Seaside Olde Style, the Rogue's notes.

"The sandy beach stretched for miles. Behind him were sea-grass covered dunes, bleached fragments of shipwrecks, the shadows of Victorian turrets facing the sea." -Last Man in the Water, M. Capuzzo.
Clean, green comber sweeps the shore, Beach and Trenton Ave's., 4/8/2022.

     Extended stay. North cape, South Jersey. Rode the "Twin Capes" Ferry from Cape Henlopen, Lewes, DE to Cape May, NJ. Long weekend in an oceanfront B&B. Waited too long for a Florida trip. Hawaii still had too many restrictions. This worked. Cape May...Exit 0. Waves, surf shops...and Victorian by the sea. That's right, historic Victorian vacation homes. Add to it restaurants, bars, wineries, breweries, distilleries. Yeah, this worked. Doin' the seaside old style. First time. Not what I expected. Water too chill for a session. Hanging in the 40s. Air temps in the upper 50s. But, still prime conditions to surf check the knee to waist break each day. Eat local. Drink local. Needed late winter respite.

Day one: Waist to chest backsides on our beachfront. Reading and Beach Avenue, 4/7/2022.

     Arrival was a gloomy, rockin' ride across the Delaware Bay. However, got checked into our B&B, the Rhythm of the Sea, and headed out to the local filling station. Exit Zero was our first element of the Cape we got to sample. Bollywood Burger, and Lobster/Shrimp Mac 'n Cheese. Perfect pairing for a Cape May juicy IPA brew. Finished the night with a brew 'n nightcap at the Ugly Mug. 

From eyes on, to eyes in. First culinary stop...among
the best. Great "Welcome to Cape May" tavern.

Lobster 'n Shrimp Mac

First night out and Crushin' it

at Exit Zero. Cape May Brewing's

Orange IPA. Refreshing. Poured a

cloudy, orange-gold. Thin, fizzy

white head. Citrusy orange scent.

Juicy orange flavor. Maybe a pine-

apple thrown in. Only a slight hop 

kick. 8.0 ABV (party!). 15 IBUs (see

...slight). Feelin' like summer's 

comin' (ignore the rain son).

Rated a B/B-.

Bollywood at it's best!

Cape lighthouse, 4/7/2022.

Come for one. Stay for a couple. Ugly Mug, Washington St. 4/7/2022.

     Rhythm of the Sea...hard to beat a guest house where gourmet breakfast is delivered to your room. Add coffee. Ready to go on our way to touring the historic resort. Most of town within a short car or bike ride. Colorful to say the least. Appreciated the work and detail in the Victorian architecture. Not a design of choice. Little masochistic in terms of maintenance. Especially some of the choices of color pallets. All in the style and historic allure, I am sure. Afternoon at Washington Street Mall. Gifts of memorabilia to bring back. Wine. Food. Music. Nice day two. 

"The cottage era...businessmen would bring their families for 'the season' while they came back and forth from the cities on weekends by railroad. The larger Victorian style cottages generally enjoyed the addition of a porch or two (or three) since the residents took great pleasure in sitting outside and socializing with passersby." -A History of Cape May
Doin' the seaside olde style! Route 604, Beach Avenue. 4/8/2022

   

Home away from home...gave us the Rhythm of the Sea to live the weekend by.

Every morning, 930am. Set your clock.

Our own Fish Market.

Top dish! Crab and Lobster Rolls.

Unlimited waves of Peanut Butter and...

Gourmet Ice-cream Sandwiches- good
for the soul!

Gingerbread everywhere!

     

     Day 3. Another excellent breakfast to start the morning. Coffee from Out There. Became our go-to coffee shop. Hit Pete Smith's Surf Shop. Did an AM surf check. Pedaled the Inn Cruisers through town. More gingerbread. Hit up a couple local breweries. 7 Mile in Wildwood. Cape May Brewing in Rio Grande. Oysters and tuna to start and end the evening at Oyster Bay. We slept well.

Morning coffee & surf check...back of Pete Smith's, Beach Ave. 4/9/2022

Call it a Cascadian Dark Ale. Call it

a Black IPA. Call it roasty toasty.

Clear dark brown pour. Tons of head.

Plenty of roasted malt and mocha

in the nose. Cocoa nibs (whatever the

hell a nib is) i.e. chocolate, toffee, and

60 IBUs of bitter hop resins goin' 

down. 6.8% makes Dark Star a flexin' 

offering from the folks at 7 Mile

Brewery. Rated an A-.

7 Mile Brewery, The Wildwoods. 4/9/2022

Cape May Brewing, 4/9/2022.

Cape May Brewing's Following

Sea. New England Hazy IPA. Poured

a cloudy yellow-gold with as finger

thick head. Aromas of pine nuts

and grapefruit. Resinous pine in the

 taste with hints of mango. 7% alcohol.

An estimated 50 IBUs. Some metallic-

ness in the flavor. Rated a B. 

Fire & Flight...Cape May style.

Tuna and Oysters- pure stoke on a plate!

Cape May lineup on a calm, ankle-biting morning.

     Last day. Morning started out illustrious, albeit quiet enough.  Bright sun. Ankle high shorebreak rolling up on an empty beachhead. Yet another stoked filled breakfast. Out There Coffee. By the time we were packed and on our way, clouds were movin' in. Last chance for lobster and crab rolls. Washed 'em down with craft cocktails from Nauti Spirits.

Charged and chopped. Town Bank, NJ's front row view of the Delaware Bay in turmoil. Shore Road, 4/10/2022.

Did a "drive by" through Town Bank on the way to the Ferry terminal as the 'Blow picked up. Left Cape May as we found her...in churning seas and gusting winds. By the time we were back in Lewes, DE, the sun was coming back out. Poignant close to a relaxing long weekend.

Cast off from the Cape for the Lewes, DE Coast and road homeward.