Atlantic Ocean

More than any state in the nation, New Jersey has taken a stand against the invading tides. It has the most engineered beach in the country, its coastline bearing more scar tissue than any other shoreline. It has one of the nation's highest annual shore-protection budgets, $25 million, administered by the state's land-use agency, the Department of Environmental Protection. The state is so committed to shoring up its beaches that the department's commissioner, Robert Shinn -- who normally deals with preserving the environment, not shoring up expensive beachfront property -- has lobbied in Trenton and Washington for beachfill money.

In the off-season, Ocean City often adds some new feature for tourists: a miniature golf course perhaps, a seafood restaurant or maybe a bar that caters to the beachgoing crowd. But here's a possible addition that might not be so welcome - parking meters north of 10 t h Street. On Friday, the Ocean City Council is expected to be briefed on a proposal to create a whopping 4,800 paid parking spaces. The most ambitious version of the plan would require visitors to pay for parking at any space along the streets on the Atlantic Ocean side of Coastal Highway from 10 t h Street to the Delaware line.

When he spotted the Spirit of Butts Farm soaring high above the rocky coast of Ireland, David Brown thought the 11-pound airplane was "the prettiest thing I'd ever seen." And for good reason. The Maryland-built, balsa-and-Mylar aircraft had just completed a journey no model had made before: an 1,888-mile cruise across the Atlantic Ocean, powered by less than a gallon of fuel. "In the model airplane world, this is no different from Armstrong landing on the moon," says Carl Layden, an official observer for the history-making flight.

The following is compiled from police reports.  East Columbia Old Waterloo Road, 6800 block, 6:32 a.m. April 14. Newspaper delivery person was approached by two men while sitting in parked car on side of road. One took out handgun and demanded delivery person's wallet, cash and watch. Second man stood by and did not say anything. Men fled behind Deep Run Elementary School. Early April Way and Skyrocket Court, 8:26 p.m. April 11. Victim was approached by two acquaintances who demanded money and cellphone.

In the off-season, Ocean City often adds some new feature for tourists: a miniature golf course perhaps, a seafood restaurant or maybe a bar that caters to the beachgoing crowd. But here's a possible addition that might not be so welcome - parking meters north of 10 t h Street. On Friday, the Ocean City Council is expected to be briefed on a proposal to create a whopping 4,800 paid parking spaces. The most ambitious version of the plan would require visitors to pay for parking at any space along the streets on the Atlantic Ocean side of Coastal Highway from 10 t h Street to the Delaware line.

An early 2013 hurricane season forecast is calling for a busy summer and fall, with a nearly 50 percent chance of a major storm striking the U.S. East Coast. Forecasters at Colorado State University on Wednesday predicted 18 named storms would form in the Atlantic Ocean, about six more than normal. That would be one fewer than in 2012, though. They expect nine of those storms to become hurricanes, and four of those hurricanes to reach "major" storm status. The forecast paints a picture of a chaotic storm season, with storm strength and frequency expected to be well above normal.

One hurricane hitting where you live is enough to make it a bad season." MAX MAYFIELD, director of the National Hurricane Center, on the severity of this year's hurricane season; the center predicts four to six major hurricanes in the Atlantic Ocean and Gulf of Mexico

In the black depths of the Atlantic Ocean, thousands of feet down, lives a hideous, predatory fish whose 40-inch bulk dwarfs her tiny, 4-inch male partner.The immature male swims freely for a time. But when he finds a female, he sinks his teeth into her. His circulatory system soon merges with hers and he becomes a parasite, unable to move or eat on his own. He is a blind sexual appendage, whose sole function is to fertilize her eggs.These are fish. Any resemblance to humans is purely coincidental.

MOLLY KOOL CARNEY, 93 Groundbreaking sailor Molly K. Carney, who as Molly Kool was the first woman in North America to become a licensed ship captain, died Feb. 25 at a retirement home in Bangor, Maine. Known in Canada by her maiden name, Molly Kool won her captain's papers in 1939 and sailed the Atlantic Ocean between Alma, New Brunswick, and Boston for five years, her friend Ken Kelly said.

