Our Little Secret

By Sean McVeigh

I guess it’s a little like going to see the Rockettes in January, or trick-or-treating in November. Out of season, slightly offbeat. The other morning, in the middle of September, I went out specifically for a full Irish breakfast — even though March is still a long winter away. We treat seasons like they come with strict scripts. Champagne in January. Fireworks in July. Turkey in November. Even the bible gets in on the action: “To every thing there is a season, and a time to every purpose under heaven.”

There’s nothing in the rule book that says you can’t go to the beach after Labor Day. Still, for most people, something deep in their lizard brains insist that, come September, beach time is over — even when it’s 75 and sunny.

Good. Let’s keep it that way. The beach in September is unbeatable, and the lack of a crowd is definitely a factor.

There is nothing worse than being besieged by sunbathers on a crowded beach day. Most people are familiar with proper etiquette and will give you enough space between their setup and yours. But some people are clueless and don’t seem to have a care in the world when they encroach on your borders like Germany in 1939. Thankfully, those are usually the same people who stay home once the calendar flips to September. And if they don’t? There’s simply too much space for it to matter.

Now, living in Rockaway means you’re going to run into people you know everywhere — it’s just one of the curses blessings of life on our little peninsula paradise. But somehow, that feeling is amplified on September beach days. Maybe it’s the same familiar faces you see all summer, only now without the DFDs clogging things up. It’s as close as Rockaway will ever feel to a private beach.

In my not-so-humble opinion, the true highlight of a post–Labor Day beach trip is the weather. I’ll take 70s and low humidity over the dog days’ rainforest climate any day of the week — and twice on Sundays. Throw in a crisp fall breeze in the afternoon, the kind that forces you to throw on a sweatshirt, and you’re in sweaty-guy heaven.

September beach days don’t demand a full-day commitment. Sometimes a couple of hours is all you need. And since you’re not planning to spend the whole day, there’s no need for the summer packing routine. Forget the giant cooler, snacks, sandwiches, and surf boards — you’re not prepping for a week-long trip into the wilderness. A chair, a good book, and a few cold drinks are all you need this time of year.

Don’t get me wrong, Rockaway just wouldn’t be Rockaway without those summer months. We know that, and it seems like all of NYC knows that now. I mean, just take a look at those ferry lines. But there’s really nothing quite like Rockaway in September.

Let’s keep that between you and me, though, shall we? It’ll be our little secret.