Took the Tolman to St Georges Island here in N, FL this past few days
but was not able to use her. Put her in the water at the oystermens
"ramp", basically a sandy area with steep drop off. Pushed off and
tried to start motor. Would not start for anything. Wind pushed us
across a shallow harbor for about 100 yds. OK, so I start kicker to
get us back to ramp. Uh oh, we are now in water too shallow for it.
CRAP, I gotta jump in and push off cuz wind really pushed us hard
aground. Once in water, decided to just walk her back across shallow
harbor EXCEPT, the mud was 3' deep. I got it done but my legs are cut
up from oyster shells.
THEN, although the park ranger had told me there were no other ramps,
I find that 200 yards closer to the bridge is a NEW paved ramp that is
very nice.
Unfortunately, Apalachicola has turned in an artsy fartsy hellhole
where I doubt a real oysterman can afford to live.
St George Island has gone from being an ok sort of place to stupidly
expensive out-of-stater beach homes that us Fl natives who live inland
will have to pay for when a hurricane takes em away. The whole island
seems boater hostile with every place I went having no place to park a
truck and boat trailer.
At least the Thanksgiving collards were good.

Frogwatch wrote:
Took the Tolman to St Georges Island here in N, FL this past few days
but was not able to use her. Put her in the water at the oystermens
"ramp", basically a sandy area with steep drop off. Pushed off and
tried to start motor. Would not start for anything. Wind pushed us
across a shallow harbor for about 100 yds. OK, so I start kicker to
get us back to ramp. Uh oh, we are now in water too shallow for it.
CRAP, I gotta jump in and push off cuz wind really pushed us hard
aground. Once in water, decided to just walk her back across shallow
harbor EXCEPT, the mud was 3' deep. I got it done but my legs are cut
up from oyster shells.
THEN, although the park ranger had told me there were no other ramps,
I find that 200 yards closer to the bridge is a NEW paved ramp that is
very nice.
Unfortunately, Apalachicola has turned in an artsy fartsy hellhole
where I doubt a real oysterman can afford to live.
St George Island has gone from being an ok sort of place to stupidly
expensive out-of-stater beach homes that us Fl natives who live inland
will have to pay for when a hurricane takes em away. The whole island
seems boater hostile with every place I went having no place to park a
truck and boat trailer.
At least the Thanksgiving collards were good.



For a moment there, I thought you meant Fort George Island, across from
Mayport in Jacksonville...whew!

Did you get your outboard started?

On Nov 29, 5:30 pm, Boater wrote:
Frogwatch wrote:
Took the Tolman to St Georges Island here in N, FL this past few days
but was not able to use her. Put her in the water at the oystermens
"ramp", basically a sandy area with steep drop off. Pushed off and
tried to start motor. Would not start for anything. Wind pushed us
across a shallow harbor for about 100 yds. OK, so I start kicker to
get us back to ramp. Uh oh, we are now in water too shallow for it.
CRAP, I gotta jump in and push off cuz wind really pushed us hard
aground. Once in water, decided to just walk her back across shallow
harbor EXCEPT, the mud was 3' deep. I got it done but my legs are cut
up from oyster shells.
THEN, although the park ranger had told me there were no other ramps,
I find that 200 yards closer to the bridge is a NEW paved ramp that is
very nice.
Unfortunately, Apalachicola has turned in an artsy fartsy hellhole
where I doubt a real oysterman can afford to live.
St George Island has gone from being an ok sort of place to stupidly
expensive out-of-stater beach homes that us Fl natives who live inland
will have to pay for when a hurricane takes em away. The whole island
seems boater hostile with every place I went having no place to park a
truck and boat trailer.
At least the Thanksgiving collards were good.

For a moment there, I thought you meant Fort George Island, across from
Mayport in Jacksonville...whew!

Did you get your outboard started?

Eventually got it started the night before I left and then the morning
I left. So, I thought it was ok. Apparently not.
Fishing was poor too. I only caught a small sheepshead, my daughter
caught a tiny flounder, a catfish and a ray.
Political arguments among the family were minimal. Interestingly,
among roughly 30 people, roughly 80% liberal, ALL were unanimous, no
bailout of the big 3 automakers.

Frogwatch wrote:
On Nov 29, 5:30 pm, Boater wrote:
Frogwatch wrote:
Took the Tolman to St Georges Island here in N, FL this past few days
but was not able to use her. Put her in the water at the oystermens
"ramp", basically a sandy area with steep drop off. Pushed off and
tried to start motor. Would not start for anything. Wind pushed us
across a shallow harbor for about 100 yds. OK, so I start kicker to
get us back to ramp. Uh oh, we are now in water too shallow for it.
CRAP, I gotta jump in and push off cuz wind really pushed us hard
aground. Once in water, decided to just walk her back across shallow
harbor EXCEPT, the mud was 3' deep. I got it done but my legs are cut
up from oyster shells.
THEN, although the park ranger had told me there were no other ramps,
I find that 200 yards closer to the bridge is a NEW paved ramp that is
very nice.
Unfortunately, Apalachicola has turned in an artsy fartsy hellhole
where I doubt a real oysterman can afford to live.
St George Island has gone from being an ok sort of place to stupidly
expensive out-of-stater beach homes that us Fl natives who live inland
will have to pay for when a hurricane takes em away. The whole island
seems boater hostile with every place I went having no place to park a
truck and boat trailer.
At least the Thanksgiving collards were good.
For a moment there, I thought you meant Fort George Island, across from
Mayport in Jacksonville...whew!

