Labor Day 2024

For the first time in five years, I failed to secure one of the two slips at the Harbormasters Dock in Edgartown for Labor Day.

I set my alarm on March 14 and went straight to Labor Day and hit BOOK at 7:00:10 AM PST. As soon as I did, I realized I’d booked four nights inside of three and panicked. I foolishly canceled and started again. By 7:00:30 PST all the summer nights were gone!

It was okay because, on February 1, I had booked Oaks Bluffs for both Memorial Day and Labor Day weekend in front of Dockside.

Nevertheless, I will attempt to book Edgartown for Labor Day weekend in 2025.

Late Arrival Friday

We all had business on Friday morning, so we didn’t leave Onset until after 2:00. It was no problem because the ride over was mostly smooth.

I say mostly because as we passed East Chop, the seas kicked up and made navigating the narrow breakwater a little dicey.

Then to top things off, there was a boat tied up at Dockside in our spot. I called the dockmaster on Ch. 71 and they quickly sent the pump-out boat down and towed them away.

Although it was quick, holding Amazing Grace against the wind in a 100’ circle proved tricky. Mrs. Horne was busy on the headset reporting all the boats, dinghies, and paddle boarders around us (sorry, no photos, my hands were full).

The Dockside Scene

Tying up at Dockside isn’t for everyone, but we discovered a great conversation starter.

As you know, I generally avoid politics on this site, but I will say that we’re in on the Orange Man for 2024.

Like most politicians, he’s a deeply flawed man, but we know exactly where he stands on every issue and his presidency was pretty good for the things most Americans care about – The Economy, Crime, and War.

On the other hand, we have no idea where Harris stands on anything important – she’s everywhere and nowhere at the same time. Sadly, it appears she wants to keep it that way. No thanks!

Back to the conversation starter on Dockside. We flew a Trump Flag in 2020 and a Desantis flag in 2022. Virtually everyone who reacted did so favorably.

Despite the fact we’re ten miles from the Obama Oceanfront Compound, Oak Bluffs appears to be Trump Country.

If you want tranquility, Dockside is not for you, but if you love people-watching (as we do,) there’s nowhere else like it.

The boats behind us were 30-40’ center consoles and they were fully immersed in the crowd.

From the Skydeck, we can still engage with those passing by or read in private if we want.

We did the same thing from the Flybridge on Relentless.

The Offshore Ale House

As you may know, our mission is to seek out and report on the best restaurants within walking distance of a dock (Dock and Dine.)

Mrs. Horne, Miss Daisy, and I visited here once in 2017 for lunch. Because we had a dog, we sat outside and the entire event was forgettable.

I think they had an open peanut barrel and people would eat them and throw the shells on the brick floor.

I remember trying to keep Daisy from eating peanut shells throughout lunch – no fun!

We missed lunch Friday, so we went to an early dinner around 4:30. I didn’t see any evidence of a Happy Hour, but the bar was packed with what looked like locals.

He advised the crowd around the bar was loud. We asked for a quieter table and were seated way in the back.

Yes, it’s pub food, but I’d certainly rate it Gastro Pub.

The menu offers a few sophisticated dishes like:

• STUFFED SALMON – $35
  Salmon stuffed with lump crab, drizzled with a lemon thyme butter sauce, with potatoes au gratin and asparagus
• HERB ROASTED CHICKEN – $28
  A Statler chicken breast, garlic mashed potatoes, vegetable of the day, robust chimichurri sauce
• STEAK FRITES – $36
  Sliced tenderloin with chive chimichurri,
  hand-cut parmesan truffle fries, and a petite salad

I’ll definitely add the Offshore Ale House to my OB restaurant rotation and try one of these fancy dinner dishes next time.

Skydeck Sunset

The big advantage of an early dinner in late August is that we get back to the boat in time to watch the sunset from the Skydeck.

Bluebird Saturday

We woke up to a warm and sunny day on Saturday. This looked like the best day for a long bike ride and lunch in Edgartown.

When we were in Kennebunkport I bought the Ride With GPS app for $59.95/year. The offer was straightforward; bring up a local map, plan and plot your trip, and get turn-by-turn instructions through your smartphone.

Unfortunately, like many apps, the developer strived for more and created a complicated monster. The app aspires to be also be a fitness tracker and host to a social media network of bikers.

The end result of it all was me, wasting an hour, trying to figure out how to do Job #1 and plan a trip for the day.

At first blush, twenty-five miles seemed reasonable, but it ended up being a long trip.

I do 25-30 miles several days a week, but Mrs. Horne and Peter only bike when they are on the boat. Everyone was ready for a break after the eighteen-mile leg through the forest to the Atlantic in Edgartown.

The bar was packed in Jaryl’s section, so went back by the kitchen and sat in Rhino’s area.

The bartenders at The Atlantic all have unique personalities; Jaryl is a perfect gentleman, Vlad is a charmer, and Rhino is a classic wise-ass.

I was committed to trying something other than my usual Shwarma Tacos and zeroed in on the Arayes.

The Arayes were fantastic, offering Middle Eastern-flavored beef in homemade pita bread. The grilled zucchini was well executed, but the pickled vegetables were a failure.

They were not pickled anywhere near long enough and the pieces were too big and difficult to cut.

I’ll definitely order the Arayes again, but I’ll negotiate a better side dish.

The Beach Road Bike Trail

We rode along the ocean back to Oak Bluffs. The Beach Road Bike Trail may be one of the most scenic biking in New England, but it’s also the most treacherous.

Thanks to its beauty, it’s very popular. And thanks to multiple bike rental shops in both Edgartown and Oak Bluffs, it’s a virtual minefield of people who don’t know how to ride a bike!

Despite multiple verbal alerts, we dodged multiple head-on collisions with people looking at their phones, riding on the wrong side of the path, or taking selfies of themselves riding along the beach.

We eventually got back to the boat and people-watching up until dinner.

Next Up – Coop deVille “Room Service”