Fins to the left. Fins to the right. And a 'phin in the box.

The way today's fishing trip started, I was originally going to title this post as "Bait Snobs".  Why?  Well, after having to wait again for the railroad bridge to open, we made it out to the bait site.  We found lots of bait alright, but it wasn't the right kind.  We kept pulling in horned bellies.  (They are silvery fish with a little fin on their bellies that are very sharp and can hurt!)  It got to the point where we wouldn't even bring the string of them in the boat.  We just took them off the hooks and dumped them back in the ocean.  I'm sure all the other boats around were thinking, "What are those people doing?  Why aren't they keeping those bait fish?  Those fish not good enough for them?"  Actually, why keep the bait if the fish you're going for won't eat them? 

So after trying our other bait spot, we had enough sardines and greenies in the livewell to start fishing.

We set up our drift and it wasn't too long before we got a bite.  We were pretty excited!  No splashing, but lots of zipping around.  When we got it to the boat it was a barracuda.  :(  Oh well.

As pointed out in earlier posts, when we have live bait, we attach balloons to the lines to 1 - keep track of the line/bait and 2 - keep the bait a little closer to the surface. 

Once we get everything out, we can just sit back and watch.  And today we got quite a few shows!

Seems like the bait we put out had some shark attractant on it.  It's pretty fun to watch the big fish chase the little bait fish up to the surface.  Sometimes you can't see the bait, but you can see the balloon zig and zag around and then the fin if it's a shark or flash of blue if it's a dolphin.

Our first shark was a small one.

Then we caught a dolphin that we thought was kind of small but turned out to be decent-sized.

Then more sharks!  There were a couple of them circling our baits and we could see they were hammerhead sharks.  One of them, who was about 8' long, finally snatched our bait and Frank spent quite a while fighting him.  It took quite a bit of the line.  But after working to get a lot of it back, Frank tightened the drag and line snapped at the clip.  (Ok, I would have liked to have gotten a picture of this huge shark, but given how big it was, it probably turned out to be a good thing I didn't.)

The weather was beautiful.  We found bait and caught fish!  (Some to keep and some to release.)

So now you understand the title to this post.  :)

Our blue marlin tale

Our schedule and the weather were in sync again and we were looking forward to getting out, especially after the great fishing experience we had a few days earlier.

We anticipated it would be a little windy, but it was supposed to be out of another direction so the seas wouldn't be too bad.  No trains delayed our trip to the inlet Saturday morning!  It was sunny, clear and relatively warm. 

We reached the first bait location and the type we wanted wasn't around so we headed out to another location where the 'good stuff' usually hangs out.   We spent close to an hour trying for bait and as much as we wanted to fill the live well, we were only able to get a half a dozen sardines.  Not to worry, we brought some bait we could use to troll with if need be.

The winds made the seas a little choppier than we expected so it took us a little longer to get out to Sailfish Alley.  We got things set up and drifted for quite a while.  Our drifting/rocking time was more like National Geographic's 'Turtle Watch'.  Seems like we saw a dozen turtles during the day.  Ok, one or two may have been the same turtle, but there were definitely different ones - leatherbacks, green sea and maybe a hawksbill.  We also had a big brown shark check out our bait too!

Our catch with live bait consisted of a pesky ramora and a bonita.  Captain Frank suggested we change our strategy and troll north.  Because of the way the winds were shifting around, at the end of the day, we needed to enter the inlet from the north side.  So, we set up things to troll and started moving.

I think it happened simultaneously but we both spotted something sticking up in the water.  We kept our eye on what appeared to be a fin and got to a position where we were running parallel to it.  We were hoping it was a sailfish, but we didn't see the bill or sail.  What could it be?  The fin seemed too slender to be a shark.  We got to where we were a little ahead of the fin but whatever it was just didn't seem interested in our bait.

We continued on our troll but didn't have any more bites.  So we called it a day and headed in.

Once we got back, we consulted our favorite charter captain and asked him to identify our mysterious sighting.  Immediately he said, "That's a blue marlin tail!"  He was pretty excited!  Silly us, we didn't even think about it being a tail!  No wonder he didn't go after our bait. What we were 'serving' was so pidly compared to the size of the fish a marlin likes.   (And while it would have been an amazing story, we and our equipment probably wouldn't have lasted very long fighting that huge fish.  But you never know!) 

 Here are some pictures of Atlantic Blue Marlin.

So, that is our tale of the blue marlin tail!

Patience pays off! - (Updated to include video 3/25/10)

After yesterday's fishing trip, I decided that going forward, I'm not going to predict and 'publicly announce' what we will catch but rather report what kind of day we had.

And so, here is today's report.

We awoke to the sounds of the train whistle and immediately groaned. This sound means the railroad bridge is down and it goes up on it's own schedule. Past experience has told us it can be one train or maybe three trains. We heard one more whistle as we were leaving the dock and crossed our fingers it was the last one.

It was a beautiful morning and based on the forecast, were expecting low winds and calm seas.

