Well I almost did it again,

My son (Cove Dweller) had a day off of school, some FCAT or something and since he is a senior, he had Tue, Wed and Thursday off. I took Thursday off and we decided to do some fishing at Sherman Creek.

Ignoring what the weatherman told me the night before, and the morning of, we set out at 5AM from Gainesville. We hit B&M Bait for some muds and off for some fishing.

Coming from the bait store we went across the bridge and backed up down the launch point. In the process of unloading our kayaks, I noticed some Fiddler Crab Holes under my truck!!! I didn’t think the tide would ever get up that high but I was taking no chances. I moved my truck up on the grass just off the road.

The fishing started off very slow and progressively got worse. The same thing was happening with the weather! I caught a small Trout near the mouth of the first creek. I moved down to the next creek and caught nothing, then my son got on the radio and told me that he was not feeling well and was heading back to the truck for a nap. It was raining now, not a heavy rain, but a steady rain. I continued fishing, paying more attention to the water in front of me than the water over me!! I glanced up and saw a wall of water heading my way and I was pretty far from the launch site. I reeled up and starting paddling like a mad man, against the wind, against the last part of the outgoing tide and in the pouring rain. I felt like Lieutenant Dan battling natures furry to get back to the launch.

After making my apologies to God and thanking him for getting me back to the launch, he had one more challenge for me. I beached my kayak and got out. The first step I sank up to my ankle in the muck, after almost falling down and regaining my balance, I tried another step. The next step I was up to mid thy and covered with bottom sludge. I somehow crawled out of the muck and got my kayak up on the bank.

I was extremely dirty and wet; all I could think of was getting into some semi clean, dry clothes. We loaded the kayaks, packed up our gear. I was in the midst of changing when my son pointed out that I was mooning oncoming traffic.

At that point, I didn’t care, I opened the truck door and ducked behind it. All I wanted to do was to scrape the bottom sludge off of my body, get some semi dry clothes on and get on the road for home. The muck was still on my skin, and between fingers and toes. If I was not so miserable, wet, and dirty, I would have taken some pictures of this fiasco.

I told my son that this kayak fishing trip will never be forgoten and we will laugh at it for many years into the future. No fish dinner, but we were well fed with laughter.

I thank God for sharing this day with my son and I.

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Malibu Stealth 14
(The Mullet Mobile)

By the time a man is wise enough to watch his step,
he's too old to go anywhere. -Billy Crystal

does your son go to creekside??

I have had many trips like that with my dad, i have never forgotten any of them.

Great story.
You didn't catch a fish but spent time with your son and made a story that will probably be told to future generations and at the end of the day, that's what this is all about.

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Yellow WS Ride135

Hey MulletMan....Thanks for sharing that story about your trip with Cove Dweller!!!

Definitely some "male bonding" went on that day, and you will be able to share that story and laugh at it for a couple of generations!!!

RE: Your Subject Line of this post....Sometimes "Mother Nature" does NOT let you come back when you want to or should return. Always "fun" to slog thru that muck and sludge!!
Thx....JohnYaksJax