7/3 Not much at Napatree

[davew]

I put the kayak in at Barn Island on Saturday and Sunday morning and trolled my way out to Napatree. On Saturday, there were a few schoolies and small blues working over the sand eels at Napatree point. My biggest was about 25". They shut down about 10:00 or so.

Sunday was dead. The bait was still there, but I never even got a strike. I didn't see any one else hooked up, either.

I had a great time enjoying the antics of the holiday weekend boaters. At the Barn Island ramp, there was always a small flotilla of boats drifting just off the ramp with motors that wouldn't start. I saw a minivan go past its rear axles in salt water while launching a boat. There was lots of smoking tires when pulling boats out.

At Napatree point, I watched a boat with a dead motor drift onto the rocks. It was banging the rocks for a half hour or so until one of the dozen or so boats fishing within two hundred yards took the time to help tow them out a bit.

Watching all that made me appreciate the advantages of a kayak.

[rel]

dave- I'm willing to bet that the boat banging the rocks didn't even have a paddle on board to try and help himself. You can't beat the dependablity of human power- at least this 2 lunger starts all the time- I prefer a small rowboat to a kayak due to the height and visibility factor.
The more electronics a boat has the more problems they seem to have with the engines. Give me a pull cord and tiller any day- better yet a good stout pair of oars. rel

[LouDutra]

Important lesson to e learned here. EVEN for the kayaker who said the "two lunger" always starts. I beg to differ with you. Things can happen on the water that might prevent you from effectively paddling out of trouble. Always keep an anchor on board with the proper amount of chain and rope. If ths poor guy had one, he wouldn't have ended up on the rocks. If he did have one, he should have used it.