We reached the bridge and...

Fortunately it we didn't have too long of a wait before we could make our way down the river.

By the time we got out the inlet, we could see it was a bit choppier than we anticipated, but it wasn't going to deter us.

We headed to the bait spot and caught a few right away. They were the same hornbellies we caught yesterday so after getting a few in the livewell, we headed to a different reef. No luck there so we went further east and a little deeper and found exactly what we were looking for...sardines! They are like candy to the bigger fish.

We didn't think there was a need to venture out too far since yesterday we came across a promising area about 120 feet deep. It is area commonly known as "Sailfish Alley".

We got the baits out and just as I was getting the camera set, Frank announced something was after one of our baits!

It was a beautiful sailfish! He jumped, fought, came close, swam away, but was still hooked!

Click here for the video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-RaHQBP-CG0

Frank had lots of fun with the first one of the season! (We aren't fans of bringing sailfish into the boat but we did get him close enough for a few pictures before releasing him.)

We put more baits out and made a few more drifts through Sailfish Alley and this time, a dolphin was interested in our bait. It wasn't much of a fight, but I had fun and we got it into the box without any incident (or much bloodshed).

We continued to drift for a while but no further luck so we decided to relocate and troll for a while. Only one bite and we weren't sure what it was, but it was pretty crafty as it stripped the bait without getting hooked.

The winds really didn't settle down today, but we've gotten to where we can handle it, do what we need to do and catch fish.

Hopefully we'll have as good or better a day fishing the next time we go out.

Congratulations on your sail, Frank! :o)

It had the makings for a great fishing day!

We had been looking forward to this morning for quite a few days.  It seems like it had been forever since we were able to fish and finally the weather (winds/seas) looked like they were going to cooperate.

We left the dock shortly after 7:30.  There was a beautiful sunrise on the St. Lucie River and it was pretty calm. 

We weren't the only ones who thought today was going to be a good day. 

It was a little bumpy out of the inlet, but that wasn't going to stop us.  We headed to the bait spot and barely got the rig in the water when all of a sudden, we had a full stringer.  This happened over and over again until we had plenty in the live-well.

With the bait stocked, we were ready to start drifting.  We zipped off to what we hoped would be the magic spot, got everything set up and waited. 

It wasn't the most gentle of waits either.  In fact, it was kind of like being in a washing machine.  I don't know what the weatherman was doing when he forecasted the weather for the morning.  Yes, we were expecting 2-3 foot seas, but we weren't expecting 20-25 mph winds! 

Needless to say, we drifted for a little while and then decided to troll in toward shallower waters.  We got 2 of our baits knocked down, but nothing stuck.

We trolled around a while longer, listening to the chatter on the radio.  (You know it's a bad day when the charter captains are exchanging information on bonita and barracuda just so their charters can catch a fish!)

Finally, we got something that stuck.  It went after the pink teaser first and then the bait.  It put up a little bit of a fight while Frank cleared the lines.  Once we got it to the boat we realized it was a bonita!  (Not something we like catching because they aren't very tasty eating.)

Towards the mid-afternoon, the seas started to calm and we were able to see many things floating on the surface.  I spied something brown and Frank pointed us in that direction.  "Was it a coconut?  Could it be a wooded box?  What about a 'square grouper'?"  We started getting giddy with excitement because these are the things we look for when fishing!  If they've been around for a while, they usually have a whole fish-food-chain below them.

Turned out to be none of the above. 

 Feel sorry for the fellow who lost it...hope his noggin didn't get too sunburned.

That was it!  All we got today was bait and one bonita!  On the other hand, it was a very sunny day with a bit of a cool breeze, the seas finally settled down and we saw lots of porpoise and turtles. 

Let's hope tomorrow will be a more productive day.

St Patrick's Shenanigans

It's been quite a while since we've participated in a neighborhood party.  Seems like there was always something on the schedule that conflicted.  Well, this time I was determined to make sure we were home! 
We donned our green, created our Irish names (Frank McJones and Leann O'Never-Here) and headed next door! 

Our Irish neighbor, Paul Sullivan, hosted the party and all who attended contributed in some way or another. 

We cooked about 20 pounds of corned beef and a 'colors of Ireland' salad (complete with shamrock shaped pasta), others made cabbage/potatoes, appetizers, and sweet treats.  Of course there were a few kegs of Irish beer.

Buck, Frank, Nina and Ray

Taunya, Jenn, Leann and Donna

Dave, Mike, Mark and Frank

It was great seeing Sut and Gary!  We used to tailgate together many years ago!

Victoria, Kathy and Paige learned the tried-and-try technique of jello shots without using implements.

Our bestest friends Victoria and Ken

A very fun dance party ensued during the wee hours of the morning.

It was a great time and we really enjoyed catching up with so many people and making new friends!

Here's your sign...you might be a redneck...so, git 'er done!

