Day #7 greeted us yet again with a pretty bad weather forecast. So, again we skipped the Empire State Building and instead went for a drive towards the New Jersey shore. Sonja & Sandra wanted to see it and I am always game to go to the ocean, even if the weather is bad.
On the way there we did a very minor detour and stopped at the Jersey Shore Premium Outlets, because Sonja was still looking for
shoes and, well, it was on the way, just 
minutes of the Garden State Parkway. We did not quite expect to so big, which basically meant that we spent more time there than anticipated. But in the end it worked out fine, because while we were there, the sun broke through the clouds and it got really nice and very warm. After enjoying the variety of the local food court and contemplating if we should by shorts before going to the
beach, we decided against it and just went there. Since it was already afternoon, we did not go any further south, but headed straight east and hit the ocean at Asbury Park.
However, for whatever reason we did not stay very long, but drove on along the ocean and then stopped again only a few miles up north in Allenhurst/Deal right at the beach. Here we went down to the beach and the pier, onto which the waves broke in a white splash.
There were even quite a few surfers, body boarders and one guy with a SUP out there enjoying nice sets of waves. The three of us instead enjoyed lazing on the pier in the sun, listening to the ocean. Is there anything nicer? Oh, and while we were there I took the opportunity to 
shoot some portrait photos of my nieces. A butterfly was also kind enough to be a model. Unfortunately it was really bad timing, because
in order to have the ocean as the backdrop and not houses, my models had the sun right in their face. Meaning squinting eyes – oh well, some of the pictures still turned out alright.
When the sun was starting to hide behind clouds we hit the road and continued our way north along the ocean. I briefly showed them where David and I usually go windsurfing on Sandy Hook and then stopped for a short walk at the most northern beach on the Hook. It was getting a bit chilly after the warm afternoon, so we did not stay very long, before continuing towards Florham Park to pick up David. While waiting for him, I took a shot of the rising moon, which was not quite full yet. Maybe I would get another chance at it the following nights.