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Trip Down Memory Lane
I had to dig out some old photos that need to accompany an article I'm working on. What a list of boats and memories, sort of wish I had all the money I've thrown into that proverbial whole in the water, but how can you put a price on good fishing and fond memories.
The list of boats is an interesting history of how I got to where I am today; 13 foot Merrimack canoe, 13 mad river canoe, 17 foot coleman canoe, 17 foot Coleman scanoe, Basstracker Tournament V-17, winter project and that boat is turned into Basstracker center console, Lund 18 foot dual console aluminum, Basstracker 16 john boat for winter holdover fishing, McKee Craft 196CC and the next step might take me back to simpler times if I go Kayak this spring.
One photo album I came across also had my trip log from one of two yacht deliveries I crewed on out of Ft. Lauderdale in the late 70's. I had been down visiting my sister after my ski instructor season ended and I wanted to feel some warmth. I don't know whether she got tired of me freeloading or I just ran out of money. Due to my sail boat racing history in my youth, I looked for the cheep ride home at a local yacht club. The first ride took me north on a 52 foot racing sloop heading home to NY. We got nailed by a tropical storm off Cape Hatteras; let's just say reading any Michael Togias books makes the hair stand up on the back of my neck and I'm look forward to the Disney adaptation of his latest book.
I flew from NY cold and still wet back to FL and joined another couple and owner (retired navy provost Marshall) on a Crocker built beautiful catch he purchased in Maine and was sailing it home to San Francisco. Wonderful and scary memories of that trip, the attached were taken in Gitmo where he served. We were be-calmed for over a week and running low on water and provisions, so they allowed him in to re-stock. Unfortunately the really fun couple got off in Panama City and the two of us were butting heads constantly, so I finally bailed in Acapulco and without money or papers, was stranded in Mexico for a couple weeks. Sitting in a bar near the slip we had for the next couple of days, I talked to a US businessman about my situation and bummed a ride in his Cessna four seater he was flying to Mexico City in a couple hours.
After thanking him and wondering now WTF I'm going to do, I did what most young stupid kids would do; I went to the bar. As luck would have it a wonderful lady was picking up her young daughter and they wanted my sad story and on hearing it invited me to stay with them for a few weeks until I could get the folks to wire me some money and figure out how to get my paperwork required to fly home. Sometimes you just have to crack open the old photo albums to take a little trip down memory lane.
Interesting trips and stories.
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