SoWal Beaches Forum - Blogs http://www.sowal.com/bb/blogs/ en Fri, 20 Nov 2009 22:15:27 GMT vBulletin 10 http://sowal.com/bb/images/misc/rss.jpg SoWal Beaches Forum - Blogs http://www.sowal.com/bb/blogs/ 30A Radiothon http://www.sowal.com/bb/blogs/30a-radio/665-30a-radiothon.html Fri, 20 Nov 2009 21:26:28 GMT *Upcoming Event:* *Our 3rd Annual 30A Radiothon is December 4th at noon through December 5th at noon. Our goal this year is $15,000!!!* *We need your help to stay on the air another year!... Upcoming Event:

Our 3rd Annual 30A Radiothon is December 4th at noon through December 5th at noon. Our goal this year is $15,000!!!

We need your help to stay on the air another year! 30A Radio is a not for profit 501(3)c organization that relies totally on our listener’s support! Join us for what is sure to be an exciting 24 hours of 30A Radio.
For starters, the station needs new equipment to keep things running smoothly. Danny, our Operations Manager, needs a computer that won't crash every time he does remote work on the station’s studio. Also, some of our ancient broadcast gear dates back to WWII, and is on it’s last leg. We would like to bring our sonic integrity up to date for all of our faithful listeners. And we have our new Web/Podcast site we would like to continue to provide for you, as well.

We also need our own live, on location DJ equipment. Every time we do a live remote we have to borrow a PA system. Mark Stroop and John R (thank you for being the great supporters of 30A Radio that you have been) have always been there for us with loaner equipment. But, as we do more community events, they may not always be able to provide us with help.

We invite you to browse the new 30A Radio Website and help us out in any way you are able. We are offering some pretty competitive prices on some very cool stuff.

The point is, a station as good as ours takes a few bucks to keep running smoothly. Help us continue to be there for you. Any donation is appreciated.

You can make a tax deductible donation at any time via PayPal, by calling in on December 4th & 5th, or via snail mail to: WTHA 30A Radio, PO Box 4727, Santa Rosa Beach, FL 32459. Help us out if you can…and, from the Management Staff of 30A Radio, thanks to our wonderful radio/internet listeners for continuing to support your beach community radio station! ]]> 30A Radio http://www.sowal.com/bb/blogs/30a-radio/665-30a-radiothon.html October 2009 - South Walton Real Estate Sales Summary http://www.sowal.com/bb/blogs/murray/664-october-2009-south-walton-real-estate-sales-summary.html Thu, 19 Nov 2009 02:19:49 GMT *Are You Sleeping While the Train Passes the Station? (http://wp.me/pGxrA-3t)* by *Murray Balkcom*, GRI, Realtor SoWal’s Real Estate Guru Coldwell Banker United, Realtors murraybalkcom@yahoo.com... Are You Sleeping While the Train Passes the Station?
by Murray Balkcom, GRI, Realtor
SoWal’s Real Estate Guru
Coldwell Banker United, Realtors
murraybalkcom@yahoo.com
www.dreamBIGproperties.com

Nov 18, 2009

For the last three years, I’ve listened to many people talk about waiting until the real estate market hits bottom before they will purchase. We all know that the bottom is seen only in hindsight, but by watching the market closely and constantly, we can begin to see trends and changes in the market, which might alert us to shifts which we later recognize as peaks or troughs. The charts I created below are not intended to point out a bottom, because we won’t recognize a bottom until we are well off the bottom floor and it is behind us. However, if you look closely at the charts below, you will see a market shift over the last several months.


2009 vs 2008 South Walton Sales - Homes, Condos, Townhomes

I don’t want to throw too much historical data at you, but I will share a bit for context. Looking at the South Walton sales for Homes, Condos, and Townhomes, over the last several years, we see a common trend. Generally, we see an upward trend in sales from Jan through July of each year. Then, from August through December, we see sales decline.

With that background setting the context, it is interesting to note the sales in 2009. In the chart above, don’t just compare 2009 to 2008. Also look at 2009 sales month to month. Since July 2009, we see the total dollar sales volume of Homes, Condos, and Townhomes which sold in South Walton, increase month over month, with October sales dollar volume showing an increase of 42% over July sales, and ...READ MORE HERE ]]> murray http://www.sowal.com/bb/blogs/murray/664-october-2009-south-walton-real-estate-sales-summary.html Just About Perfect http://www.sowal.com/bb/blogs/captain-larry/662-just-about-perfect.html Mon, 16 Nov 2009 02:24:37 GMT Just About Perfect

Capt. Larry Pentel
November 15, 2009
Destin - Saltwater Fishing Report




Well, I've been lucky enough to run the past 3 days and while the weather has been nice and the Gulf calm all 3 today was just about perfect! It may be the middle of November but I was cleaning fish on an (almost) empty beach under a bright sunny sky in shorts, flip flops and a tee shirt this afternoon. the Chamber of Commerce couldn't have ordered up a nicer day (or a more brilliant lingering sunset this evening)

I took 2 couples out on Friday and the bite was pretty darn good. The water was still milky from the storm and the fish seemed to be huggin' the bottom and scattered but we came in with 10 amberines, a limit of kings, a big trigger and fought and released a good Bull shark' bout 200#. My folks said they couldn't have caught any more fish, what with all the Red Snappers we released.



A great board on a calm day.

