Changing of the Innkeepers at The Sand Castle B&B – The SandPaper

The Sand Castle Bed and Breakfast at 710 Bayview Ave. in Barnegat Light has changed hands after 22 years as owner Nancy Gallimore turned over the keys and her heralded scone recipe to capable hosts Audrey Cavaco-Raughter and her husband, Brian Raughter.

The couple will re-open the four-star luxury bayside inn April 1 for an extended season.

As innkeeper, Cavaco-Raughter is dedicated to continuing the detailed features that have distinguished The Sand Castle as a unique treasure. Yet she is excited to incorporate a few new touches of her own. A familiarity with Barnegat Lights appeal comes with the new innkeeper her mother and sister own property on Sixth Street.

After calling Barnegat Light their home away from home for years, the couple are in the process of moving here permanently from Pittsburgh. Cavaco-Raughter brings a careers worth of experience in customer and event service. Setting up and running toy fairs for Mattel is just one engaging example.

An open warmth was evident as guests met the new innkeeper one recent Saturday while friends of Gallimore said a heartfelt farewell to her. Cavaco-Raughter pledges that it will be my pleasure to offer hospitality.

I like taking care of people, and I love to make people happy, the new innkeeper told this reporter during a break. I think Im the type of person who would rather buy a present and see you open it than receive a present. So I think Im going to enjoy interacting with the guests.

The couple are past guests of The Sand Castle themselves, along with favorite places in Maine and on Block Island, so they understand the combination of amenities and relaxation that guests are looking for.

The new welcome introduction on the website describes The Sand Castle this way: Consider it a mini-resort with private room entrances and dining areas, a rooftop deck for lounging or watching the sun rise and set and a large swimming pool in the courtyard. Upscale accommodations along with complementary (sic) beach passes, chairs, towels and bikes make for a seamless transition from your hectic schedule to life on Long Beach Island.

We plan on opening April first of next year, because I still have to move here, Cavaco-Raughter outlined a few weeks ago, and we hope to stay open through Thanksgiving of next year. We hope to do a New Years package between Christmas and New Years; were definitely going to do a Valentines package, and my husband is Irish, so well do a St. Patty package.

Gallimore is turning over what her successor called a well-oiled machine. Cavaco-Raughter added, I want to keep her standard of cleanliness, good food at breakfast, hospitality.

Its bittersweet, declared Gallimore on one of her final days at the helm, because over 22 years, I have made so many friends that have stayed here and enjoyed themselves so much. A world-traveling wildlife photographer by hobby, Gallimore hosted guests who became friends, such as a woman who accompanied her to Rwanda. Others invited her and her husband to their wedding.

As guests on her final Saturday were gathering upstairs around the grand piano and the long dining table, and spilling into the sunroom, Gallimore took a few minutes in her office first to reflect on the accommodation she created (with help of dear friends) by transforming a spacious neo-Victorian residence in 1999.

Ive lived on this corner for 47 years, and it is definitely going to be a change to not have these views and live in the wonderful town I love, she said. But I love my grandchildren more.

An overdue visit with a particular 6-year-old turned the tide. Staffing challenges that are almost universal sealed the appeal to retire, even though the past year has been busier than ever.

I had not seen my grandson for 18 months, and in April I spent two weeks. That was the catalyst this little fella who plays piano duets with me, who loves bird watching. I saw him when he was 4, and I didnt see him again until he was 6. I had this wonderful two weeks with him. and I came back to the B&B. Nobody wants to work the way we need to work, and I said, Im tired of this; I want to spend time with my grandchildren.

Learning B&B Business

From Scratch

Unbelievably, considering excellent reviews, Gallimore recalls not knowing the first thing about bed and breakfast

vacations until the idea arose as a way to make income from the stunning house after a divorce. She flew herself south in her own plane for a learning tour.

I was divorced, and this house was my principle asset. I needed it to either be sold or make money for me. The second option won out.

Benee Scola, who had my house listed, is the one who came up with the idea. She was showing people the house, trying to figure out the best use. It could be mother-daughter, it could be office and store, or it could be converted to a bed and breakfast.

I jumped in the plane and flew to Florida, but instead of camping under the wing of the plane, I stayed at bed and breakfasts to do my research to see what it was all about.

After experiencing quirks in some B&Bs that she pledged not to emulate, the realization was that maybe I could do this, Gallimore recalled. I went to the bank to see if they would lend me the money, because I was single. They had known me for 25 years; it was Bay State Bank at that time.

