Fishing Report - 06/30/07

GREETINGS FROM THE TROPICS

THIRTY THREE STRAIGHT WEEKS OF FISHING, WHAT A GREAT TIME BUT IT WAS TIME FOR A BREAK IN THE ACTION.  THIS WEEK WHILE MOST OF THE CREW TOOK A BREAK, EDWIN, THE BARGE ENGINEER, AND I HEADED TO THE BEACH.  ISN'T THAT HOW A LOT OF PEOPLE CELEBRATE THE 4TH OF JULY?  BUT THIS BEACH IS DIFFERENT, A LOT DIFFERENT.  WE HAD THE BARGE ON THE BEACH TO DO THE ANNUAL "BOTTOM JOB."  SINCE THERE IS NOT A BOAT YARD AROUND, THIS IS WHERE THIS JOB GETS DONE.

FIRST WE SELECT A GENTLE SLOPING BEACH WITHOUT ANY CURRENT.  THEN WE FILL SAND BAGS, STACK THEM UP AND WHEN THE TIDE FLOODS WE FLOAT THE BARGE ONTO THE SAND BAGS.  WHEN THE TIDE EBBS THE BARGE SETTLES ONTO THE BAGS AND EXPOSES THE BOTTOM.  ONCE ON THE SAND BAGS THE WEIGHT OF THE BARGE STARTS PUSHING THE BAGS DOWN INTO THE SAND SO THE BARGE GETS ABOUT A FOOT LOWER EVERY DAY.  OF COURSE ALL THIS ISN'T ROCKET SCIENCE BUT YOU NEED TO PICK A HIGH TIDE AT FIRST LIGHT SO YOU WILL HAVE DAYLIGHT TO WORK ON THE BOAT.  THIS TIME WE HAD A CREW OF ELEVEN PEOPLE WORKING AND WE WERE ON THE BEACH FOR FIVE DAYS HAVING JUST RETURNED LAST NIGHT.  THIS IS HARD, DIRTY WORK.  GRINDING, SCRAPING, PAINTING, CRAWLING UNDER THE BARGE TO DO THE WORK.  WE ARE ALL TIRED BUT THE BARGE LOOKS GREAT AND WILL BE READY TO ONCE AGAIN START FISHING THIS COMING WEEK.

TIGHT LINES,
CAPTAIN JULIAN JAY GUSTIN



THE SAND BAGS ARE READY AND WE ARE WAITING FOR THE TIDE TO PICK US UP.


AND YOU THOUGHT YOUR LIFE WAS A GRIND. COME ON DOWN!


THIS IS THE PAINT MIXING ROOM, NATURALLY CLIMATE CONTROLLED. IN THE LEFT FOREGROUND IS MY DOG, GULVER GUSTIN.  HE LOVES THE BEACH. HIS JOB IS TO PATROL THE AREAS SO THAT NO CRABS OR PELICANS APPROACH THE BARGE AND HELPS WITH THE DIGGING.


THE BASE COAT IS ON AND THE FINAL COAT IS STARTING TO BE APPLIED


PART OF THE CREW AT WORK. THE REST OF THE CREW ARE PAINTING UNDER THE BARGE


HERE I AM, THE OLE CAPTAIN TAKING A DRINK FROM A COCONUT.  YOU CAN SEE THE RESPECT I GET FROM THE CREW.


JUST LIKE PUTTING MAKEUP ON AN UGLY WOMAN, THE NEW PAINT JOB MAKES THE BARGE REALLY SHINE


THE JOB IS DONE, WE ARE AWAITING THE FLOOD TIDE