Fly-By, tales from the Watt

If you've forgotten what I'm naming, you're gonna long to reclaim it one day.               
Because that summer feeling is gonna haunt you, one day in your life.   -Jonathan Richman
Summer trippin'. F'k the churn-line...eye on the sand. Holiday's, 7/29/2019.

   Dammit Man! Another coastal summer flying by us once again. Company visits. Company trips. It has made for a spotted stretch as surf sessions have gone. Not to say that we haven't been immersed in the season's buzz, however surf is what it's always been about...and food...and beer (and such). The past week's conditions were difficult to manage to say the least. Due to business travel for both myself and LWatt, we changed to a Monday. Target was terribly vexed as we were bungling his routine. Fortunately he relented. The waves were thigh at best; half-assed, wrinkly, sudsy, right-handers that were pretty near shorebreak. I still managed a few, laid out on a few, and Target caught a few...of both. I can say a couple weeks earlier the surf was a bit more active, a waist-plus glass memorable session that was ended by a thunder head rolling through. Oh, and a crowd. Our crowd actually, but many people doth not an accurate criticism make. Family and friends are always welcome, yet it can be difficult to hear through the din of commotion. Hence, we put off the watering hole review 'til this round.

Scraping the wall. Clean Holidays swell, 7/18/2019.

   Not a newbie last evening. The Longboard Cafe was previously visited for the first time by the Crew back in '15. Four years later, and their success was reflected by the crowd we observed as we drove up. We managed to squeeze into a corner at the bar as our barkeep took our drink orders. Loaded with surf motif and even a surf documentary on the tube, this place screamed "carve it!" and we did just that with the menu.

LWatt ordered up the Huntington Pier Cobb, one of the more loaded salads we've been served this year, piled high with chicken, bacon, 'maters, sliced egg, avocado, and feta. Nice flavor that left LWatt happy with her selection. Target and I brought on the Longboard Wings and the Crabby Flat Bread. The wings were tossed in "addiction sauce," a spicy-sweet sauce topped with blue cheese crumbles and bacon dust.

Meaty and hot, they had a nice honey accent to the taste with a slight kick...maybe a hair too sweet for Target. The flat bread resembled a pizza more than a flat bread, and tasted pretty good. Still, it could have used more crab. Decent beer selection, however the glasses could have used some chill. The large crowd slowed the service a bit, and made the music difficult to hear. The place was definitely in tourist mode, which also up-priced the tab. Like the surf, some great bites, and a few mushburgers. As I mentioned before, we love the beach, and this place fits in. We will return... in less than four years... maybe. Like our summer, time flies by. It's all about the Journey.

THE RATINGS-

Longboard Wings: B+

Crabby Flat Bread: B-

Huntington Pier Cobb: B+

Beer: B-

Atmosphere: B-

Value: C

Overall Score = 2.79

Unexpected, tales from the Watt

"Small waves remind you that there is much to be learned..." -SurferToday
Late cut-back on a thigh-high lefty. Holidays and 67th, 7/11/2019.

   When we set up this session a day or two before, Target warned me of circumstances that would become necessary should the event be less than epic. How bad the reparation? I believe Seppuku was suggested. DUDE! We are on the Maryland Coast in the heat of the summer. Unless we have a hurricane upon us (Barry is brewing, but too far southwest for now), it's usually flat, choppy, shorebreak, or some combination. Meager size waves at best. We have been as far from epic as one can get. I didn't blame the man. It's been awhile since there was swell of any kind of size. I'd been feeling the frustration myself. Last evening however, despite the sectioning break, Holiday's surprised. The beach was somewhat crowded with a Kite Loft sponsored Fly-in for the local Believe In Tomorrow House. The lineup was empty, though I had plenty of beachbreak obstacles with clusters of tourists and mini-tourists dotting the shore. This time of year we are pretty much forced to keep an eye out in front. As they lounged back in their chairs, Target and LWatt found themselves surrounded by similar obstructions from time to time, possibly obscuring the photo ops. Lounge chairs afford little flexible movement for pictures, though Target manages. Regardless, there were some tasty morsels here and there. Little tough to judge, but fun when in position. In the end, I didn't get that last ride in. A strong northerly current had pulled me down a couple blocks, so I called it. During the walk back I thought I could hear the sound of a blade being sharpened across a whetstone. Maybe just the waves against the sand. Shaking it off, I joined Target and LWatt for the trek to the evening's bayside bar.

