WEEKEND UPDATE

Home in Port Charlotte
Leaving at 4AM for Fort Pierce

I launched the boat for a couple of hours today in very windy weather.  I had poured bilge cleaner into the bilge and needed to run the boat in order to slosh it around and make it effective.  I definately got sloshed around in the 20 MPH winds.  There were white caps all around but the boat handled it with high confidence.The coolest thing about today was that I didn't have to rush myself out even though the tide was high.  I passed under the short bridge at 1.4 feet about mean zero tide with no problem.  My old boat would have had the hard top ripped off at that height. 

I zipped out the mouth of the Myakka River and trolled a 10' deep diving lure.  I had two nice strikes...one ripping off 100' of line in an instant.  I wasn't able to land either fish but it was still fun.  When I came in the bilge cleaner was found to have cleaned about half the gunk from the bilge.  I'll continued this process until I get it all cleaned up.

Saturday was spent doing projects.  I mowed, fertilized and watered the lawn.  I installed the 3 battery bank charger on the boat and got one of the two live wells working.  Friday I tried to call the repair guy who has my trolling motor but he didn't return my call.  I decided to drive over there to check on it and found my unit sitting in the middle of his lobby floor, where it's been for 5 days.  They haven't even looked at it yet.  (Grrrrr).  He said they've been busy.  Maybe me showing up will light a fire under them to get it going.

Monday morning I will awaken at 3:30AM to make the 3 hour drive to Ft. Pierce.  My week will also take me to Stuart, West Palm Beach and Delray Beach.  I'll be home late Thursday night.  I have a fishing trip planned with some guys next Sunday.  Hopefully we'll have good weather.