I was supposed to take the same folks out again Saturday but the gals said they were fished out and had sore arms so it was just me and the guys. They wanted to shoot for "other" critters so we tried to target the big bite most of the trip and were rewarded with a fine Gag Grouper 'bout 28# along with a nice Black Snappers and some more Amberines.

Today (Sunday) I took folks who had never been before but had lots of enthusiasm. The day started out nice and just got better and better. The water had cleared up completely overnight and the fish seemed to have had the switch thrown to "ON". We caught a limit of Amberines pretty quick (released another 30 or so !) and then went on to chase groupers with good success. My folks each got their 2 fish Gag Limit and we had a bonus Red Grouper as well !. We caught a King on a bare hook -- the last fish to the boat- one of my anglers was cranking in an empty hook on a slip lead rig as fast as he could and dog gone if a King didn't grab the flashy hook right under the boat! I guess when their hungry that's all it takes ! Each of my anglers also got to bring a fine Bull Shark in the 175#-180# range up to the boat to photograph and release. What with the short groupers and all the Snappers we released there wasn't a time that something wasn't happening.



Not Bad for a Beginners Trip !

The beach water temp is still 71 degrees- still lots of bait in close and the water is crystal clear. I have other responsibilities the next couple days but for those that get to fish the rest of this run of great weather the fishy rewards should make memories to last the coming winter-

Capt Larry Pentel ]]> Captain Larry http://www.sowal.com/bb/blogs/captain-larry/662-just-about-perfect.html The Governor Stone -- Once in Eden, Pt. Washington -- Brenda Rees -- Shaping Florida http://www.sowal.com/bb/blogs/brenda-rees/660-governor-stone-once-eden-pt-washington-brenda-rees-shaping-florida.html Fri, 13 Nov 2009 19:31:14 GMT *THE GOVERNOR STONE: Once in Eden Gardens State Park, Pt. Washington, Florida --** by Brenda Rees – Shaping Florida* *Governor Stone Update November 13, 2009 * I was thinking about the... THE GOVERNOR STONE: Once in Eden Gardens State Park, Pt. Washington, Florida -- by Brenda Rees – Shaping Florida

Governor Stone Update November 13, 2009

I was thinking about the Governor Stone, built in 1877 in Pascagoula, Mississippi, the other day and wondered how she was doing. The Governor Stone is currently in Ft. Walton Beach under the care of The Friends of Governor Stone. The Governor Stone had passed from The Friends of Eden of Pt. Washington, Walton County, Florida, to this new group.


Copy of Bob Swinford's painting of the Governor Stone. Brenda Rees copy from Bob Swinford. Bob Swinford married Mickey Wesley, the youngest of the nine children of William and Katie Wesley. They were married for 67 years. The historic "Wesley House" is located at Eden Gardens State Park in Pt. Washington, Walton County, Florida. Bob and Mickey spent part of their 1938 honeymoon there.


What prompted this fresh look at the Governor Stone was a recent visit with Bob Swinford, formerly of Eastern Lake in South Walton. You’ve perhaps read about him on some of my other history blogs about the Wesley House, Eastern Lake or Moon-dreaming. Bob prepared several plaques of the Governor Stone from photo copies of his original oil pastel painting. He recently donated several of these and others of Eden to the Friends of Eden and Virgie. On the back he had some information from a recent article that needs correcting and he asked that I pass that update along. The term of the Governor Stone’s namesake was in question. Governor John M. Stone was one of the first governors elected in Mississippi after the Civil War and Reconstruction. For a brief time the Governor Stone was docked at Eden. That the Governor Stone is not currently docked at Eden should also be noted. I do have a rare picture of the Governor Stone docked at Eden taken during a Friends of Eden event a few years ago. After she left Eden, the Governor Stone has wandered around several different ports. One day while having lunch at Uncle Ernie’s (which has Pt. Washington ties!) over near St. Andrews, I saw the Governor Stone docked there. The Governor Stone is a unique historical treasure. Hopefully, Walton County interests will continue to be very involved along with other interested parties. Ft. Walton Beach and Walton County have so many historical ties, this seems to be a good fit.


The Governor Stone off dock at Eden Gardens State Park, Pt Washington, Walton County, Florida. Photograph by Brenda Rees (c) All Rights Reserved


Virgie Thompson, instrumental in securing the Governor Stone for The Friends of Eden associated with Eden Gardens State Park and Historic Wesley House in Pt. Washington, Walton County, Florida, is also past president of the Friends of Governor Stone.


There is an interesting tie between my great grandfather T.T. Wentworth, Sr. of Pensacola, Florida and the Governor Stone. It is the storm of 1906. James P. Delgado notes in his National Historic Landmark Study of 1990 that the “ Governor Stone and Thomas Burns both survived a hurricane on September 26, 1906, that caught a fleet of several schooners on Herron Bay, Alabama. Stone capsized and Burns was washed ashore clinging to a skiff, the sole survivor of the 22 men serving aboard the lost schooners.” It was this same hurricane that caught T.T. Wentworth, Sr. offshore of Santa Rosa Island and Pensacola in his fishing boat. He was lost for days. Some of his children, including my grandmother, Mary Elizabeth Wentworth Jackson, survived by clinging to the top of a table that her mother and older brothers pushed across to the Pensacola Beach shore. The table is now at the T.T. Wentworth, Jr. Florida State Museum in Pensacola. On her life’s journey, Mary Jackson moved to Walton County, ran the Jackson Motel on Highway 90 in DeFuniak Springs for many years with her husband Walter Webb (Jack) Jackson and eventually built a beach home in Eastern Lake Estates on Tresca Lake not far from the Wesley homestead.




