Shall I sing the praises of the Chesapeake Dock Bar? A magical place for the end of a long sail, or a day of working on the wayward starboard engine, or just lunch, or the cap off to a lovely day of day drinking, the dock bar is an institution in the sailing community. Seedy or elegant, streamlined or wonderfully ramshackle, it has the power to transform the scruffiest deckhand to landed (or shipped) gentry and your slightly warm bud light with lime into a glass of chateau neuf du Pape '55, at least, for the moment.
In an age when places of grace and beauty, especially for the common man, are few and far between, the dock bar is a standout, and we are fortunate here on the Chesapeake to be bless with a number of the very best.
So what is it that generates this magical aura? There are a bunch of elements to look for in a great dock bar. First of all:
The View or Lack Thereof
One of the great complaints of novice sailors is that there simply aren't enough windows in the cabin. The water is beautiful, one argues, so why can't we see it from in the cabin? This sensibility lasts until the first really long overwater voyage, when the lack of any place in their overglazed galley to get away from . . .well. . .the water becomes apparent. Hours on watch in the endless water and sun takes it's toll, and a quiet place away from the rollers and the baking heat becomes a necessity. A great dock bar gives you both: a wonderful relaxing space with a great view of the water and it's comings and goings, and a bar sufficiently cave-like and sequestered to provide you with a retreat from five days in the weather.
Libations
Here's a matter of taste, but let's be clear: If you can't afford the bar, you won't go there, and if the drinks be swill, you'll find another port. At the very least, there needs to be things on the drink menu that lay somewhere between “I may need to sell the car to afford a second” and “I got a headache the minute she opened that bottle.”
The Crew
The patrons of a dock bar are also a matter of taste. We've all been to the well with a bunch of “Adults with no Inside Voices” dominating the room. I, myself, tend toward the quieter places, but to each their own. A good set of regular local patrons always helps set the tone. You'll know when you walk in the door.
The Barkeep
And of all the elements regulating a great Dock Bar, the being behind that bar is perhaps the most important. A great bartender knows your –or can convince you they do, even if you've never set foot in the door before—can flirt, can chat, can deal with drunks gently and quickly, and all while being unflappably efficient. It's a profession with the combined talents, of chemist, politician, tight rope walker, and used car salesman. Far underrated and underpaid if you ask me, and having been a restaurateur, I know that the person behind that counter can make or break your establishment.
So Where are They?
We on the Chesapeake are gifted with a plethora of rivers and streams, inlets and bays, in which to explore, and each of those is a wondrous opportunity for someone to have turned a mundane dockage into a destination worthy of your time and money. From the Sassafras to the Susquehanna, from the Middle River to Rock Hall, just boot up any decent map program and bring up the bars and restaurants. The choices are almost endless. Each reflect their clientele, and the spirit of that particular port in a storm.
It's summer. Time to go exploring. You'll know the moment you walk in the door if you've found a new home port for the afternoon.
No comments:
Post a Comment