Boating with Sunset Delight: 2026 May: Memorial Day Maintenance Run

The weather in New Jersey has been like a yo-yo with temperatures approaching the 90s for a couple of days and then sadly dropping back into the 60s. The picture above shows the view from our back deck and typifies the weather we have most often seen and experienced over the Memorial Day weekend.

Now that we are back in New Jersey, we have a lot of catching up with friends and neighbors to do. Given that, we have been eating out and sampling some of the restaurants in the area. Our neighbors suggested we try a new restaurant in Red Bank that none of us had tried previously. Ellie's Backyard is located on Broad Street, which is closed off for outside dining during the summer season.

We would definitely return!

After our very enjoyable meal, we decided to walk down the street and around the corner for an ice cream treat at "Scoops & Scootery". This place is also new to Red Bank. When we got close (on the opposite side of the road) we could see a long line of people waiting at the entrance. That stopped us "dead in our tracks". We didn't need to try the place that badly.

Doing some research, I found that there are two locations of "Scoops and Scootery". One is in Boston, MA and one is in Red Bank, NJ. From reviews, and our own observations, they appear to be extremely popular and long lines are commonplace. Maybe we will return to try them some time.

Long line at Scoops & Scootery for ice cream

For this outing we decided to drop back to our usual go-to place for ice cream treats - Crazees!

Crazees - Rumson, NJ

Our next restaurant outing was to the Beach Tavern in Monmouth Beach, NJ with our long-time friends - Mike and Darlene.

This choice was made based on a recommendation from Darlene's daughter. When I told Clark the address, he said, "I know where that is!" and seemed happy to be going there. As we turned into the parking lot, I realized why Clark was excited as this restaurant is situated near the Channel Club where Clark spent his youth and his father kept his boat.

Clark would bicycle the seven miles to the marina from his home (he was too young to drive) and go swimming in the pool with marina friends. Naturally, he was anxious to see if the pool was still there, and it was!

Channel Club pool

He had a small Styrofoam boat that he would throw in the water and paddle or sail. He even had a small outboard that he could attach (as seen in my prior blog posts when looking at antique outboards).

outboard like Clark's

As we strolled around the area, I grabbed some pictures of the area imagining a youthful Clark enjoying his boating time. He noted that the docks when he played here were fixed docks that have been replaced with floating docks either due to damage from Superstorm Sandy or due to Suntex taking over the area.

As we walked around, he appeared to be hunting for something. Finally, he got that ah-ha moment and pointed out to me where railroad tracks used to run from a building down into the water. The tracks were used to launch boats back in the day. Without knowing the history, no one would no as there were no visible signs that tracks used to lay here.

Our next food-related outing was instigated by Clark's high school graduating class of 1973. He learned through a Facebook post that there would be a gathering of classmates at Beacon 70 in Brick Township for Happy Hour.

Beacon 70 Restaurant & Bar

Originally, I was going to let Clark go on his own to this event, and then I remembered that his classmates are pretty cool folks, so I decided to join him. As it turned out, he needed a navigator for the trip there. When we left the house, Google Maps said it would take 45 minutes to get there - sounded about right. 45 minutes later into the ride, Google Maps showed it would take 45 minutes to get there.

No matter which way we looked, we found red lines on Maps indicating traffic. We looked at the Parkway, State Highway 35, local roads, and everything was blocked with traffic. This was a Tuesday for heaven's sake! What the heck!

Happy hour was from 4:00 to 7:00. We got there at 6:15! The place was packed - a proverbial "mad house". I had difficulty wrapping my "boat-at-anchor" mind around all the traffic and all the people. The restaurant was wall-to-wall people as many stood at the bar, and the noise level was unbelievably loud. A DJ played loud music and had folks playing a game of "Music Bingo", which I assumed meant folks had to listen to his music choices to win.

We put our names in when we entered the restaurant for a table later on. They buzzed Clark's cellphone when the table was ready, and we almost missed our table because he didn't hear the phone. Luckily the table we were assigned sat right next to where all his classmates were standing / sitting near the bar, so our conversations could continue. Everyone recognized Clark because, except for the mustache, he basically still looks the same, but he had to ask everyone their names.

Our most recent food outing took us to a nearby restaurant, Nauvoo Grill, that has become the go-to place to meet with our friends Diane and Joe.

Nauvoo Grill, Fair Haven, NJ

We are always eager to meet up with these folks, whom we have known for a number of years. Clark met Joe through guitar lessons many years ago, which led to me meeting his wife Diane. The class was taught by Clark's high school friend - Andy McDonough. A chance meeting with Andy in a restaurant led to Clark picking up the guitar and learning to play well enough to play in the St. Columba band in Marathon.

On May 17th we attended a very special family event as a ceremony was held for my nephew's son, Daniel, on achieving the rank of Eagle Scout. Very few scouts achieve the Eagle level which is the highest ranking level.