Here are some notes from “Governor Stone, National Historic Landmark Study by James P. Delgado, 1990.” Delgado is currently President of Nautical Archaeology in College Station, Texas and Bodrum-Turkey from 2006 until present.

You can access Delgado's report at the site below:

http://www.nps.gov/history/MARITIME/nhl/govstone.htm


Present and Historical Physical Appearance
The two-masted schooner Governor Stone, official number 85508, … sails in “the shallow waters for which she was designed,” the shallow bays and inland waters along the Upper Gulf of Mexico.

Governor Stone as Built and Modified
As built in 1877, Governor Stone is a wooden-hulled vessel with a sharp stern and a round stern. Stone was and remains a single-decked centerboard schooner 39.0 feet long, with a 12.6-foot beam and a 3,3-foot depth of hold. Her length overall is 66 feet. Governor Stone has a 3.9-foot draft. The schooner is registered at 14.6 gross and 12 net tons. (1) The ship has a yellow pine keel and stem and double-sawn Cypress frames, planked with spike-fastened Cypress, and white pine and juniper decks and bulwarks. Goveernor Stone has been described as a “hog trough,” in that she is planked to the keel with no deadwood and is nearly double-ended.
In most respects the schooner closely fits the lines and model of the typical Gulf fishing and freighting schooners of the late 19th and the early 20th centuries, with a slightly raked stern forming an apple-cheeked full bow, and a straight stern with a skeg aft and the keel rabbet straight forward, with the rudder post fitted at the end of the skeg so that the rudder is well inboard, with a counter aft. (2)
Governor Stone was built as a two-masted, gaff-rigged topmast schooner. The vessel has retained her rig throughout her 113-year career. The masts are longleaf yellow pine, rising 38.8 feet from the forestep to the truck and 39.8 feet from the main-step to the truck. The mainmast is fitted with the topmast. The height of the mainmast, from waterline to the topmast truck, is 52 feet. The schooner is fitted with a bowsprit.
Governor Stone was first outfitted with an engine in 1923, when she carried a small 16-horsepower gasoline engine that drove a single screw. The schooner was fitted with a small gasoline-powered 50-horsepower Gray engine in 1940. By 1947, the engine was replaced with a 110-hp Chrysler Marine engine, which was removed in the early 1980s. When the schooner was restored in 1989-1990, a new Perkins 4.236 Diesel engine was installed that drives a single screw.
Governor Stone has a single raised cabin built onto her poop deck, and the flush deck is occupied by large hatches that lead into the open hold, which is divided by the centerboard trunk. A longleaf yellow pine samson post forward mounts the schooner’s original cast-iron windlass, which is bolted to cheeks on the samson post. Forwaard of the samson post, the bowsprit is stepped inboard and secured by chain shrouds. The forestay passes through the end of the bowspprit and leads to tthe single bobstay, which is reeved through a deadeye and chain to the shackle at the gripe. The bowsprit also mounts a traveler for the forestaysail club, which can be run out from deck to tighten the clew. The original cast-iron steering gear, reinforced with a stainless steel piece welded to the weather side of the shaft, is housed in a sheel box aft. The teak wheel was reportedly added in the 1940s.
The schooner was recently restored using original materials. A number of frames and outer hull plants were replaced, while the majority of major structural members, including the floors, were retained. In excellent operating condition, Governor Stone possesses a high degree of integrity and readily evidences the form and style of the shoal centerboard freight and fishing schooners of the Gulf coast.










NOTES
  • See Annual List of Merchant Vessels in the United States (Washington, D.C,: Government Printing Office, 1878) as well as later editions of the same, such as 1923.
  • The characteristics of Biloxi and other Gulf-built schooners are discussed in Howard I. Chapelle, The National Watercraft Collection (Washington, D.C.: The National Museum of American History, 1960), pp. 234-235
Statement of Significance
The most common American vessel type was the two-masted schooner. Developed in the mid-to-late 18th century, these vessels reached a more or less standard form by the mid-19th century, a design that continued to be built into the first decades of the 20th century. The only variation of note in the two-masted schooner, aside from the underwater form of the hull, or the lines, was the presence of a centerboard. Tens of thousands of these vessels were built and operated on the Pacific, Atlantic, and Gulf coasts, and on the Great Lakes in the 19th and early 20th centuries. The “freight trucks” of their time, the coasting schooners carried coal, bricks, iron ore, grain, oysters, and numerous other bulk products between ports.
There are now only five surviving two-masted coasting schooners in the United States – Lewis R. French (1871); Stephen Taber (1871); Governor Stone (1877); Grace Bailey (1882); and Mercantile (1916); all subjects of separate studies. Of all of these vessels, Governor Stone is the only surviving Gulf-built schooner of thousands constructed and employed in the busy and nationally important Gulf fishing and general freight trades. Governor Stone is the sole known survivor afloat of the indigenous sailing schooners of the American South. After more than a century in service, including time as an auxiliary-powered oyster buyboat, Governor Stone was restored and placed in operation as a museum-operated historic vessel, carrying passengers on chargers and sail training cruises along the Gulf coast. ]]> Brenda Rees http://www.sowal.com/bb/blogs/brenda-rees/660-governor-stone-once-eden-pt-washington-brenda-rees-shaping-florida.html Give your kids a cultural treat this weekend http://www.sowal.com/bb/blogs/jennifer-steele-saunders/659-give-your-kids-cultural-treat-weekend.html Fri, 13 Nov 2009 03:05:37 GMT It appears that some of the gorgeous Monarch butterflies want to stick around for the great weather this weekend!

