Cape May Journal

July 16, 2007

Monday, July 16

I’m up early watching the fog burn off. Two pelicans circle, unusual visitors here. The dolphins are active already. The birds no doubt figure that if there are dolphins congregating, there are fish.

Whale and dolphin-watching boats soon arrive to hover around the mammals. Ineluctably, the boats annoy the dolphins (and I’m sure scare away the fish on which they are feeding) so, guess what, the dolphins leave and the boats depart to follow the dolphins (or find new ones). I’m sure that cycle repeats itself through endless amounts of customers’ money. Later, mutatis mutandis, the dolphins return after the boats are gone and spend the day cavorting. Occasionally, they leap from the water. The NEVER do that with the boats around!

A family next to us abandons their chairs and umbrellas and, within two minutes, a gull arrives to clean up the crumbs and vestiges of some chips. (Birds always strike me as walking with their hands behind their backs, as if they’re just passing through, no need to be concerned.) The gull cleans up nicely, then flies over beyond the breakers to float and apparently do nothing more than contemplate avian existence.

This evening we dine at The Pier View, which was once The Waterside and featured flights of Johnny Walker scotch. The food is better than ever—our finest meal to date. The prime rib was served with extra au jus in a brandy glass. The waiter is from Belarus, and he tells us that HE is bored here in the winter!

Terrible storm tonight, they cleared the beaches at 5, so we managed a good day, and there’s something soothing about rain at the shore.

Driving down the main drag (“Ocean Road,” how could they have come up with that?) we notice that every motel, hotel, condo, and boarding house has a “vacancy” sign. That’s not a good sign at the height of the season. This is a driving destination and I’m wondering if gas prices are actually influencing choices. Yet 80% of the vehicles here are SUVs the size of Airstreams.

Tonight is my Hoyo de Monterrey Cuban, with some iced tea and a chocolate covered oreo cookie. Like that gull, I am content floating on the waves.