Inaugural Posting

I'm just getting started in this whole Blog thing, so bear with me if the writing is not as polished as some. I plan to write about life on St George Island, where I live with my wife Sharon. We have enjoyed retirement since we moved here August 2nd, 2004. We have met many new friends and had some memorable times.

Most of the fun I've had myself has revolved around fishing and boating, with the emphasis on fishing. Offshore fishing has been the biggest adventure yet with several trips out into the waters of the Gulf of Mexico. I have several friends with whom I fish and when the seas are calm and the weather is favorable, we are liable to go out on just a few hours notice.

For someone who grew up 6oo miles from any coast, fishing for grouper, snapper, amberjack, sea bass, and other saltwater species, going offshore is a big deal. For starters, you've got to have equipment that is completely different from freshwater fishing. The reels are bigger, the rods are heavier, the sinkers are heavier, the line is stronger, and the hooks are definitely bigger. And the boats! I see people going out in boats that are way too small and they don't seem to be concerned at all, but let me tell you, when I go outside the confines of Apalachicola Bay, I want at least 21' of boat under me, preferably one with two engines.

The man I fish with a lot has a 27' boat with twin 225hp OMC engines and having the second engine gives infinitely more peace of mind when you are 10 miles from the nearest land!

I really don't know where this post is heading and I have some packing to do, so I will just quit writing for now and try to be more organized in subsequent musings.