Or perhaps they want to stay for the CAA's Flutterby Festival that will take place in their honor both Saturday and Sunday in WaterColor's Marina Park, along with a fabulous Fall & Winter Market.

This event originated seventeen years ago as a fundraiser for Walton County children to receive scholarships for supplemental arts education. It also celebrates the migration of the Monarch through our region.

Kids can enjoy yoga, puppet shows, storytelling, puppet making, butterfly garden tours, butterfly wing making, hula hoops, trail hikes, face painting, animal encounters, fun music and more while their parents shop in the cool artist market and partake of seasonal food and libations!

Flutterby is free and open to the public. Some activities require a small fee, though.

We will be featuring Sophia Blair, a 3rd grader at Butler Elementary School, whose yoga butterfly artwork was chosen as the 2010 Flutterby poster/t-shirt winner! Sophia will receive a $100 savings bond from Wachovia.

Two runners up will receive a $50 savings bond, and six students will also receive the same, along with the distinguished People's Choice Award.

All winners will be announced the Saturday of the Flutterby Festival.

T-shirts will be for sale for $15 and wings for $5.

It will be a beautiful, fun, relaxing weekend!

Visit www.culturalartsassociation.com ]]> Jennifer Steele Saunders http://www.sowal.com/bb/blogs/jennifer-steele-saunders/659-give-your-kids-cultural-treat-weekend.html The Counties of Florida http://www.sowal.com/bb/blogs/brenda-rees/658-counties-florida.html Fri, 13 Nov 2009 02:38:10 GMT
THE COUNTIES OF FLORIDA


Presented by


Brenda Rees – Shaping Florida


Walton County is one of the oldest counties in Florida and was created December 29, 1824. The first two counties created in Florida on July 21, 1821 were Escambia and St. Johns with the Suwannee River as the dividing line. Then, in 1822, Jackson was created from Escambia and Duval from St. Johns. Gadsden and Monroe were formed in 1823. Walton County was formed in 1824 along with Leon, Alachua, Nassau and Mosquito. The impact this county development had is discussed in some of my other blogs.


This 1836 Florida Map by Tanner shows Alaqua in Walton County. Also, South Walton is in Washington County at this time. South Walton was within the original borders of Walton County in 1824. Few counties exist in south Florida. Our current neighboring counties of Bay and Okaloosa don't exist. Counties were developed for political control of the legislature. Since this legislative configuration changed with the Voting Rights Act of 1964, perhaps we'll consolidate one day to save money.


There are 67 counties in Florida. Here is a listing of the year they were created. (Source: Florida Statutes 1941)

1. Escambia July 21, 1821
2. St. Johns July 21, 1821
3. Jackson Aug 12, 1822
4. Duval Aug 12, 1822
5. Gadsden June 24, 1823
6. Monroe July 3, 1823
7. Leon Dec 29, 1824
8. Walton Dec 29, 1824
9. Alachua Dec 29, 1824
10. Nassau Dec 29, 1824
11. Mosquito Dec 29, 1824 (name changed)
Orange Jan 30, 1845 (was Mosquito)
12.Washington Dec 9, 1825
13. Jefferson January 20, 1827
14. Madison December 26, 1827
15. Hamilton Dec 26, 1827
16. Columbia Feb 4, 1832
17. Franklin Feb 8, 1832
18. Hillsborough Jan 25, 1834
19. Dade Feb 4, 1836
20. Calhoun Jan 26, 1838
21. Santa Rosa Feb 18, 1842
22.Hernando Feb 24, 1843 (name changed)
Benton March 6, 1844 (was Hernando)
Hernando Dec 24, 1850 (was Benton)
23. Wakulla Mar 11, 1843
24. Marion Mar 14, 1844
25. St. Lucie Mar 14, 1844 (name changed)
Brevard Jan 6, 1855 (was St. Lucie)
26. Levy Mar 10, 1845
27. Holmes Jan 8, 1848
28. Putnam Jan 13, 1849
29. Sumter Jan 8, 1853
30. Volusia Dec 29, 1854
31. Manatee Jan 9, 1855
32. Liberty Dec 15, 1855
33. Lafayette Dec 23, 1856
34. Taylor Dec 23, 1856
35. Suwannee Dec 21, 1858
36. New River Dec 21, 1858 (name changed)
Bradford Dec 6, 1861 (from New River)
37. Clay Dec 31, 1858
38. Baker Feb 8, 1861
39. Polk Feb 8, 1861
40. Osceola May 12, 1887
41. Lee May 13, 1887
42. DeSoto May 19, 1887
43. Lake May 27, 1887
44. Citrus June 2, 1887
45. Pasco June 2, 1887
46. St. Lucie May 24, 1905
47. Palm Beach April 30, 1909
48. Pinellas May 23, 1911
49. Bay April 24, 1913
50. Seminole April 25, 1913
51. Broward April 30, 1915
52. Okaloosa June 13, 1915
53. Flagler April 28, 1917
54. Okeechobee May 8, 1917
55. Hardee April 23, 1921
56. Highlands April 23, 1921
57. Charlotte April 23, 1921
58. Glades April 23, 1921
59. Dixie April 25, 1921
60. Sarasota May 14, 1921
61. Union May 20, 1921
62. Collier May 8, 1923
63. Hendry May 11, 1923
64. Martin May 30, 1925
65. Indian River May 30, 1925
66. Gulf June 6, 1925
67. Gilchrist Dec 4, 1925 ]]> Brenda Rees http://www.sowal.com/bb/blogs/brenda-rees/658-counties-florida.html Vacation Photo Plan From Lightner Photography http://www.sowal.com/bb/blogs/lightnerphotography/655-vacation-photo-plan-lightner-photography.html Wed, 11 Nov 2009 17:01:25 GMT Planning a vacation in the Panhandle of Florida? Call today to book a date to capture many wonderful photographic memories of your beach vacation! $100 for the first hour, $25 for each additional.... Planning a vacation in the Panhandle of Florida? Call today to book a date to capture many wonderful photographic memories of your beach vacation! $100 for the first hour, $25 for each additional. Photos can be taken at your vacation home, the beach, or any location of your choice. Photos available for online viewing within 4 business days. CD of all images and copyright release for additional $100. Contact Lightner Photography today at 850-951-0285, lightnerphotography@panhandle.rr.com, or visit my website, lightnerphotography.net. Don't delay, limited number of slots available for 2010! ]]> LightnerPhotography http://www.sowal.com/bb/blogs/lightnerphotography/655-vacation-photo-plan-lightner-photography.html Made For TV http://www.sowal.com/bb/blogs/captain-larry/654-made-tv.html Mon, 09 Nov 2009 19:09:19 GMT Made for TV

