Return To The Reef, session notes from the Rogue.

"There is no losing in fishing. You either catch or you learn.
Either way, it’s better than work. Work is for people who can’t fish." - Stephen Leacock
Lines at the ready. Unknown offshore reef. Mid-Atlantic Ocean, 6/25/2022.

     Been a few since we were last able to do some offshore reef fishin'. Pandemic and all. But, finally got a trip arranged with DP, my neighbor. Headboat fishing off the Morningstar. 25-30 miles out. Part of the OC Reef Foundation, also did a little reef  addition. Calm ride out. So calm initially the lines were slack at first, but as soon as the tide changed and the wind picked up the lines began tightening up and it was "Fish on!" Bangin' strikes including multiple double headers. Caught ourselves a cooler full of black sea bass, and a couple ling cods. Winning day. A bit of a bump and a cooling wind for the ride home. Cold beers waitin'. Stoked trip. 

Squid Nation on deck.

Sea Chest. Hazy NEIPA. Orange

juice pour. Big 2-finger fuzzy white

head. Dry hopper with flaked oats.

Aromas of lime, pineapple, and 

orange sherbet. Flavors of juicy 

oranges and peaches. Just a touch

 of coconut. Great post sesh brew 

from Cape May Brewing. 7.4% ABV. 

36 IBUs. A/A- rating.

Reef construction.

Lookin' for scraps.

BJ's Brewhouse Piranha Pale

Ale. Part of a mix sixer outta

their Michigan location. Poured

a clear amber-orange with a

finger thick, off-white head.

Notes of herbal hops and pine. 

Flavors of mild grapefruit and

light malts. Refreshing 40 IBU

hop snap in the finish. Not

great, but very good. Somewhat

sessionable at 5.7%. Rated a B+.

Ready for the cleaners. Morningstar Crew, 6/25/2022.

'Bout Time, session notes from the Rogue.

47th Street Break. Easy drinkin' thigh to waisties, 6/24/2022.

     Very late start to my surf season. Been waiting for the water to get along the 70's edge...67 to 70+ degrees. Use of the new long sleeve shorty, or a rubber top. First surf. Went for the rubber top. Think I am at that age where I want to minimize the use of a full suit unless the surf was good. Friday, late June. This particular day, an easy thigh to waist high day. Water right on the 70-71F line. Cracked the 47th street lineup with only a couple of other surfers. About a block south the wve was definitely breaking more consistently, and the crowd proved it. Many more catching many more. Myself? Chill (but not chilly). Happy to be paddlin' around, picking and choosing which set, which wave. 'Bout time I got out. Enjoyed talkin' story with a local demo expert. Small business owner. The type of work. Dangerous. Hot at times. Dirt and dust everywhere. Competition for job sites and labor. His quotable line, "after work, just need to get in the water, forget the stress and worry of the day." Couldn't agree more. I was there for the same reason this evening. Then he spun his short board around and was off and rippin' a line along another swell. He did tell me that while I had the perfect board for the conditions (on the 7'6" T&C), he labeled it an "old school stick." Hmmm...maybe I needed an upgrade? Nah. Few rights, even a couple lefts. Couple poundings. Stoked first sesh.

     Wife and I headed over to MR Ducks after (cheers for the pics Babe!). Everything crab. Crab Basil Tomato Bisque soup. Another pounding...the Pounder...a pound of lump crab, dusted with Old Bay, on a bed of lettuce. Ate like we were starvin'. Easy music. Rockin' sunset.

   The finish... brew review. A newbie beer I'd been savin' since we went to Jersey.  Bonesaw Brewing's IPA Formerly Known As Swoosh. Appropriate. For 7.1%, very light tastin'. Hazy, gold pour, with a big, fluffy, 3 finger plus, white head. Smelled of citrus, melon, and apricots. Bright juicy tastes of grapefruit, oranges, mango, earthy pine and 53 IBUs of hops. Had a couple from a sixer up front. Very nice beer. Maybe the name. Definitely the experience. Rated the entire session an A.

'Duck's Aloha sunset. 6/24/2022