Drop-Kick, session notes from the Rogue.

Attempting to avoid another drop-kick; speeding in front of the Atlantic's toes. 47th Street breakout, 8/22/2019

   Next sesh. Another week of more shorebreak. Never-ending, or so it seems. The daytime heat and humidity just seems to flatten the rolling sets until they reach the shallows of the shore and jack...even just a dash. There ya go. A dash of shorebreak. That's what I took on last week. More substantial rides out of this surge than last week. Still found myself sliding down and across thigh-high, twisting, sectioning, close-out surf in about knee deep or less wake. F'ing ruptured wave would literally drop-kick the stick from under my feet. Speaking of...a wake board might have been a more appropriate equipment to handle the existing conditions. Light SE winds. Water still in the lower 70's, breaking everywhere. Did I mention?.. Always good to get wet!
   Could feel it during most rides of the session. Minor shimmy of the front end of the board as I'd skid across the shallows of the shore. Thought runs through your mind...that skeg grabbin' the packed sand and throw ya like a sock puppet. Key Brewing Company's Speed Wobbles, puts the thought to the side. A session IPA at 4.7% alcohol. Cloudy, golden orange pour with a finger or less fizzy, off-white head. Notes of orange peel, lemon, and floral hoppiness in the smell. Smooth taste. More orange, grapefruit, and some malt going down. Light, refreshing, bitter bite in the finish. If you needed more than one to get rid of the shakes, this would be a candidate. Rated a B+.

"The Edge...There is no honest way to

explain it because the only people who

really know where it is are the ones

who have gone over." 

-Hunter S. Thompson

Ballast Point, one of my favorite breweries, put out this next one for the morning after. Easy Seas, a Belgian Strong Ale at 10.0% ABV advertised as a "Mimosa Inspired Ale" to go with breakfast/brunch. Yeah okeee..., no. A ten percent'r to tackle brunch with? More like to get tackled by after brunch. It's an orange-fest. An orange forward brew that was overtaking the nose with orange zest and fruity yeast (Belgian inspired). Sweet tastes of honey, more orange and some booziness. But, smooth...not overwhelming. Poured a bright orange tinted gold with a slight haze and a less than finger head both of which seemed to dissipate over time. I wanna like it, but I'd consider this baby more of a novelty than a lasting brew on the shelves. Rated a B/B-.

Summer Slam, session notes from the Rogue

Never turn your back on the Ocean...or in conditions like this, the beach. 65th, south of Holidays. 8/15/2019

   More shorebreak. Like a watery finger flicking you onto the hard, wet, sand. Not the most knowledgeable about the subjects, but due to sand pumping and shore erosion, high tide does not offer the best conditions. Last week was a prime example. Water had cooled down to 71F, and it was hanging around 70F on the beach. ESE on-shore winds about 10 knots. Waist to stomach semi-clean swell that toggled back forth between a point break and a close out...in knee deep water. Wore the rubber top to cover any body slams. Took a couple. A painful session. Now I need another.

Still in one piece.

   Wow! An American IPA that really depicted the Ocean's mood as of late. Holland, Michigan's New Holland Brewing does Mad Hatter. A slightly hazy, orange pour with a finger-plus white foamy head. Light piney hops and citrus in the aroma. Considering the 65 IBUs, the taste was not as bitter as many IPAs. More mellow. Traces of pineapple and mango with a tad malt sweetness and a hair more resinous pine in the finish. At 7% ABV, a couple downed made for pretty fair painkillers. Rated a B.

"The letters in 'Brace Beemer' can be
rearranged to spell 'Embrace Beer.'"

-Dave Barry

The 5th Day, session notes from the Rogue.

Fishing yacht "Beast" brings in the 73.5 pound, 4th place White Marlin on Day 5. 8/9/2019

"Fishing is one of the few things that truly takes my mind away from
 all the stresses that life holds back at the docks. There aren't many
 things in life that offer an experience so rich that you're able to leave
 your worries behind. So, I ask you, what's there not to love about 
being offshore?"      -Robert King Byard

   It's what it's all about. The 5th day...the last day of the 46th Annual White Marlin Open. The day that the week's Kings are dethroned and records are broken. The last hurrah for the summer... at least the marker. All others trail off from here. We got there at 3-ish pm and the crowds were still swelling as we left about 8-ish pm after the "Give-It-Away" cruised out with the third largest Wahoo in WMO history at 91 lbs. Worth $24+K and first place in the Wahoo category. Pocket change for these folks.