Capt. Larry Pentel
November 9, 2009
Destin - Saltwater Fishing Report




Well, we have another "made for TV" hurricane in the Gulf today. The surf is big and pretty and the wind may actually reach 25 knots. I guess I should be thankful that at least Jim Cantore has a job in these uncertain economic times !

Last week (when the wind blew harder out of the north than today---) I got to run some very successful trips off Grayton. The water temperature had come back up a couple degrees from the cold front the week before and the bait was back up on the beach. Bait generally means predators and this was no exception.

On Tuesday I took 3 anglers out and we limited out on Kings in an hour and a half, then getting to go bottom fishing for the rest of our half day and putting a few more fish in the box as well as releasing a bunch of Red Snappers and some groupers. The wind was a little blowy from the North but we stayed up in close and had a nice smooth ride.



Another Fish Fry in the Making

Thursday I got to run another trip and the Kings were so hot you about had to hide the hook to put the bait on for fear one would jump in the boat and eat the minnow in your hand! We limited out in 45 minutes and actually released a couple more in that time as well. We went on to bottom fish and had caught some more finny critters up in close (the wind was HOWLING from the North) when I got a call that somebody appeared to be in trouble a few miles down the beach. We picked up and ran 7 miles to find a fellow almost 2 miles offshore laying in his Kite Surfer kite and trying to paddle back to the beach. He had lost his board, didn't have a vest (lifejacket)or a wetsuit and was being blown farther and faster offshore as he was about wore slap out and shaking pretty bad. We got him in the boat and ran him back to the beach and turned him over to a deputy (seems they had been called also). We went ahead and called it a short trip since my folks had all the fish they wanted and we were back at the truck at 11:30. I hated losing fishing time (and money !) but you have to help out the folks who don't make the smart choices some days-.



Not Bad For a 3 Hour Trip-

I finished up cleaning fish and had a few locals hanging by the boat and it was only 1:00 in the afternoon. I knew where we had left the Kings a few hours earlier so I told everybody to jump in and we'd do a quick freezer trip. Quick wasn't the word. The Kings had gotten even hungrier and we even managed to put a nice mahi in the box as well in less than a hour!



Some folks just get excited when they finally catch fish!!



I can't let her get away with saying she got 'em all-- some more of the Grayton Beach local color that helped-

I was supposed to run a flats trips at Indian Pass on Saturday so I went over Friday to get everything together . Unfortunately the ethanol gremlin bit me and the engine on my flats boat had fouled up carbs. It may have been just one of those things tho-- the wind switched to East and blew all day Saturday pretty much shutting down the bite. My folks fished with Capt Pete instead of me but only caught 2 trout. This after everybody had been crushin' 'em for the past 2 weeks-----.

We'll have to wait and see what this storm does to the fish. A storm tide and big surf always stirs up the critters and moves 'em around some/ I've got trips on the book for the end of the week when it is supposed to be calm so I'll post what I find----.

One more pic of a few of the Grayton fishin' regulars in their "non-fishin" attire-----




Capt Larry Pentel ]]> Captain Larry http://www.sowal.com/bb/blogs/captain-larry/654-made-tv.html Lost wake board for kiteboarding at Grayton Beach STate park http://www.sowal.com/bb/blogs/1vturner/653-lost-wake-board-kiteboarding-grayton-beach-state-park.html Fri, 06 Nov 2009 02:17:22 GMT Lost a blue wake board with white foot straps, the back is yellow/gold with a woman on the back. If you find my cell is 404 660-4764. Thanks! Vince Lost a blue wake board with white foot straps, the back is yellow/gold with a woman on the back. If you find my cell is 404 660-4764. Thanks! Vince ]]> 1vturner http://www.sowal.com/bb/blogs/1vturner/653-lost-wake-board-kiteboarding-grayton-beach-state-park.html <![CDATA[Lunch & Learn: How to Cut Crown Molding – Friday, Nov. 6th]]> http://www.sowal.com/bb/blogs/goodmillwork/652-lunch-learn-how-cut-crown-molding-friday-nov-6th.html Wed, 04 Nov 2009 23:46:55 GMT Image: http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2463/3969526832_d158193f49.jpg *Good Millwork...

