If there is one very important matter that gets plenty of ink in these Liquid Lines it’s the temperature of the ocean. And sometimes I have to wonder why I spend so much time writing about the water temp. In fact, I thought about it on Saturday morning, as I was cleaning out my spice cabinet, marrying little canisters of red pepper flakes, completely unmotivated to be outside.

And I can’t help but think that if I were writing this column from, say, Orange County, Calif.,I wouldn’t have much need…