-Coastal Fisherman pic.

 The heaviest Whitey of the day took 4th overall as the 79.5 pounder caught the day before held on the grab the $1.5 Mil purse. Striking for the second time (previously in 2008), Tommy Hinkle, a math teacher from my Alma Mater, Stephen Decatur. Doesn't mean it wasn't exciting as we saw more White Marlin brought in than the previous four days, all with the intention of dethroning Hinkle. From our vantage point, only the Beast got close, even with the few additional that came in after we left. Got plenty of pics, which still didn't do the experience justice...

The celebrity of the week...

the White Marlin. Bringin'

'em in all night.

Seakeeper with a Tuna to the scales...

Seakeeper's 2nd Place 150.5 lb. Yellowfin.

Front row seat complete with
personal bar...the Cruisin' Tiki

 "Give-It-Away" heads out after dropping off the winning Wahoo...the
crowd of "next ups" await.

33 lb. Dolphin/Mahi courtesy

of the "Smoker."

   Ocean City's oldest brewery (yes, another local beer), Fin City, has been supplying White Marlin Pale Ale for quite a number of years. Not the first time I've had it, but with the can graphic dedicated to the WMO, got hooked from the moment I saw it for the post's review. Poured a clear amber with about a finger and a half, off-white head. Smelled of light lime, with hints of grainy malt. Thin, fast dissipating lacing were the result of each swig. Tasted of pine, grass, and bready malts. Maybe a little citrus in the finish, but mostly a dry crispness. Not really a standout, but as I bought a six, I seemed to enjoy each successive one more than the last. Gave it a B-/C+ rating.

"Don't bother me while I'm fishing, unless

you got beer." -Anon

The end of Day 5...another for the record books.

Suit Search, session notes from the Rogue

"There's nothing in the sea this fish would fear. Other fish run from bigger

things. That's their instinct. But, this fish doesn't run from anything. He
doesn't fear."  -Peter Benchley, Jaws

   Shark week. Shark watch. The ominous grey suit. When you're out by yourself, it's one of those thoughts that pop into your head if all around is quiet except for the water slappin' round you or waves crackin' on the beach. The flash of dorsal you may have seen in your periph. When it's rougher, and your fighting to hold position in the lineup, the fatigue can make it worse. Fortunately, that ain't been the case as of late. Small surf. Sometimes chop. Sometimes a little cleaner. Recently a little murkier with all of the sand churned from the shorebreak. Still, relatively close to shore. So I should have been safe. No searching for that grey suite. Right?

No fins behind, only looming hard sand in front. Face-plant anyone? 65th Street, south of Holidays. 7/29/2019.

   Change the perspective. I will dream of calm, blue waters with smooth breakin', clean, chest-high rollers. Wait a minute. Thinkin' of the brew I just had. Burley Oak's Blue J.R.E.A.M.-Sicle. Big aromas of juiced blueberry and vanilla. Tart, savory, blueberry creamsicle taste with a very smooth (only 6 IBUs), juicy carbonated finish. Poured a radiant, opaque purple, with a finger-plus billowed head. 4.8% alcohol makes this a sweet (literally) summer beer. Rated an A.

 Close my eyes. Relax. Vision in my head about the next session. Clean A-Frames, both right and left. The diamond sparkle of the sun glinting off the sea behind me. No worries. RaR (Realerevival) Brewing helped with Grapefruit Nectar IPA. ABV of 7.4% outta a 16 ounce can meant the relaxation would come fast if I didn't pay attention. Poured a very hazy burnt orange with a single finger, fizzy white head. Strong smell of grapefruit right off the bat. Must be the nectar. Tasted of heavy citrus. Resinous pine. More grapefruit up front. Must be the nectar. Some sweet malt in the refreshingly bitter (maybe 60-plus IBU), finish. Another A rating.