Ray and Bonnie invited us to join them for the Blue Collar Comedy tour in Ft. Lauderdale!  We've only heard these guys on the radio and seen them on TV, so this was an opportunity to see Bill Engval, Jeff Foxworthy and Larry the Cable Guy in person.

We enjoyed a yummy sushi dinner in Del Ray and then piled into the car and headed south.  The box tickets and parking were a result of Ray & Bonnie winning a bid at a silent auction fundraiser.  (Very generous of them to invite us!)

Each comedian performed for a little less than an hour and then they regrouped for their 'bar stool chat' where they answered questions from the audience.

Bill Engval

Jeff Foxworthy

Larry the Cable Guy

Bar Stool Chat

We weren't sure what to wear to such an event so we took the neutral route, but there were some real fans...lots of camouflage, cowboy hats, oversized ladies in too-small stretch-pants, and only a few sleeveless flannel shirts. 

Thanks Ray & Bonnie for a fun evening!

Fun with Friends!

Since the last post, things have been quite busy for the Crazy Travelers.

Upon returning from our respective trips, (me to Portland and Frank to NC), we had a day to prepare for the arrival of our friends Tom and Raquel from Rock Hill, SC.  You may remember them as we attended the FSU-Clemson game together and also spent a few weeks together in Panama early 2009.

They had never been to Stuart so it was a perfect opportunity for them to experience our little piece of paradise for a few days.  Thankfully they brought warmer weather with them!

They arrived Wednesday afternoon and because the weather was going to be rainy the next few days, we decided to have lunch on the boat and take them on a tour of Stuart by boat.  What fun!  We enjoyed Cuban sandwiches, the warm sunshine and breezy day.  We also explored parts of the river we hadn't seen before.  What beautiful McMansion homes! 

That evening we enjoyed dinner of pulled pork and invited Captain Pete to join us.   And we were able to catch a very pretty sunset on the river.

The yucky weather was expected to arrive the next day during the afternoon.  So we ventured out for some more exploring and to pick up a few movies.  We had lunch at a new place, Sailor's Return, which is in Wayne Heuzinga's new marina.  The food was pretty good!  We got back just in time to get hunkered down. 

On Friday, Tom and Frank had made plans to travel north to Rockledge to visit a friend of theirs from way back when.  It had been about 3 years since they've all seen each other and from what we heard, it sounds like they had a good time catching up.  (I guess what happens in Rockledge, stays in Rockledge.)  :)  But they did mention several times all the big TVs Doug has and I could see the wheels turning trying to figure out how they might be able to arrange something comparable.

While the guys were up north, Raquel and I spent time catching up.  It was really a very rainy and dreary day, but that didn't stop us from venturing out.  I wanted to introduce Raquel to Home Goods as they are in the process of doing some remodeling/redecorating.  We zipped out for a bit but were back in time to have our neighbor from Tampa (Paul and Paige) stop by for a visit and lunch as they were returning from South Florida. 

That evening we went to dinner at the Dolphin Bar and Inn but unfortunately it was too rainy to enjoy the scenery.  Fortunately, the food made up for it.

Saturday came and the Andersons were heading to the west coast for another stop on their Florida tour. 

Lots of food, fun and laughs while they were here.  Hope they'll come back but next time leave the rain at home.

Time in Portland

I shouldn't have been surprised, but the time went by so quickly while in Portland.  Not only was there a 3 hour time difference, but I was living with two 6-year-olds who are wide awake before the crack of dawn and have enough energy to keep going the whole day! 

From the time I hit the driveway, it was non-stop fun and activity!  Over 300 pictures worth of fun! 

I am still trying to regroup, get over a very long trip east, and prepare for friends visiting a few days.  And so, I will confess up front....I'm going to capitalize on Kathy's hard work and include a link to her blog here:   Life as We Know It.  (Thanks Kathy!)

It was a great trip!

Technology-challenged

It's not that we haven't known how to use the technology we have, we haven't had it to use!

Prior to leaving Stuart, my computer went into the shop due to getting the dreaded 'blue screen of death' one too many times.  Then when we got to Tampa, Frank's computer went into the shop because his screen would go black.  After our time in Tampa, we headed north to Tallahassee, where internet access is limited.

But we did have a few fun events (pictures to follow) while we were in Tampa and in Tallahassee.

In Tampa, we helped Victoria celebrate her birthday at the Murder Mystery Dinner Theatre.  A good time was had by all and some of us actually figured out who the murderer was. 

Then in Tallahassee, we enjoyed two basketball games (one loss and one win).  But the best part of our time there was hosting the Annual Slavic Night!  (The usual cast of characters gathered and we also included some other friends who live in Tallahassee.)  The food and wine were fabulous and we all enjoyed spending time together as well as meeting new friends.

Now, I'm in Portland to help Chris and Nate celebrate their 'Golden Birthdays' - they turn 6 on the 6th!  And Frank has endured frigid temperatures to check on the house in NC.

Hard to believe the weather in Portland is warmer than in Tampa!!

Stay tuned for more updates on Crazy Travelers events!