Flatties Ya Can't Catch, notes from The Watt

  The mid-summer blues have begun.  A low pressure system has locked us in a serious heat wave.  Temps in the 90's, heat index above 100F. You'd think the water'd be like bathwater.  Nope.  We're hangin in low to mid 70's.  Very refreshing I must say, but not this week.  The only day to go would've been Tuesday (waist peaks), n I was cuttin' grass.  Since then it's been flatter than my Aunt Daisy's gluteus maximus.  See what happens when you challenge the gods?  Thursday evening was no diff no matter what street ya sniffed out. (DAMN I wish I had brought the BZ...if I could only find it).

Paradise found?

Empty line, not even a nibble.  7/28

  When the Target man showed, I mentioned getting in the surf and then renewin' the search for wings.  I mean I drove this far.  Shaking his head he quips, "how about we go for wings now."  Fine. Whatever.  He drove the same distance.  We hit the OC's only 5 Star Dive.  Peppers Tavern on 16th and the Boards in the Sea Scape Motel. 

  

   After a loooong week we began drinking heavy...Guinness, on draft it was either that or Pabst (not feelin' it).  Scanning the joint - cool place, eclectic dive bar clutter.  The menu, Diego.  Primarily Mexican flav.  Wingwise, dig it: we did 6 ea. Hot, Jerk, and Rasberry Chipotle wings.  Not bad.  I thought the Jerk had the best taste, Tom liked the Hot, and felt the Chipotle was a surprise (didn't think he'd like 'em).  Ok now... good points:  copious amounts of blue cheese dressing and big stalks of celery (Smitty's tends to skimp on the celery for real). Nice variety and the 6 count gives opportunity to sample.  Bad points: still not quite the match in taste...a third place behind Mother's even.  And expensive brah!  Our most expensive tab to date ($50 w/ tip)...and with only 2 of us!  You gonna charge like that you'd better bone up!

  

The vote is in.

The search goes on...

Solitary Session, notes from The Watt

   The heat, the job, the family...we just couldn't put it together this week.  So no post swell wingfest, no beer.  NO BEER??!!  Nope. Well, maybe. (I am enjoying a cold brew as I delineate this blurb). Myself? Though late outta work, I managed to grab the stick and hit Holiday's on 66th for 'bout an hour plus.

66th Street Solitary, but no confinement.  7/21

 











   Carving a lone session, the waves were pretty much a repeat of Sunday.  Mostly knee to thigh rights pushed and chopped by a southeasterly wind. The churn created enough closeout action to stay alert.  Bad enough no grub,  but a broken board too... would not be cool.  Don't take much.  I squeezed enough in to gimme my fix for the night... even a light floater. Left with stoke.  Nothing more to ask for.

Stick 'round til next time.

Gettin' Dirty, notes from The Watt

   Wind was blowing on-shore yesterday as I headed up 36th street to the Castle, well the south Castle, I think it's called Waverley Castle.  Still with the current I was pretty much at Castles...36th to 38th streets.  Enough already!

   Nice day, water was a little cooler (72-4 F, although the wind helped), waves were about thigh high with plenty of chop.  Sand all churned up. Gets everywhere...I mean ev-er-ry-where!  Nothing clean about today.  Just sayin'.  However... got stoked on quite a few frontsides;  kooked on a couple backsides (more sand - really need to work on that).  And then, spent the last 1/2 hour or so floundering in mush as shifting winds turned the swell seriously necrotic. I did get the last ride in.  Always a good thing.

Peak wind swell 7/17

   Heading outta town, tooling down the backside of South OC, an incredible sight got caught in my periph.  Time was limited.  A hard left towards the bayside.   Slammin' on the brakes while skidding into park.  Jacqueline Ave, a small street between 14th and 15th.  Faces the west.  Overlooks a small lagoon on the Isle of Wight Bay.  A smokin' sunset.  Bad ass!

Scraping The Knees, notes from The Watt

    Got lots done today: Church, grass, surf.  Very productive, and post relaxing.  The surf report, surf shops, and I'm sure the local man on the street said, "waist swell."  Not really.  But fun. Scraped thru plenty of

Spillin' brine, 7/10

knees during a very pleasant summer evenin'. The smell of the salt air and sand.  Churned sea grass in the water and on the beach.  An Assawoman sunset...niiiice finish.  

Give Up the Juice, notes from The Watt

"Take a bow, let there be no doubt
In your mind this is the time
Got to use what you got
This is what this thing is all about!"
                  -Squeeze the Fruit, Commodores

  So I'm watchin' the surf report all day this past Thursday; thigh to waist and clean in the AM, wind shifts to ESE in the PM, thigh high sets with added chop... some waist peaks.  I pull out the7'4" Lynn Shell...change is good.  On the ride into town to pick up Ken, the air is hot, humid and still; about 90F.  Soon as we get within a mile, the winds pick up to a good 15mph. Nice breeze.

Juicer, 7/7

 




   67th, the Holiday, and we got the best break we've had in a while.  Thigh to waist with a lil bump but nice right side swell... and not bangin' the beachhead either.  To top it off, we got former surfman Frankie C now combining surf fishing, brew and grub with his family.  Always good to get back in touch with those you haven't seen for a while.

Feeling it

 

   After squeezin' the fruit out of enough choice fronts to warrant a quickie break, HT makes his appearance. Throw back a Natty Lite from Franklin, check the catch (a Spot or 2, yeah ok) and I'm gittin' in for another 45 or so 'n juice a few more.  Sold on the stoke, pure and simple.

Sold

   My son meets us at Smitty's for wings and a couple mo brews to top off.  Now THAT'S what it's all about! Good night, Walter.

   

Makes Ya Wanna Grab 6 and A Lime, notes from The Watt

   Saw this on another blog; Coastal Surf Supplies. Could grab a lime 'n down a bottle now as a matter of fact...