement officer for the NPS.
Tyrone chose to attend the Federal Law Enforcement Training Center (FLETC) in Glynco, Georgia where, after extensive training, he graduated in 1993. FLETC provides career-long training to law enforcement professionals to help them fulfill their responsibilities safely and proficiently. Over 46 years, FLETC has grown into the Nation’s largest provider of law enforcement training. Under a collaborative training model, FLETC’s federal partner organizations deliver training unique to their missions, while FLETC provides training in areas common to all law enforcement officers, such as firearms, driving, tactics, investigations, and legal training.
Following his training, Tyrone returned to the Springfield Armory as a law enforcement ranger. However, as a small, 11-acre park, there was not much law enforcement work because of the nature of the park, so Tyrone would regularly be sent on details to help other parks while keeping his skills sharp. Details included stints at Saratoga National Historic Site, Cape Cod National Seashore, Roosevelt-Vanderbilt National Historic Sites, and Puerto Rico. In 1995, Tyrone did his first detail at Sandy Hook.
A city boy, Tyrone loved the NYC skyline, but also appreciated the beauty of the beaches and natural areas at Sandy Hook. In 1996, Tyrone was offered a permanent spot at Sandy Hook as a law enforcement ranger. In 2001, Tyrone was given an opportunity to go to Fort Tilden to learn about interpretation and the important role interpretive rangers play. A self-described shy person, Tyrone used this opportunity to listen and observe other rangers. He ended up spending 2 years at Fort Tilden, supervising two people and being placed in charge of the community service and youth programs. After this, Tyrone came back to Sandy Hook, as an interpretive ranger, working under the supervision of rangers Lou Venuto and Connie Witherby. Tyrone said he and many other rangers on Sandy Hook also learned what they know today from park historian, Ranger Tom Hoffman. Through Tom’s interpretive interactions with people visiting the park, Tyrone says he learned how to better address people in a natural way and relate to his audience through storytelling and anecdotal information shared about the many historic buildings and areas at Sandy Hook.
Since Covid, Tyrone says he’s seeing a more diverse audience and has had to become more creative in his work, making more videos, and interpreting life at Fort Hancock from the outside looking in.
The Sandy Hook Foundation wishes Tyrone many more years of happiness, much of which he plans to spend in a warmer climate in Atlanta, GA, where his family has roots.
Best of luck, Tyrone!
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The Sandy Hook Foundation (SHF) has achieved the Platinum Seal of Transparency from Guidestar, the highest level of transparency. Guidestar's mission is to revolutionize philanthropy by providing information that advances transparency, enables users to make better decisions, and encourages charitable giving. |
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February Programs in the Park
Searching for Seals
The seals have been in abundance this winter. They return to the Sandy Hook shore to overwinter. Join a park ranger to observe the seals and learn about their annual migration. Please park behind Officer's Row Houses #6 and #7.
Wednesday, 2/2
2 pm - 4 pm
Pre-registration by calling 732-872-5970
Coffee with a Ranger
Sit down and have your Monday morning coffee with a ranger in the comfort of your own home. The ranger will provide a topic of discussion and invite questions and dialogue through comments in the chat. Topics will range from history to natural resources and recreational opportunities withing the park. You may even see a guest star or two join the program from time to time. You can join as the live video starts or pre-register in the events tab on the park's Facebook page (@GatewayNPS).
Monday, February 7
10 am - 11 am
Winter Night Prowl
Bring a flashlight on this after dark walk along Sandy Hook's beaches and trails.
Spermaceti Cove Parking Lot (between Lot D and Lot E)
Friday, February 11
6 PM – 8 PM
Reservations required by calling 732-872-5970
Monmouth County Audubon Walk
Join a 2-hour walk in search of loons, scoters, and other waterfowl that spend the winter in our waters. You will check sandbars for Harbor and Gray Seals that haul out during low tide. Wear layers and bring binoculars. Free.
Spermaceti Cove Parking Lot (Between Lot D and Lot E)
Saturday, February 12
10 am - 12 pm
Reservations required by emailing monmouthaudobon@gmail.com, 1 Mile
Wildlife Tracks and Scat
Learn how to track Sandy Hook natives via their snowy footprints. No snow? Sand and baking flour will assist the park ranger in teaching the skill of tracking animals on and around the Hook.
Spermaceti Cove Parking Lot (Between Lot D and Lot E)
Saturday, February 26
2 pm - 4 pm
Reservations required by calling 732-872-5970, 1 mile
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The Sandy Hook Foundation Named Charity Partner for Jersey Shore Half Marathon |
As the Official non-profit Friends Group of the National Park at Sandy Hook, the Foundation is dedicated to preserving and protecting the park’s natural and cultural resources. Sandy Hook is a 2,044 acre peninsula extending between the Raritan Bay and Atlantic Ocean. With seven ecosystems, miles of ocean and bay beaches, and Fort Hancock, a federally designated National Historic Landmark, there is much to experience during your visit.
Established in 1989, the Foundation has a long track-record of projects within the park, including restoration of the Lighthouse Keepers Quarters, adjacent to the Sandy Hook lighthouse, the oldest continually operating lighthouse in the United States. Other projects include installation of hydration stations along the MUP trail for walkers, runners and bikers to fill up reusable water bottles, educational videos about osprey and piping plovers, rebuilding of the popular observation deck overlooking the tip of the Hook, and installation of fencing in front of the deck. The Foundation also installed and maintains bicycle repair stations along the 7-mile Multi Use Path, where bikers can fix a flat, blow up their tires with air, and make minor repairs.
Established in 1934, the Shore A.C. is New Jersey’s oldest running club, and is truly a club for all athletes and all seasons. As a members-driven organization, Shore A.C. fields "varsity" and local men's and women's teams competing in every event within the sport, on every level, including youth to juniors, "open,” and Sub-Masters and Masters. Members have included Olympians, World Champions, National Champions, and more. With over 500 members who live in New Jersey and beyond, the Shore A.C. hosts more than two dozen events each year. The Jersey Shore Half Marathon is a signature event of the Shore A.C., and this will be the 49th running of the event.
Registration for the 2022 race can be found here through RunSignUp. Registration is $50 per person through January 31, $60 until June 26, $70 until September 19, $85 through September 26, and $90 day-of the event on Sunday, 10/ 2.
During registration, participants will have the option to make a tax-deductible donation to The Sandy Hook Foundation through the event website, to support our work within the park. The Foundation will also be present on race day.
For questions or more information about the Jersey Shore Half Marathon, contact race coordinator Erin O’Neill. Both groups look forward to seeing you at the beach on Sunday, October 2, 2022.
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The Sandy Hook Foundation, a designated
501(c)(3) nonprofit organization, is the
Official Friends Group of the
National Park Service at Sandy Hook.
We rely on your support and
every donation is meaningful.
Please, consider your contribution today.
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