829 Southdrive

829 Southdrive

A New Jersey state of mind



Saturday, March 19, 2011

Friday with Russ


Picture perfect day at Beaton's on Friday, but a bit too
windy for Sjogin.  It's okay, we made the best of it.


The view forward.  It seemed to have gotten smaller
down below since the last time I was there.  Or,
 I may have gotten larger.  The smell is the same.
Salt, cedar, varnish, smoke.  All the good things.


And lunch of course, toasting on the Sardine stove.
Borderline not necessary on a warm day like today.
Okay, definitely not necessary for warmth anyway. 
But how would one obtain the slightly crunchy texture
on the outside of the bun otherwise? 


Russ checking his iPhone.  I think he was actually kind
of working the whole time.  I gotta get me one of them
kinda jobs.  The sun was streaming in, and the warm
southwesterly wind was at least keeping the cabin
 air circulating. I'm starving.  


I stopped and picked up a six-pack on the way.  It
had to do with sailing somehow, I mean come on.
I decided on Full Sail IPA, brewed in Oregon.  I
bought it in honor of Doryman.  Michael, do you like
Full Sail?  We did very much.  With a slightly elevated
alcohol content, it provided us with a good appetite.


The foil finally came off and the aroma wafted toward
my face.  Russ said, jokingly, "you didn't give up
pastrami for lent, did you?"  I would never lend my
pastrami to anyone. Especially with arugula, stagianato,
and whole grain mustard on Miami onion bread.


All of the A Cats get their brightwork freshened every
off-season.  This picture does it no justice.  It really is a
rich man's game.  I think it's in the class rules that an
owner must spend a certain amount of money on his
or her boat every season just to qualify.


I tried to tag Ghost with a little dust graffiti.  Only the
keenest of eyes will be able to make this out. 


The cockpit of Lightning.  I'd almost be afraid
to sit in it.  I guess no-one wears cut-off Levis with
copper rivets while sailing any more, like I used to.


Was the shape of this plaque intentional?


After they hired their second employee, they opened
the doors for visitors too!


Undoubtedly, Russ and I share a deep love and
respect for this part of the shore.  We traded stories
of when we were young, exploring up and down
the ditches, canals, and lagoons that cut through the
marshes that line the bay and rivers. How the shore
was so less developed back in the sixties, and even
in the seventies to a degree.  We talked about how so
many old bungalows and shore houses were being
razed to make room for bigger, more ostentatious
weekend getaways.  At one point, he threatened to 
knock down his own house and build a smaller one.  
I laughed out loud.  That was a keeper.  After visiting his
perfect little cottage in Manasquan, I hope he reconsiders. 

8 comments:

  1. Ah yes, Full Sail is fine. But I'm more a stout or porter kind of guy, not to say I would turn down a good beverage, especially with pastrami and onion bread! The Full Sail brewery is now owned by the employees, which is always good. They are situated on the Columbia river in a hot spot for windsurfing, thus the sail.

    The local brewery in my town is the Rogue, but I would guess they don't ship cross-country. They make an ale they call Dead Guy. You guessed it - to die for.

    Glad you and Russ had such a good visit.

    ReplyDelete
  2. You know, I wouldn't really mind if you did a post like this about Beaton's once a week or so.

    Board boats may be all well and good, but how can you not like a boat that has a wood stove below and a place to eat a pastrami sandwich?


    O Docker
    3/19/11

    ReplyDelete
  3. Agree with O Docker that your Beaton's Yard posts are without equal.

    (Notice how I resisted the the temptation to use a French word to end that sentence.)

    And speaking of the pastrami sandwich, which had my mouth watering while I was drinking my first cup of of coffee this morning, could I get a care package sent to CT?

    ReplyDelete
  4. Maybe once a month would be good - keep us waiting for these posts. These posts appeal to all the senses in such a wonderful way. Thank you.

    ReplyDelete
  5. I've always said that the best posts on sailing blogs are the ones that celebrate the peripheral things about sailing, the sights and sounds and smells and tastes and people and things that enrich the sailing culture and are what really make the whole sailing experience so enticing to us.

    One of the first sailing bloggers I followed would write posts about things like "sandpaper" or "blazer buttons" that would bring back memories for all of us of working on the boat or socializing at the yacht club.

    For some reasons these "sideways" looks at sailing always seem more interesting than a straight on post about a day sailing on the bay or a race.

    Your Beaton's are posts some of the finest in this "sideways" category. Keep them coming.

    ReplyDelete
  6. Dave,

    Sorry about being dock-bound but a great visit none the less. Let's try it again soon.

    For your readers looking for a regular view of Beaton's send them here: www.sjogin.com.

    Wonderful post as always,

    Russ

    ReplyDelete