We were all dressed up and nowhere to go again this morning. The NOAA forecast or guesstimate issued a small craft caution with a front due through our area this morning with 15-20 knot winds with 3-4 foot seas. We had an impromptu Captain’s Meeting at 6am with lots of coffee and decided to stay put. The red sky in the morning sunrise was taken as an omen that we made the right decision.
We had a very interesting and information discussion with Charlie Norwood, the owner of Sea Hag Marina. He explained how the crab pot lines are arranged along LORAN lines and so are not as haphazard as they appeared to us. The crabbers do not want to lose their lines and pots anymore that we want to run afoul and tangle our props. We also discussed the real advantage of a single engine boat with a keel that protects the prop and even more protection if you also have cutters. He said that he’s seen more prop damage from boaters having their own dock lines get tangled in their own prop when docking.
Let’s talk about the real marauders of FL. They are more feared than the pirates of old and more voracious than any shark. I am talking about the saber tooth sand gnat, also known as “no see ums”, which are hungry beasts that swarm around sunrise, sunset and all day on cloudy days, tearing off bits of flesh and pieces of ears, ankles and neck until they finally overtake their prey and drive them crazy with itching.
The Legend of Steinhatchee claims that so many early settlers were overcome by the even more lethal version of the beast, gave their blood in this effort and that Deadman’s Bay is named after them. This fierce little predator has been beaten back a bit by pesticides and bug sprays but it has never met a competitor that it hasn’t whipped.
Bob is a particularly tasty target for these critters and we now call him a “bug magnet.” He is in desperate need of an antidote. The $85 dollar Buzz-Off shirt is not it, nor is Deep Woods Off which is an aphrodisiac to them. We have checked with the locals and found out that rum Painkillers is the only known remedy, or in a pinch, drink a lot of beer and don’t bathe.
We had a very interesting and information discussion with Charlie Norwood, the owner of Sea Hag Marina. He explained how the crab pot lines are arranged along LORAN lines and so are not as haphazard as they appeared to us. The crabbers do not want to lose their lines and pots anymore that we want to run afoul and tangle our props. We also discussed the real advantage of a single engine boat with a keel that protects the prop and even more protection if you also have cutters. He said that he’s seen more prop damage from boaters having their own dock lines get tangled in their own prop when docking.
Let’s talk about the real marauders of FL. They are more feared than the pirates of old and more voracious than any shark. I am talking about the saber tooth sand gnat, also known as “no see ums”, which are hungry beasts that swarm around sunrise, sunset and all day on cloudy days, tearing off bits of flesh and pieces of ears, ankles and neck until they finally overtake their prey and drive them crazy with itching.
The Legend of Steinhatchee claims that so many early settlers were overcome by the even more lethal version of the beast, gave their blood in this effort and that Deadman’s Bay is named after them. This fierce little predator has been beaten back a bit by pesticides and bug sprays but it has never met a competitor that it hasn’t whipped.
Bob is a particularly tasty target for these critters and we now call him a “bug magnet.” He is in desperate need of an antidote. The $85 dollar Buzz-Off shirt is not it, nor is Deep Woods Off which is an aphrodisiac to them. We have checked with the locals and found out that rum Painkillers is the only known remedy, or in a pinch, drink a lot of beer and don’t bathe.