Good Millwork invites you to a “Lunch & Learn” this Friday, November 6th from noon till 3PM. Please RSVP by close of business Wednesday by hitting the link and/or giving us a call at (850) 267-1122.

Professional installer? Weekend warrior? Or, simply contemplating how to take that first step to putting up crown molding in your bedroom? Good Millwork is honored to host a Lunch & Learn seminar this Friday, November 6th from noon till 3PM with Wayne Drake author of “Crown Moulding & Trim, Install Like a Pro.”

There are no prerequisites, just let us know your coming and we’ll prepare the table for lunch. We’re looking forward to the opportunity for Mr. Drake to share his knowledge and conduct hands-on demonstrations of how to “measure twice and cut once.” For all attending, Good Millwork is offering our stock molding profiles at a 20% discount…just in case you want to give a try yourself!

More info. ]]> goodmillwork http://www.sowal.com/bb/blogs/goodmillwork/652-lunch-learn-how-cut-crown-molding-friday-nov-6th.html A Heartfelt Apology http://www.sowal.com/bb/blogs/johnb/650-heartfelt-apology.html Tue, 03 Nov 2009 06:40:10 GMT The twelve steps of Alcoholics Anonymous have saved countless lives from death by alcohol. The Steps have the power to free anyone who earnestly works them from their hellish enslavement to alcohol... The twelve steps of Alcoholics Anonymous have saved countless lives from death by alcohol. The Steps have the power to free anyone who earnestly works them from their hellish enslavement to alcohol or drugs.

It is generally known that the AA program works to help alcoholics achieve and maintain sobriety.

Less well-known is the extraordinary quality of life that results from working the steps. Everyone I know who has embraced and practiced the 12 steps as a way of life testifies to the joy, peace and improved relationships that are the hallmark of a principle-driven life.

Step 10, "continued to take personal inventory and when we were wrong promptly admitted it." is one of the reasons for this joyous improvement in a life formerly focused on self.

There is nothing I know of in this world that is more effective, works faster and costs less to use than a heartfelt apology. I used to think that if I had hard feelings with someone else, that if I apologized first that somehow I would lose. I almost always waited for the other person to apologize first--mostly the apology I felt I was owed never came.

Today I believe that a prompt and sincere apology on my part is a victory. I always feel immediate relief of my own anger, whether or not the other party reciprocates. They usually do, and if they don't, they only cheat themselves of the relief that comes from a resolved conflict.

An apology represents a victory over my own pride. A true apology requires humility and must reflect honest awareness that even if we are in the "right" that we are willing to look at our part of the problem.

Most of what passes for apologies these days do not fit this definition. They seldom produce any improvements in feelings or situations. They sort of go like this--"I'm sorry if I offended you, but I was really right." Often such an apology actually makes things worse.

I know how much it means to me when someone expresses concern about my feelings and makes an effort to improve our relationship, leaving their pride aside. I usually find it hard to remain angry or unforgiving with someone who makes such an effort.

Forgiveness is really a present to the one who forgives, rather than the one who is forgiven.

When forgiveness is in the air, everyone feels better.

A genuinely felt apology is a great catalyst for forgiveness.

Why not try using this principle in your life and see the results? It is working for me. ]]> johnb http://www.sowal.com/bb/blogs/johnb/650-heartfelt-apology.html The Seasons are Changing http://www.sowal.com/bb/blogs/captain-larry/648-seasons-changing.html Tue, 27 Oct 2009 16:35:11 GMT *The Seasons Are Changing* *Capt. Larry Pentel October 27, 2009 Destin - Saltwater Fishing Report* * Image: http://cyberangler.com/hrule2.jpg * Been a lot happening and changing on the... The Seasons Are Changing

Capt. Larry Pentel
October 27, 2009
Destin - Saltwater Fishing Report




Been a lot happening and changing on the fishing scene in the 10 days since my last report. The biggest change is of course the weather. The cold fronts have started making their way this far South and the times; they are a changing. The beach water temp has dropped 10 degrees in this time frame. This has caused the bait to start leaving the shallows and the big schools of pelagics always follow the food. The reef fish that eat the same critters have started moving in-- to intercept the bait that is moving out. It's such a great and simple system, I love being able to be a part of it every year!

The few days after my last report we were confined to fishing right up on the beach to hide from a howling North wind. This condition keeps it slick in close but way to rough to handle just a few miles offshore. Luckily the bait was still thick in close with lots of hungry critters chasin' 'em. On Saturday we boated and released a sailfish, kept a limit of Kings (10) and 2 big Spanish. We even came in an hour early 'cause it was chilly and we couldn't keep anymore fish. Sunday we boxed a limit of Kings and released several more. Both days we were never more than a half mile off the beach. Monday we found the bait much thinner in close but still landed and released another sail ( and no-- I don't have pics 'cause my crews never e-mailed 'em to me) and 3 Kings before going out a little deeper and bottom fishin'. We hunted around and found a good stand of vermilion snappers, putting 3 dozen in the box along with some pinks and trigs and fighting and releasing a big Bull shark



A bunch more Snappers in the box

Tues. and Wed. my son and I got to catch a bunch of fish ourselves, getting in a couple days of King fishing right before the end of the commercial season. Another front came thru and kept me on the hill for a few days doing chores while it was too rough to fish. Sat. I took a a couple regulars and 2 of their family and we had 3 groupers (2 right BIG ones) a dozen amberines, some triggers, 4 mackerels and a few odds and ends to make for a great box on a picture perfect fall day. Sunday I took a couple out that have fished this time of year with me for 10 years straight. Once again they came in with a great rack of fish and some sore arms. They were kind enough to invite my son along also since he was still in town. He returned the favor by making sure that the gal was fighting a fish all the time we were out.