Did you get your outboard started?

Eventually got it started the night before I left and then the morning
I left. So, I thought it was ok. Apparently not.
Fishing was poor too. I only caught a small sheepshead, my daughter
caught a tiny flounder, a catfish and a ray.
Political arguments among the family were minimal. Interestingly,
among roughly 30 people, roughly 80% liberal, ALL were unanimous, no
bailout of the big 3 automakers.


Do they have any idea of what might happen if GM or Ford go teats-up and
don't get "reorganized?"

How about the loss of another 1.5 million manufacturing jobs?

It wouldn't have bothered me much if the Wall Street pukes, the bankers,
and the MBA vampires were shut down, but manufacturing? We need it.

Boater wrote:
Frogwatch wrote:
On Nov 29, 5:30 pm, Boater wrote:
Frogwatch wrote:
Took the Tolman to St Georges Island here in N, FL this past few days
but was not able to use her. Put her in the water at the oystermens
"ramp", basically a sandy area with steep drop off. Pushed off and
tried to start motor. Would not start for anything. Wind pushed us
across a shallow harbor for about 100 yds. OK, so I start kicker to
get us back to ramp. Uh oh, we are now in water too shallow for it.
CRAP, I gotta jump in and push off cuz wind really pushed us hard
aground. Once in water, decided to just walk her back across shallow
harbor EXCEPT, the mud was 3' deep. I got it done but my legs are cut
up from oyster shells.
THEN, although the park ranger had told me there were no other ramps,
I find that 200 yards closer to the bridge is a NEW paved ramp that is
very nice.
Unfortunately, Apalachicola has turned in an artsy fartsy hellhole
where I doubt a real oysterman can afford to live.
St George Island has gone from being an ok sort of place to stupidly
expensive out-of-stater beach homes that us Fl natives who live inland
will have to pay for when a hurricane takes em away. The whole island
seems boater hostile with every place I went having no place to park a
truck and boat trailer.
At least the Thanksgiving collards were good.
For a moment there, I thought you meant Fort George Island, across from
Mayport in Jacksonville...whew!

Did you get your outboard started?

Eventually got it started the night before I left and then the morning
I left. So, I thought it was ok. Apparently not.
Fishing was poor too. I only caught a small sheepshead, my daughter
caught a tiny flounder, a catfish and a ray.
Political arguments among the family were minimal. Interestingly,
among roughly 30 people, roughly 80% liberal, ALL were unanimous, no
bailout of the big 3 automakers.


Do they have any idea of what might happen if GM or Ford go teats-up and
don't get "reorganized?"

How about the loss of another 1.5 million manufacturing jobs?

It wouldn't have bothered me much if the Wall Street pukes, the bankers,
and the MBA vampires were shut down, but manufacturing? We need it.

Who's "we", WAFA? The bottom feeders like you who benefit from other
people's work?

Dump the unions and let the workers keep their money.

On Sat, 29 Nov 2008 13:59:31 -0800 (PST), Frogwatch
wrote:

Took the Tolman to St Georges Island here in N, FL this past few days
but was not able to use her. Put her in the water at the oystermens
"ramp", basically a sandy area with steep drop off. Pushed off and
tried to start motor. Would not start for anything. Wind pushed us
across a shallow harbor for about 100 yds. OK, so I start kicker to
get us back to ramp. Uh oh, we are now in water too shallow for it.
CRAP, I gotta jump in and push off cuz wind really pushed us hard
aground. Once in water, decided to just walk her back across shallow
harbor EXCEPT, the mud was 3' deep. I got it done but my legs are cut
up from oyster shells.

Why didn't you drop anchor before you got pushed in too shallow?
Let's talk basic boating here.

--Vic

On Sat, 29 Nov 2008 13:59:31 -0800 (PST), Frogwatch
wrote:

Took the Tolman to St Georges Island here in N, FL this past few days
but was not able to use her. Put her in the water at the oystermens
"ramp", basically a sandy area with steep drop off. Pushed off and
tried to start motor. Would not start for anything. Wind pushed us
across a shallow harbor for about 100 yds. OK, so I start kicker to
get us back to ramp. Uh oh, we are now in water too shallow for it.
CRAP, I gotta jump in and push off cuz wind really pushed us hard
aground. Once in water, decided to just walk her back across shallow
harbor EXCEPT, the mud was 3' deep. I got it done but my legs are cut
up from oyster shells.
THEN, although the park ranger had told me there were no other ramps,
I find that 200 yards closer to the bridge is a NEW paved ramp that is
very nice.
Unfortunately, Apalachicola has turned in an artsy fartsy hellhole
where I doubt a real oysterman can afford to live.
St George Island has gone from being an ok sort of place to stupidly
expensive out-of-stater beach homes that us Fl natives who live inland
will have to pay for when a hurricane takes em away. The whole island
seems boater hostile with every place I went having no place to park a
truck and boat trailer.
At least the Thanksgiving collards were good.

That last sentence makes it all worthwhile.


--
John H

*Have a Super Christmas and a Spectacular New Year!*