Florida bound

Wefings · Posted: Mon Nov 19, 2007 9:20 am Post subject:

we will see you soon ! Yesterdays research was inconclusive , so we will need to further it for the cause .
Marc

Happy Holiday season to all the brats !
Marc

captd · Posted: Mon Nov 19, 2007 6:52 pm Post subject:

Marc,
Our friends could not put the chater together on short notice. But thanks for checking that out.
Now you know hillary can be an adjective just meaning flip flop. Not implying that in this case. You were ready to go.

Thanks for sending those magazines........ appreciate.

We will see you on the way out, sorry we didn't catch you. Unless our second shakedown is a problem . In that case we will see you much sooner.
captd

CaptMac · Posted: Tue Nov 20, 2007 10:15 am Post subject: flounder gigging

Capt D,

If you are around the Amelia Island (near Jax, FL) area come on over and I will trade you a flounder gigging trip for a ride on your C-Ranger tug. Also, we just bought an RV and I am interested in getting a wireless connection. Yours seems to work well - Do you mind sharing the specs?

Coming soon, C-Critter -

captd · Posted: Tue Nov 20, 2007 6:19 pm Post subject:

Mac.
Don't mind at all. I would love to gig for flounder. I knew a guy in Oak hill that used to do that. He sold me a lot of his fish. I would have rather went out with him to get them. We are going to camp and put the Ranger in at Sanford. Come on down. Ranger is getting some canvas done. Then in she goes.

Is this a good time of the year for gigging? (flounder)
I got to look Jax up on the map???????

We use alltel wireless. Not sure if it is better than Verizon or not. I have swore at it a few times. If you come to Sanford you can try it out and ride in the Ranger too.
captd

Byrdman · Posted: Tue Nov 20, 2007 6:42 pm Post subject:

CPTD: I missed where and who is doing your canvas work?

Byrdman

captd · Posted: Thu Nov 22, 2007 7:54 am Post subject:

JP canvas in Crystal River. The guy is really good. Left the boat with him and he will get it done on the 27th.

Went out from Yankee Town fishing for groupers. Caught two small groupers. and a jack. In other words ,came home with nothing. Private charter lined up for Sat. We will get them than.
captd

Byrdman · Posted: Sat Dec 01, 2007 1:42 pm Post subject:

CPTD: How things going?

Byrdman

Wefings · Posted: Sat Dec 01, 2007 5:08 pm Post subject:

Mac , Verizon and Alltel use the same towers and equip for high speed . I just made my cell phone [motorola Q , Alltel ] a "tethered modem" . Its pretty good with consistent 1 meg download, sometimes faster .Works like an Air Card . Can still talk on the phone when using modem . Pretty handy. FYI
Do your flounder disappear offshore like ours do in the winter????

Marc

captd · Posted: Fri Dec 07, 2007 6:39 am Post subject:

To catch up,

Screens and mattress will be done on tuesday. We have rented a camp and slip in Astro. While waiting for these things to be done, we are visiting friends in Mims. Dee goes to the Doctor on the 11 th. in Ocala. After that the boat goes into the water.
This wireless is not all it is suppose to be, last night I could not get on at all. It would connect and than it would close down, over and over again. Finally I just gave it up and went to bed. This morning it kicked me out a couple times, but I am on now.

Not being able to go on line last night I thought I would try the GPS plugged into the laptop. Low and behold I now have a full screen chart plotter on my laptop. It placed the boat right here in Mims on the Noah charts from Maptech. Really pleased with it for $99.

We did get 10 keeper grouper fishing out of Cedar Cay. !st time I have caught grouper trolling. Not quite as much fun, but hey, I'm not complaining.

Went to Sanford yesterday,to two Marinas. To launch the boat and park camper and trailer would be no problem. Even if left for weeks. I was told it was a safe thing to do. Guess they have pretty good security.

captd

Byrdman · Posted: Fri Dec 07, 2007 8:11 am Post subject:

Glad you got back in the water. I hate water withdrawls. Had snow withdrawls, so I flew up to Buffalo NY to see Terry (Last Dance) and take in a little snow action. Great trip.

Congrats on the grouper and the internet gizmo will follow the phones and parts of the Gulf Coast are "Get-a-Way" places....and that means getting away from cell phones too. Enjoy the boat and the waters.