It helped to have a good name in the community. For one example of involvement, she was at the time the financial manager for Our Gang Players community theater (her service ended after the B&B was established, and the nonprofit disbanded during the pandemic).

Architect Jay Madden rendered her Neo-Victorian-Shore Contemporary vision to paper, and they took it to the town planning board. Gallimore added with a smile, I was chairman of the planning board, so I knew how to submit a perfect plan. Mayor Kirk Larson and other officials welcomed what was received as a nice addition to the town.

I started to work that fall in 1999 and did as much as I could myself because what I had was limited. But I had a plumber and an electrician who did all my work for cost; they were my best friends, Wayne Johnson and George Warr. Theyre both deceased now. And I had a builder, James Tallent, who told me what was needed when and helped transform my home into the Sand Castle.

In April of 2000 I opened, and I was biting my fingers saying, Oh my gosh; what if nobody comes? Now Ive got to pay this debt.

Her retirement letter went out this fall to past guests. Ive gotten over 500 responses from people wishing me well and reminiscing.

I think the number one comment that I hear is the absolute cleanliness of the place is one of the most important things, and number two is the scones. Theyre all worried, Oh, no, we wont get your scones anymore. But Im passing the recipe on my secret scone recipe.

And many people are saying, But it wont be you whos here. I keep telling them this new person has a lot of energy; she reminds myself of me when I was younger and had more energy to handle this. Gallimore is 70.

I had thought Id work this bed and breakfast until I was 80, she added, but theres another part of this equation. Five years ago I reunited with my first love in life, and here we are.

She and Joe Rutchauskas were college sweethearts. We were so in love, but 18 and 21 is a big difference. He was ready to settle down and got a job teaching. I was ready to go to Europe with my backpack.

They met up again through a guest who stayed at her bed and breakfast many years later. Theyll be going together on more adventures in Gallimores retirement.

I love wildlife photography, birding and wild places. Joe and I just went to Borneo. Its the last trip we were able to make before COVID.

Ive been to Antarctica three times. Ive been to the Arctic a couple times, Africa numerous times. Some of the travels Ive done I probably couldnt do again. I went to Rwanda to climb the hills up there to see the silverback apes and mountain gorillas.

Theres not a single mountain gorilla in a zoo in the world because they cant live in a zoo. They have to be at that altitude. I got to walk five different treks up to see different families of gorillas. I actually got grabbed by a gorilla; a guide friend said, Nancy, he was just looking for another wife.

In fact, a guest from The Sand Castle went with me on that trip. She said, Ive always wanted to go. It wasnt much more than a year and a half to two years later her sister called me; she was real sorry to tell me she had an aneurysm in her brain, and went like that. She thanked me for encouraging her to take this trip. We never know.

Gallimore has taken care to make guests stays as safe as possible during the pandemic, and the new innkeepers will continue extensive procedures. The website describes extraordinary disinfectant fogging between guests and a meticulous sanitation plan for the entire property.

I bought a fogger, which was very difficult to get in the early days of COVID, and to this day we still fog every room between guests. Its water-based; its not a chemical. It purifies the air. I had gone online and seen that the airlines were using it; thats where I got the idea.

The fogging equipment will stay with the property when the new owners.

Dinette sets were added to the rooms last year so guests could eat breakfast in their rooms if they didnt want to be among other guests, Gallimore said. They dont have to meet another person, because the rooms have private entrances from the outside.

Added Cavaco-Raughter in her own guide now on the website, Our delicious breakfast will still be served by your choice: delivered to your door at a pre-arranged time, or by reservation for seating in our dining area. You can eat in-room or al fresco such as a breakfast picnic at the Lighthouse, at a table by our pool, or on the roof deck picnic tables.

After over a year of living in this unprecedented time of pandemic chaos, people are again eager to plan an escape to a place that refreshes their soul and nourishes their body and mind, she said.

Cavaco-Raughter, looking around the property and bayside setting in view of the lighthouse, described all as gorgeous.

Each room is so unique. I just want to maintain that, and I want you to have the feelin, Im staying at my sisters beach house: airy, beachy, she said. We are hoping at some point soon to fit in some gym equipment a bicycle and an elliptical.

During your stay make sure to catch a sunrise, soak in a sunset, and leave your footprints in the sand, the website advises.

More details about amenities and anything a potential guest might need to know can be found through the website sandcastlelbi.com, by phone at 609-494-6555 or by email to info@sandcastlelbi.com.

mariascandale@thesandpaper.net

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Changing of the Innkeepers at The Sand Castle B&B - The SandPaper