Portrait of Tom. He’s about to make his first cast at the OG shore. 4:30 pm, Sunday, November 5, 2017. We changed the clocks today—darker sooner. Click to see the face of a happy man. Paul Goldfinger photo ©
By Paul Goldfinger, Editor@Blogfinger.
Late afternoon on a cloudy day at the Ocean Grove South Beach. There were kids with dads, and guys playing with their dogs in the sand, but overall, the beach was sparsely populated. Several surf fishermen were out. One was sitting at the edge of the surf talking on his cell phone while watching his line. Can you be in the zone while talking on your cell? The vibe at the beach was very mellow as the clouds began to darken, and the waves were a bit rambunctious.
Tom Wik lives on Heck Avenue almost close enough to cast from his porch. But he was not keeping his distance as he readied his gear. To fishermen, it is the being there that’s most important. Catching a fish is secondary.
Tom chose to wait till the end of the day to go surf fishing. The temperature was about 60 degrees, and given the misty moment, it seemed like Tom picked the perfect time. Being alone out there might set your mind to wonder why things are as they are.
ART GARFUNKEL: “I Wonder Why”
The sands are ghostly white
Beneath the moon.
It seems strange to me to stand in endless space,
And know that in this place
I’m held within its timeless sway.”
Tom is a great guy. He caught something big, grilled it and invited everyone on Heck to eat. He fed the entire block. Thanks Tom, good hook!