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Vic Smith

On Sun, 27 Jul 2008 17:29:48 -0700 (PDT),
wrote:

However, how long is the boating season there? You pay
how much for a boat you only use for three months?

The ice is usually gone in April, so that's the beginning.
Doesn't have to end until November. So at least 7 months.
Last time I was there fishing was an April, about 45F degrees air
temp. Had to leave because waterskiers in insulated wetsuits were
buzzing my small boat.

Northerners just
really do drink a lot more than we do in the south. They always have
beer in hand, even while boating and nobody thinks it odd. My brother
in law always has a beer in hand while boating and this made me very
nervous and I could not relax due to this. Maybe they just have to
fit a lot of craziness into so few months that it is simply
concentrated.

Not sure what's going on up there, because I never got in with the
"boating" crowd. Knew the fishing crowd when it was there.
Nothing wrong with a beer now and then, but from the accident reports
coming from there every summer, drinking is way overdone.

Next stop this summer was LaCrosse, WI. We camped at Goose Island
campground which was really nice. An impressive boating area on
backwaters of the Miss. River. Very high bluffs with great views (if
you ever get there, go up Grandads Bluff for the view). Nice, Nice,
Nice. I did no boating there but I did talk to a lot of fishermen and
they really were into fishing.

Fished there a few times, and it was nice. Can't remember catching
anything though, except a wing dam on the boats lower unit.
Wasn't bad though. Not my boat, and I wasn't driving.

Next stop was the Black Hills but no boating there except a great view
on a lake in Custer State Park.

Next stop, Casper, Wyoming. The N. Platte River is really nice and
you can rent float boats and the fly fishing even right in town is
supposed to be great. We went west of town to a big reservoir called
Lake Alcova where most boating is done there and it was sorta like the
Chain of Lakes boaters with everybody running around fast to get it
out of their systems before it gets too cold. Some sailboats because
the wind is great but the idea of a big sailboat on a lake where you
can not go anywhere strikes me as odd. Took a waverunner up Fremont
canyon for fantastic views, very worthwhile even at $160/half day.

Sounds like a nice itinerary. Been to some of those places, but
remember different things because we did things differently.

Back to Tallahassee. It is impossible for me to be objective because
I am a native here and I like it here. From Mid-May to Mid-October it
is insanely hot.

That's probably a personal thing. I always visit Florida in the
summer, and while it's hot, it doesn't bother me much.
We get our share of 90's here without the pretty stuff Florida has.
Maybe that's why it doesn't bother me. Or maybe because I was
a boilerman, steel mill worker and heat treater, so I always put
that context into the picture when I start sweating.
I know my wife will bitch about the heat though, because she does
it here!
It's funny though how many times I see the national weather map
and it's 5 degrees hotter here than it is in Tampa.

Sailing is out from July 1 to late September because
there is either no wind or thunderstorms. In this drought, there is
little fresh water to boat on except small rivers with canoes and
Kayaks but if you like beautiful springs and crystal clear spring
water for kayaks and canoes, great. On the coast, there is very
little boating traffic. Our coastline is wilderness for 130 miles to
the east with only a few private places with houses. To the west, it
gets "beachy" with people but boating is still good with great
fishing. The local people are rednecks and we do things slower than
most people are used to because the heat makes you that way. I can
afford to keep a 28' sailboat in the water here and can afford to
launch my 20' Tolman here whereas South FL always gives me sticker
shock. Boating here is year round and I do not see any of the Keeping
up with the Jones' over boats. Here, an oyster boat carrying a 6 pack
is a yacht. I see boats waaaaaay up the creeks where their owners are
tied up living for free living on nearly nothing and that is the way
it should be. Boats are supposed to give you freedom but in most
places they seem to anchor people to expenses. Here, mine still give
me freedom. As far as fishing goes, it is now scallop season so this
weekend I'll take the family out east of the St. Marks light and pick
em up.
I hate South Florida cuz it is basically unlivable. Too many people,
too many crazies. Down there, it seems like the Chain of Lakes in
Illinois. I cannot say anything about fishing down there. Boating
there costs serious money.

Punta Gorda is about as far south as I would go. Not too crowded
there. Lots of old people who stay inside watching cable TV.
Thanks for your perspective.
Man. I love scallops. Want to get into that part real bad.

--Vic

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