Monmouth County Friends To Row The Jersey Coast For Charity

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Jeremy Julio sits on the bow while John Majeski takes a photo during training for their upcoming 130-mile adventure.
Jeremy Julio sits on the bow while John Majeski takes a photo during training for their upcoming 130-mile adventure. Courtesy of John Majeski

By Stephen Appezzato

As the end of June approaches, a local crew of adventurers prepares to row from Cape May to Sandy Hook in support of two charities. Oceanport residents John Majeski, Jeremy Julio and Jason Julio, as well as Johnathan Jakubecy of Rumson, will embark on a 130-mile nautical journey to raise money for World Central Kitchen and the LymeLight Foundation, nonprofit organizations that battle food insecurity and combat Lyme disease, respectively.

As the owners of Last Bite Mosquito and Tick Control, the Julio brothers selected the LymeLight Foundation after encountering many clients who were impacted by Lyme disease. The LymeLight Foundation raises awareness and provides grants to help patients receive proper treatment. For Majeski and Jakubecy, supporting World Central Kitchen is a clear choice in light of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. World Central Kitchen prioritizes feeding Ukrainian refugees and those remaining in the country.

“We don’t think a row following this route has ever been undertaken,” Jeremy Julio said in a press release. “It will be a very difficult row battling ocean currents, wind, and breaking surf, but it will be worth it to raise funds and awareness for our important causes,” he added.

The team of former lifeguards will be traveling in an Asay-style self-bailing rowboat used by lifeguards that is capable of holding enough supplies for the three-day journey and breaking through the surf. Their two boats will maintain a distance between 100 yards and two miles out from the shore, avoiding the shore break, yet staying close enough to shore in case of emergency.

“The plan is to row over 40 miles a day for three days, weather permitting,” said Majeski. “We are waiting for a good weather window someday between June 23-30,” he added.

Majeski and his team plan on beaching their boats at the end of each day and camping alongside their vessels. When asked about safety protocols, he said the crew will be checking in twice daily with their wives who will trace the rowers’ journey along the coast, meeting them each night with extra food and camping supplies.

In addition to three days’ worth of food and water, the team will pack a marine very high frequency (VHF) radio, a personal locator beacon (PLB) and other safety equipment.

The team’s upcoming charitable journey is not a one-off event, as every year Majeski and his partners complete some kind of demanding adventure in support of nonprofits.

“Every spring we like to do a tough physical challenge to raise money for charity. Last year Jeremy and I paddled our stand-up paddle boards to Lower Manhattan from Oceanport, a distance of 30 miles through the choppy waters of the Raritan Bay and the busy shipping traffic of the Hudson River,” he said.

Jason Julio, left, and Johnathan Jakubecy are two of the team that will be rowing from Cape May to Sandy Hook later this month.
Jason Julio, left, and Johnathan Jakubecy are two of the team that will be rowing from Cape May to Sandy Hook later this month. Courtesy of John Majeski

Prior to their paddle to Manhattan, Majeski and his friends ran a 4-by-4-by-48, an endurance run of 4 miles every four hours over the course of 48 hours. Inspired by former Navy SEAL and extreme athlete David Goggins, the team ran more than a full marathon each day.

“When Jeremy and I were talking about how to challenge ourselves and raise money this year, Jeremy had the idea of rowing the entire Atlantic Coast of the Jersey Shore. All four of us are former lifeguards and thought it would be a great idea to do the row in an Asay self-bailing lifeboat,” he explained.

According to Majeski, he and his team have been preparing for months for their approaching exploits. Aside from collecting supplies and organizing the logistics of the trip, the crew has also been physically training for the event, rowing five days a week for up to five hours each session. When asked about future plans, Majeski said there will be other charitable pursuits in upcoming years, likely including interstate bike rides and other extreme endurance events.

“We have all been good friends for a long time and enjoy challenging ourselves mentally and physically, while raising money for a good cause. Life is short so we like to live our lives with a ‘no regrets’ attitude, live life to the fullest,” Majeski said.

This article originally appeared in the June 16 – 22, 2022 print edition of The Two River Times.