By Paul Goldfinger, Editor @Blogfinger
The Belmar Marina is one of the finest docking places at the Shore. It is 1/2 mile from the ocean, and the fleet takes fishermen and fisherwomen out to deep waters, and when they return, they tie up to floating concrete docks. The Miss Belmar Princess is 120 ft long and is the fastest party boat in New Jersey. The three turbo diesels create 2100 hp.
Currently the Princess is going after mackerel, a species of fish that is high in omega-three-fatty acids. The expression “holy mackerel” means “wow” in case you don’t know. It also means holy moly and holy cow.
SOUNDTRACK: This music was chosen because it is featured in a movie with a nautical title. Otherwise, there is no good rationale. In 2010 a romantic comedy with Phillip Seymour Hoffman called Jack Goes Boating was released. Many reviewers liked it (“quirky” “charming,”) and the soundtrack is really good.
It is described as “indie rock” and it is extraordinarily diverse and engaging. Some of the fine groups that were featured included Grizzly Bear which I actually had posted on BF some time ago and which I really like. There also is Fleet Foxes with “White Winter Hymnal.”—very beautiful. They even included Mel Torme and Bill Evans (jazz guys.)
But we chose an old song (below) by a new group—Dave’s True Story is a duo from NYC.
I really like this version of “Blue Moon” written by Richard Rodgers and Lorenz Hart in 1934; the Boswell Sisters were the first to record it.
The up tempo is just right for a spiffy fox trot or a happy jitterbug. I bought the album on iTunes.
I hope the pilings in Belmar are better than the ones on the OG pier.
I’m not sure if anyone else remembers, but after everything happened up at the WTC, many local charter boats were hired by NY Waterway and the Feds to get people in and out of lower Manhattan, as the WTC-Newark tube had flooded and the overcrowding of NJT trains into NY Penn and the few subways that ran down to Ground Zero was unbearable. The Miss Belmar Princess was among those charter boats, and I was able to step onto her and her berth mates at the Belmar Marina with pride, knowing that our neighbors were keeping such a large part of the economy – and the last threads of the World career/lifestyle intact. I know the owners of those charters were compensated for their time, effort and materials, but there’s no monetary value to be placed on the kindness and understanding their employees showed in those gruesomely difficult months after everything was gone. I still smile when I pass those boats in harbor and said a prayer that Sandy would be as kind to them and their owners as they were to us. I hope she was.
Just want to wish all of you FIngerBloggers a Happy Healthy Safe & Prosperous 2013! I truly truly look forward to receiving your posts – always delightful, especially when curmudgeony such as fundraising for FEMA. Oh – and the photos are spectacular! Thank you! Jeneba