Byrdman

captd · Posted: Tue Dec 11, 2007 8:08 am Post subject:

Not yet Byrdman, but we are in Ocala for Dee's Doc appointment. Then, pick up the boat in Crystall River, back to Astro, wash the boat, put it in the water, put on ships stores, put it on Autopilot, wake me up in Sanford.

No Internet from Astro, just barely cell phone. But we are still checking out the grounds. Maybe somewhere.

captd

Tad and Toby Jackson · Posted: Tue Dec 11, 2007 9:55 am Post subject:

captd,
Sounds as though you are on an adventure. My wife Toby and I are going exploring on the St. John's for 6 days in late Dec. We are going to launch the Comfy Dory on Wed. the 26th or Thursday the 27th west of Mims on Lake Harney and return on Tues. the 1st. The plan is to travel north exploring the lakes, coves and creeks, circumnavigate Lake George and check out the springs and maybe go up to Palatka before we turn around. We have made many runs on the River between Lake Poinsett west of Cocoa up to Lake George in our Lowe 14' aluminum boat. This will be the first time that we have had the Dory on the St. John's. The river and marshes are the most beautiful at this time of the year as the reeds have dried out and the marsh is wide open. The variety of birds is amazing also as this area is at the south end of the Atlantic Flyway. Many white pelicans, cranes, herons, hawks, eagles, ducks and of course, song birds.

Where is Astro, FL? I have heard of Astor, FL just south of Lake George, but not Astro. Is that where you will be launching the boat? What is your projected launch date? Maybe we will be on the River at the same time only going in opposite directions. Keep an eye out!

Tad

captd · Posted: Wed Dec 12, 2007 6:52 am Post subject:

Tad,
Astor , is correct., just south of Lake George. Why I have been having trouble with the name, I just don't know . Age I guess. I have even told some friends the name was Aster.

We are in Crystal River right now as I type. JP has finished with the screens and mattress. and we will pull out this morning back to Asturd. The boat goes in the water tomorrow.
!st hop will be to head your way to Sanford. I think that is about as far as we can go with the Ranger. I guess, from what I have been told, the water is high and a 2 ft. draft could go all the way to the Cabbage Patch. The chart shows it a little If' y. We should meet some where along the way, I am sure. Plan on the springs also. In fact friends will be here thursday when we put in and we might go to the springs that day. Looks like it is only about 12 miles from here. We plan on spending a month and a half on the river. How much time will you be on St. Johns?

The Name of the Marina where we keep the camper and a boat slip is called "Astor Marina and Landing " It is on the West side a couple miles before you get to Astor. By road it is about 4 miles out of town.

Hope to see you and tie up for evening sodas.
captd (Darrel )

Byrdman · Posted: Wed Dec 12, 2007 9:24 am Post subject:

CPTD: Looks like the metropolis of Astor will have some nice clear weather on Thursday. ...at least on Thursday. Month and a half.... Hummmm?

Back in country on 7Jan, Nashville Boat show 8-14th....??
I think I have another friend with his boat in the area...??

C-Brat Hawthorne Suit Gathering in Auburn, WA area 23-26Jan....

Hummm... what to do from the 14th to the 23rd of Jan...? Jeff..any ideas?

Byrdman

Tad and Toby Jackson · Posted: Wed Dec 12, 2007 9:35 am Post subject:

Darrel,

Wow! I sure wish we had a month and a half to travel on the St. John's. There are plenty of places to explore that would take that long to see them. As we are still tethered to jobs, we won't have that amount of time for a few more years. This trip will be for 6 days. We will launch the boat on Thursday the 27th at Lake Harney and return to Lake Harney on Wednesday, New Year's day. Lake Harney is about 45 minutes from our home on Merritt Is.
We will probably spend the first night @ Hontoon Is. as they have a nice little transient dock for overnight and there are some good walking trails on the island. From there, we will head north with no real plan for where to overnight. There are some beautiful, peaceful coves along the way that may catch our fancy for overnights. Our preference is to "drop a hook" for our overnights rather than stay at a marina.
I am not sure where we might cross wakes, but if we have not seen your boat after a couple of days, you might call us on my cell phone. The number is: 321-432-5071 and I will have it on while we are on the Comfy Dory. I will make sure to check at the Astor Marina when we go through and see if you are there at that time.
Evening "sodas" with new friends are always welcome.

Tad