Not only a nice rack but a bunch more in the box
The amberines have shown up in force. Pound for pound I don't think anything fights better, They fry up pretty good too, we ate a plate full last night for dinner! There are more groupers showing up in under 100 feet of water than we have seen since spring- a good sign of catches to come. The triggers are moving in as well with at least a few over the "magical" size of 14" to the fork each bottom trip. The flounders are just starting- one of the other Grayton boats went and tried for an hour the other afternoon and came in with 4. They said the biggest problem was the Red Snapper were on every spot they fished. If the water temp stabilizes in the high 60's the snapper will hopefully fall off the beach into a little deeper water letting the flounders gang up on the shallow spots. The Sails and Mahis' seem to have moved on , following the warmer water. The kings will stick around for another month or so but will be a little harder to find. If you find the bait, that's where the Kings will be. The good thing is they will be ganged up and you can really catch 'em quick this time of year when you find 'em.
I have heard a few reports from Indian Pass on the inshore fishing. The Red Fish are HOT with fish on the flats, around the oyster bars and in the holes (pretty much every where). The trout are biting with limit catches the norm but they still haven't really started balling up the shrimp yet and going into the full on fall feeding frenzy. Once again the water temp is just getting to the magic number---. I plan on being there the first weekend of Nov. to get in on some of the action.

See you on the beach !

Capt Larry Pentel ]]> Captain Larry http://www.sowal.com/bb/blogs/captain-larry/648-seasons-changing.html Can we INSTALL it? Yes, We CAN! http://www.sowal.com/bb/blogs/goodmillwork/647-can-we-install-yes-we-can.html Mon, 26 Oct 2009 20:42:44 GMT Image: http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2600/4037111173_2846dc19ef.jpg *THANK YOU* to the St. Joe Company (http://su.pr/7emVmw) for their continued commitment to Northwest Florida securing...

THANK YOU to the St. Joe Company for their continued commitment to Northwest Florida securing Southwest Airlines into Panama City-Bay County International Airport in 2010.

It’s either in the water or just that time of year but every other customer conversation ends with, “Can you…?” Can you manufacture? Can you finish? Can you install? Can you travel? Here’s the deal, the team is currently licensed in Florida, Georgia, Alabama, Mississippi and North Carolina (PS – they even have security clearances for those black ops jobs).

The team has covered the gambit from commercial storefronts at Pier Park Mall, hand scraped fumed antique oak flooring in WaterColor and custom ipe shutters for the Private Residence Club in Rosemary Beach. Most recently we wrapped up the renovation of the Legendary Yacht Club as designed by DAG Architects in Destin, FL. Curious? Take a peek at our handiwork…nice work TEAM!

Take a Peek. ]]> goodmillwork http://www.sowal.com/bb/blogs/goodmillwork/647-can-we-install-yes-we-can.html <![CDATA[SWCC Back to Nature Festival. Oct 16-18 [video and schedule added]]]> http://www.sowal.com/bb/blogs/caroling/646-swcc-back-nature-festival-oct-16-18-video-schedule-added.html Fri, 23 Oct 2009 12:54:45 GMT ---Quote (Originally by Caroling)--- YOLO Boarding event video. YouTube - YOLO Boarding Back to Nature 2009 (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gRtrrZca8vc) ---End Quote--- I posted photos of the...
Quote:
Originally Posted by Caroling View Post
I posted photos of the wonderful opening night to the SWCC facebook page. Morning meditations on the beach were most wonderful. Back to Natives event at Oyster Lake was the quintessential giving back to nature to our collective interest in healthy coastal dune lakes. Many photos to come. I have no photos of the gatorless Gator event Sunday night. Forgot to put the CF card in the camera. I knew the light was fading anyway. The best part was walking back in the dark. ]]> Caroling http://www.sowal.com/bb/blogs/caroling/646-swcc-back-nature-festival-oct-16-18-video-schedule-added.html Fire http://www.sowal.com/bb/blogs/kit75/645-fire.html Fri, 23 Oct 2009 01:35:48 GMT Buning bright, firelight, Watch the embers burn. Nice and warm, surrounded by friends. Nights like these should never end. Sipping a glass of wine. Not a care about the time. Life is really... Buning bright, firelight, Watch the embers burn. Nice and warm, surrounded by friends. Nights like these should never end. Sipping a glass of wine. Not a care about the time. Life is really fine.:drink2: ]]> kit75 http://www.sowal.com/bb/blogs/kit75/645-fire.html SoWal Handyman Services http://www.sowal.com/bb/blogs/sowal-handyman/643-sowal-handyman-services.html Tue, 20 Oct 2009 20:28:47 GMT SoWal Handyman Services
850-333-1224
Serving All Of Walton County, Destin, Crestview...
Home Maintenance Services
Homes, Hotels, Apartment..
Electrical, Plumbing, Carpentry...
It Doesn't Cost Anything To Ask.
Thanks
Leonard ]]> sowal handyman http://www.sowal.com/bb/blogs/sowal-handyman/643-sowal-handyman-services.html Eastern Diamondback Rattlesnake http://www.sowal.com/bb/blogs/mikecatadjuster/642-eastern-diamondback-rattlesnake.html Tue, 20 Oct 2009 01:27:05 GMT [u]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HXnyVw2JCqQ[/"]YouTube - Broadcast Yourself.
Okay, I've put some of the footage into a video for you. It is of an Eastern Diamondback Rattlesnake I found in my backyard. I also had a deer and a gopher tortoise in my backyard. The tortoise was there a month or so ago. The deer and diamondback on the same day.