A table was set up with a display showing the path to Eagle that Daniel had taken.

Levels of achievement

My nephew, Robert McAteer, led the proceedings for his son as a troop leader.

Daniel receiving the markings of an Eagle Scout
including a new neckerchief

Daniel with his proud parents
Bob and Maria McAteer

As part of an Eagle Scout Court of Honor, other Eagle Scouts are asked to come forward.

Clark is an Eagle Scout, Class of '71. We attended church last Sunday where he earned his Eagle Scout level, and we saw his name engraved there as a member of Troop 70. With several plaques on display, it took a while to find his name.

Clark - 4th up from bottom on
leftmost column

After the ceremony we had a beautiful and delicious cake!

Three members of the Keystone Base Submarine Veterans attended the ceremony. This was a new one on me. I asked it I could get pictures of their vests, and they all agreed! Each one is different with the patches they have earned through their years of service / participation. They explained that there is a woman who attaches the patches for them at no charge until the work is done and the customer is satisfied with the work. They are super satisfied and proud!

Two of my grand-nieces and their father (my nephew - Tom) were able to come from Philadelphia to attend this ceremony which was held in Lebanon, PA. Their sister was busy playing in an important baseball / softball game back home.

Ev, Ellie - 8, and Grace - 11

Besides visiting friends and relatives, we have been visiting our doctors. We have had our annual physicals, dermatology skin checks for too much time in the sun, and eye doctor. Visiting the dentist comes next!

When we are not out and about with friends, relatives, and doctors, we are working on projects either in the house (mostly me) or on the boat (Clark and me). Clark received and installed the replacement part for the upper helm engine display screen that had discolored. He also received and installed the part needed to repair an antifreeze leak on the port engine. Once that was completed he wanted to do a maintenance run to check AF levels, but the weather was too foul to consider going out.

Before several days of rain came, Clark worked in our front yard to put down some top soil and grass seed on spots that stay defiantly bare of grass!

When it wasn't raining, we continued work on the boat. I made new covers for the windshield wipers as the old ones I made had rotted out. At least this time I could use the originals as a template.

Old, worn out wiper covers

Designing new ones

Done and installed!

Clark said we needed to clean the full enclosure (true). We worked together with me on the inside and him outside to polish our Cool2Sea glass.

Better him than me out there!

We had to buy new supplies for the job.

Amazingly, the cloudy panes came out crystal clear!

While considering how to address a leak we have from the upper helm to the salon ceiling, Clark noticed that the radio speaker for the upper helm had rotted out. I ordered a new set of speakers for him to install. (There is always some new issue to address on a boat, i.e. the list never gets shorter, it just changes content.)

Clark with his hand in the speaker hole!

Another job Clark tackled was cleaning the power cord - an ugly job I have done far too many times.

Before cord

We tried a new product that seemed to do the job.

Recommended by boaters

All better (mostly). After cleaning, Clark, with my help, applied a sealant to help protect it.

After cord

Mid-week before Memorial Day we had temperatures approaching 90. Then the weather turned cold and rainy and stayed that way through most of the weekend. Finally, at 5:00 p.m. on Memorial Day, we had high tide and fair weather and could take the boat out for a test run.

Today's weather forecast

25 May 2026
Depart: home dock, Rumson, NJ 5:10
Arrive: home dock 6:15

I took pictures while we were out enjoying some time on the water.

View traveling outbound on our creek

When we returned from being down south, we found that markers on our local waterways were either missing or out of position! Clark chose to go out at high tide to avoid feeling our way in low water as we did when we came in!

Nope. No markers here!

No markers properly placed
only a "slow speed" barrel to mark the channel

I spied a swan as we exited our creek. Normally, we see two together.

Swan, but where's the mate!?

A few people were out on the water including our neighbor who was also taking his boat out for a quick maintenance run. We left our docks at approximately the same time.

Neighbors boating

We saw a lone fisherman as we approached Sea Bright, NJ.

Going with the wind, it felt comfortable to be in short sleeves. Going into the wind, I had to put on a jacket and zip it up tight! The air was still raw with the wind in the face.

We did not go far today - not even up to the Sea Bright Bridge before Clark turned around to return home.

Monmouth Beach, Channel Towers
off in the distance

Carriage House Marina view on right
(where we kept our previous boat)
The condo dock is missing its boards!

Sea Bright Bridge

Folks who follow this blog must realize that I enjoy looking at colorful, cloudy skies. Today's were quite pretty.

Returning home, entering Pleasure Bay, we spied something in the water that we had trouble identifying. When we go up next to it, we discovered it was yet another mylar balloon! Grrr!

Dead balloon in Pleasure Bay

Trying to stay on course through the channel, we noted a green marker that appeared too far to our starboard side to be correctly positioned. It and the friend it's towing are both in the wrong place!