Tony Tochterman, who along with his wife, Dee, owns Tochterman's Fishing Tackle, the city's oldest bait and tackle store, remembers it well. Tony and Bob Wall, division chief of Baltimore's Recreation and Parks Department, helped introduce area children to fishing by hosting a tournament. As they led the group down the hill, rods in hand, the Inner Harbor slowly came into view and the children's eyes lit up. "Wow," one youth said. "That's the ocean. " Wrong. "They had never seen water before," Tochterman said.

An early 2013 hurricane season forecast is calling for a busy summer and fall, with a nearly 50 percent chance of a major storm striking the U.S. East Coast. Forecasters at Colorado State University on Wednesday predicted 18 named storms would form in the Atlantic Ocean, about six more than normal. That would be one fewer than in 2012, though. They expect nine of those storms to become hurricanes, and four of those hurricanes to reach "major" storm status. The forecast paints a picture of a chaotic storm season, with storm strength and frequency expected to be well above normal.

While the restoration of the Chesapeake Bay requires attention from all the half-dozen states in the 64,000-square-mile watershed, there is one step that must be taken almost entirely by one state alone. When the Virginia Assembly reconvenes for its annual 45-day legislative session in January, it needs to impose a strict quota on the harvest of menhaden. Perhaps no species is more important to the bay — and to the major East Coast fisheries in general — than the lowly menhaden, a small, oily fish that is familiar to Maryland anglers primarily as bait.

The tropical cyclone known as Nadine reached hurricane status for a second time as of 11 a.m. Friday as it continues to circle the Atlantic Ocean. The storm could become one of the longest-lived in history, already about 16 days old and forecast to survive into next week. Nadine was about 730 miles southwest of the Azores with 75 mph winds. It could pass close by the Atlantic islands off the African coast for a second time, last brushing past about 10 days ago. The latest forecast cone has the storm moving northward, to the west of the Azores, before weakening back to tropical storm status Monday and moving more slowly through at least Wednesday.

Tony Tochterman, who along with his wife, Dee, owns Tochterman's Fishing Tackle, the city's oldest bait and tackle store, remembers it well. Tony and Bob Wall, division chief of Baltimore's Recreation and Parks Department, helped introduce area children to fishing by hosting a tournament. As they led the group down the hill, rods in hand, the Inner Harbor slowly came into view and the children's eyes lit up. "Wow," one youth said. "That's the ocean. " Wrong. "They had never seen water before," Tochterman said.

Charles Erwin Brookes, the retired chief of W.R. Grace's Davison Chemical division, died of a heart attack Nov. 1 at the Bay Medical Center in Panama City, Fla. The longtime Gibson Island resident was 86. Known as Charlie, he was born in Orange, N.J. His son, Stephen Brookes of Washington, D.C., said his father came from a "family of very modest means. " At one time, his parents addressed envelopes by hand for a business to make ends meet. At age 12, Mr. Brookes won a scholarship to St. Mark's School in Southborough, Mass.

Memorial Day is the unofficial start to summer — the time when it seems thousands of Marylanders go into a beach trance, heeding the call of the Bay Bridge and Atlantic Ocean. "All eyes are on the beach," said Ocean City communications manager Donna Abbott. "Especially given the fact that we've come through such a long, cold winter." AAA predicts a 6.8 percent increase in the number of Marylanders traveling by car this weekend. And after a rainy start, the forecast is for sunny and mild weather.

The Chesapeake Bay became the center of the sailing world as a pack of Volvo Open 70 yachts sailed up from Rio de Janeiro to Baltimore in Leg 5 of the Volvo Ocean Race. After stopovers in Baltimore and Annapolis, which included maintenance, racing and a festival, the boats started the next leg of the race Sunday, heading off to New York. Thousands watched the departure from boats lining the race route and from the Bay Bridge, where the Bay Bridge Walk coincided with the restart. After New York, the racers are scheduled to head across the Atlantic Ocean to Portsmouth, England, in Leg 7 of the race.

The Ocean City Beach Patrol is warning beach-goers to beware of high tides and rip currents this weekend as Hurricane Bill churns in the Atlantic Ocean. "If you're not a good swimmer, don't even think about going into the water," said Lt. Ward Kovacs. Kovacs said all 92 lifeguard chairs will be filled this weekend in Ocean City in anticipation of a large crowd looking to take advantage of the waves created by the hurricane as summer winds down. Bill is not expected to make landfall, but instead languish in the Atlantic Ocean hundreds of miles away and head north up the Eastern Seaboard.