Bayside village square.

   When I was tasked with the responsibility of putting together the list of potential new locales to critique. there were not a lot of major places in the OC that we hadn't yet hit. I realized we had to start looking at the peripheral. Target pushes that...find those hidden gems. One such was on an island plat of land separate from the main strip. Sunset Island could be found at the Bay's end of 67th Street. The nearly self sufficient townhouse and condo neighborhood was the address of our evening's dockage. Sanibel's At Sunset Island (aka The Landing), was a small corner building on the south point of the quay. Originally an exclusive for residents of the Island, this year was it's first open to the public. Large open dining area on a boardwalk lined beach fronting the Assawoman Bay was enticing, regardless we chose the less windy interior bar area.

No beer taps here, but a decent selection of self serve bottles and cans. Target and I grabbed our brews while our attentive bartender whipped up a Miami Vice, a combo Pina Colada and Strawberry Daiquiri frozen concoction for LWatt. Forced to use 'em, plastic cups drive us crazy. We realize that the outdoor seating has sand...hence the reason for no glass (supposedly for insurance reasons), but hey now...we were inside...on the 2nd floor. C'mon man! After grabbing a corner seat looking out across the bay, we perused the menu and chose the Old Bay Wings, Rockfish Tacos (2), and the Turkey Club Wrap. The wings only came in a six count, however they were big and meaty, hot, and with one of the best tasting Old Bay rubs we've had this year. The tacos tasted ok, but needed more Rock and less roll. They tended to be more filler than fish. The wrap was very average. It looked like we made this one at home.

As I had mentioned...very small bar area. One TV accompanied okay music. More seating could be found outside along the 2nd floor walkway overlooking the pool and bay. The view was the attraction, featuring a full-on approaching lightning storm. We understood they occasionally have a small band, although the storm was leaving it to the radio this evening. An unexpected gem, Sanibel's would definitely be worth a later visit but it would have to be during the in-season months as this is primarily a summer dive. May be awhile. For now, I have stopped hearing the scraping sound of a Katana blade. I believe our Journey can safely continue.

THE RATINGS-

Old Bay Wings: A-

Rockfish Tacos: C+

Turkey Club Wrap: C

Beer, in plastic, no draft: C+

Atmosphere: B-

Value: B-

Overall Score = 2.63

Sessionus Interruptus, tales from the Watt.

You can't always get what you want. But if you try sometimes, you'll find you get what you need. - the Rolling Stones
Knee high close-outs dominated the evening. 38th and Castles, 6/27/2019.

   I could say that the Target should have paid closer attention to the signs. A minor squeal here. A slight knocking there. A little hesitation. However, all could have been so negligible that it was never a blip on Target's radar. Hence, the "Check Engine Light," the various engine noises, combined to interrupt the session and forced him to turn home before we finished the evening...the Target never saw it coming.

No stick needed. Easy glidin' for the summer locals.

    The late afternoon's session started out tame enough. Pretty low key waves were on tap. Thigh high at best...seriously, at best (with emphasis). The swell had little power, so those in the lineup had to work for each ride. The longboarder had the easiest time, starting farthest outside and seemingly catching most with ease. The sponger caught a few, but would have been lost without the swim fins. However, I gotta say, it was the herd of groms that threw me off. After quickly snagging that elusive first ride, a half dozen or so young'ns filled the lineup, and completely took away my focus. Like fish in a feeding frenzy, they were everywhere. Speaking of, I took the opportunity given by a school of spot and mullet jumping in the surf during an Atlantic Dolphin feeding furor, to move a hair north out of the crowd. Finally settled in, I was able to cut into a few of the mini-rollers that came through in threesome sets. Not a memorable surf, but a pleasant evening in the water.
   I could go on and talk about how memorable our foodie destination of the night was. I could, however at this point we go back to where this tale began...the "Check Engine Light." It is a vehicular warning light that all owners dread. It drives me crazy, even when not accompanied by a host of other pain points. As LWatt and I arrived at Ocean 13, Target called to inform of us of his challenges and decision to head back west. We kept in touch until his safe arrival home. Needless to say, this saloon would have to wait for another time to face our critique. Maybe the surf will pick up as well. Maybe.

TBD