Hit Or Miss, from the Rogue's notebook.

Hit. Assateague break, 7/15/2017.

   Love the seasons of the Eastern Shore. But the conditions can be pretty sketchy at times. Low humidity one day, In the eighty to ninety percentile over the next few. Usually in the "dog days" the Atlantic is pretty slack. High pressure systems in the area usually keep the swells in the knee to thigh range. At high tide that can mean shorebreak. Last weekend was out at Assateague with family. Managed to grab some decent thigh to waist high sets. Clean to semi-clean depending how hard the off shores were blowin'. Always seems to break better along this end of the barrier.

Miss. Evening shut-out. 47th St, 7/20/2017

Later in the week hit the 47th Street break. More thigh to occasional waist...breakin' right on the sand. Suck the sand up the wall of the swell and slam it back onto shore. Got wet. Made a few attempts. Wave would jack in front of me with a panoramic view of a packed sand landing. Backed off every time. Got some paddling in anyways.
   This time of year brings in some of the best of the Eastern Sho's harvest. Deep green 'Cukes, 'maters..red and golden yellow. Bright squash and zucchini. Pungent onions, a variety of peppers, and sweet sugar corn. Juicy strawberries, peaches, and nectarines. Luscious blueberries and blackberries. Melons of all types...watermelons, honeydews, canaries, and my favorite, big, delicious, juicy, sweet, cantaloupes. Add to that the abundance of seafood everywhere you go in the area. Very hard to miss out on a good meal. 

Hit. Awesome Clawsome...King Crab, MD Blue Crab
Lobster and corn; shore abundance.

   What better brew to join 'em then a local brew. Fin City's Bimini Key Ale, a Bahamian style ale. What the hell is that? Gonna say a pale lager. Regardless, this pours a pale yellow with a quickly dissipating finger-thick head. Enhanced with tons of key limes...the biggest aroma that hits ya. Light peppery taste accompanies more key limes with a fresh bite in the finish from the 18 IBUs of light hopping. Only 4.0% ABV so washing down seafood, produce, or anything else is a pleasure with a few of these. Simple. NOT complex. Nothing sophisticated about a pale lager. Makes it very repeatable. Named after the OCMD boat builder Bimini Marine, rated this one a B-.

Out to sea. Will be back when the
beer is gone.  - Bar Sign

"There will always be another wave."   Shaun Tomson

Neoprene Free Season, from the Rogue's notebook

Getting back. Near waist high take-off along the trail.  Holidays coast, 7/13/2017.

   In the few times I've gotten to hit the surf, the best that I've been able to to do is snap a few knees and thighs. Didn't come without being slapped down myself...once or twice...or so. Still shorin' up those kook legs. No morning sessions yet. More water time always improves water time performance. Gets ya into surf shape.

Barely knee highs.  47th Street snippets, 6/29/2017.

Despite the typical early summer small-scale swell, the nor'east chop, and on-shore winds the water's now neoprene free. Mid 70's. Comfortable. Makes it a little more maneuverable in outta shape mode. See what happens in the up 'n comin' weeks.

Closing torment. Holidays end-game, 7/13/2017
"You know the nearer your destination...

the more you're...

...slip slidin' away."     -Paul Simon

    Company in town. Understand it happens when you get a house near the beach (another reason to get more time in the water). We like it. Friends or family. It's all Family. Like this week. Dinner with my brother and his kids. On the weekend, dinner with my Wife and her Daughter and Sister. Nice.

Bros and brews at Dead Freddies.

Seafood, beer, and a Margarita (or two).
Hooper's Crab House

   With company, a couple of brews thrown back. Alaskan Brewing Company's Amber, an Alt style beer (meaning "old") brewed in the German tradition of cold fermentation. Supposedly improves the conditioning. No fireworks here. Poured a clear, amber red with a finger and a half off-white head. Good lacing. Aromas of biscuit and grain. Lightly sweet. Average taste. Very malty. A little nutty. Light bitterness (18 IBUs) in the finish. Good beer, Not a standout. At 5.3% ABV, it ain't gonna keep 'em warm in Alaska. Rated a C+.

   Coronado Brewing put together a nice IPA sure to enhance any summer surf sesh. Islander IPA filled my head with aromas of mango and citrus sprinkled with pepper. Smooth malt sweetness in the taste combined with the mango and notorious hop-forward grapefruit. Three different hop varieties pumped 65 IBUs of resinous pine bitterness for a crisp finish. Poured a hazy, orangy gold with a finger of white fluff head. A newbie West Coaster in my book. Not the best of the IPAs I've had, but dangerously easy drinking at 7% ABV. Nice brew. Rated a B+.

"Coaster? That's for people
who put their beer down."
-anon.

Sunday Workout, from the Rogue's notebook.

The Jimmy S.

   Sunday in the Pines. Weather: full sun in the upper eighties. Water on the St. Martin, mid 70's. Waves are still pullin' the typical summer short-runs. About knee high. Water just touching 70F. Wife and I decided to go for about a five mile or so bike ride and then hit the Swim & Racquet Club beach to finish off the afternoon. Stand-Up Paddleboarding. Tried out the new 12 ft Jimmy Styks SUP. Birthday present to the wife. Good size board. As I rented, I had a good comparison. The rental was shorter and wider. The JS much more narrow than I anticipated. Obviously a little more work on the core. She did well. Nice Sunday workout.

  Afternoon refresher, Dogfish Head's Beer to Drink Music To '17. A tropical Blonde brewed with lime, kiwi, and hibiscus. Not your typical summer beer. 6.8% ABV means more of a sipper than a guzzler. Poured a light amber with a finger plus off-white head. Thin lacing that hung. Floral notes combined with citrus in the aroma. Tasted of lime and mango. Maybe a little kiwi. Malt background, but not real sweet and enough hop bitterness (30 IBUs) to make this very refreshing. Rated an A/A-.

"Mind you, I've always been

musical...Mother used to sit

me on her knee and I'd

whisper, 'Mummy, Mummy,

sing me a lullabye do,' and

she'd say: 'Certainly my angel,

my wee bundle of happiness,

hold my beer while I fetch me

banjo.'"

-Les Dawson