This diamondback, like the others I've encountered share something in common. These are among the most docile snakes I have ever encountered.

I have read opinions on this and it seems to boil down to natural selection. Rattlesnakes can use their rattles to ward off animals that could potentially step on them. Rattling will cause, let's say, a deer to step around the snake. But with Man inhabiting these lands and the rattle drawing the attention of humans, death most often follows.

I removed the Rattlesnake from my yard, as I have with numerous pygmy rattlers, and released it further into the wild. But not before getting some great footage for you. I could have shot some more but the snake was so good about things, I just felt I needed to let him get back to his normal activities. Though I will say, it did well in its poses. It was quite a beautiful snake. Let me know if you agree. ]]> mikecatadjuster http://www.sowal.com/bb/blogs/mikecatadjuster/642-eastern-diamondback-rattlesnake.html Willing To Go To Any Length http://www.sowal.com/bb/blogs/johnb/641-willing-go-any-length.html Sat, 17 Oct 2009 16:38:46 GMT When a prizefighter steps into the ring he knows he must "go the distance" if he is to win or even have a chance of victory.

Alcoholics and addicts are in struggle that is in many ways like the battle a boxer faces. Time and again they step into the ring and are bloodied and knocked unconscious by a foe that is always triumphant. Worse, theirs is a fight that will continue on a daily basis until they find recovery or die. There are no clear-cut bells offering a moment's respite and it transcends 15 rounds.

Why do so few recover and the vast majority seem hopelessly doomed? What is the magic difference and what brings it about?

Simply put, it is the willingness to go to any length to get sober and recover.

There is an extremely easy test that can be employed on an alcoholic or addict that will give better odds than Jimmy the Greek on their chance of sobriety .

Ask them, or better yet, put them in a position to DEMONSTRATE, their willingness to go to any length to get the help they need. If they hem, haw, rationalize, or procrastinate then their odds of recovering are zero.

Harsh isn't it? But it is the truth.

If, however, the suffering addict is at the point where he is willing to try ANYTHING to save himself, his odds go up tremendously.

Asking them to attend an AA meeting is one simple task that can tell you a lot about an individual's chances at any given moment. If they decline or choose not to go for any reason, it is evident they nowhere near properly motivated to change.

The willingness to do anything, absolutely anything necessary to save one's life and return to sanity and health is vital and indispensable to recovery.

Of course this is not a one-time decision that will bring about the resulted change that is so desperately needed. It is an attitude that must be cultivated and maintained constantly.

Any addict, in the depths of self-inflicted agony, trying deperately to make the pain go away, can do a right thing or two. This is not the same as having the magic willingness.

At this point the family and friends of an addict too often unwittingly become part of the problem. They see that an effort is being made and immediately offer exactly the wrong type of support. The well-intentioned "help" they give diminishes the willingness that was brought on by pain.

The program of Alcoholics Anonymous sums up this effect simply in the maxim, "half-measures availed us nothing".

When one has a disease like cancer or diabetes and knows his life is at stake, one accepts surgery, chemo, daily shots of insulin and many other drastic lengths that are available.

Compared to these life-saving prescriptions the proven and effective program of AA seems like little to ask. Perhaps it is DENIAL (one of the predominant symptoms of the disease of addiction) that prevents so many from using it. ]]> johnb http://www.sowal.com/bb/blogs/johnb/641-willing-go-any-length.html <![CDATA[Now, She's Lobbying the Angels...]]> http://www.sowal.com/bb/blogs/goodwitch58/639-now-shes-lobbying-angels.html Fri, 16 Oct 2009 16:57:56 GMT For all of you who appreciated "Everyone Loves Donuts", I thought you might like to know my friend died this morning.

From the The Tallahassee Democrat:


Budd Bell, the unsung hero of Florida, dies at 94
by Gerald Ensley • DEMOCRAT SENIOR WRITER • October 16, 2009

Budd Bell, the Tallahassee resident who became nationally famous as an indomitable champion of children and the downtrodden, died Friday morning.

Bell, 94, had been in declining health for three years and died at Big Bend Hospice.
Bell, a native of Canada, moved to Tallahassee in 1969 with her late husband, Florida State professor and gerontology expert William Bell. She had been the chief of social work at a Masschusetts hospital.

When Bell discovered Florida was not taking advantage of federal dollars available for public child care, she started lobbying the state about the issue -- which kicked off a nearly 40-year career of being at the forefront of local, state and national issues related to children, families, the disable, elderly and poor.

In 1972, she founded Kids Incorporated of the Big Bend, which aids children and families in three counties. In 1974, she founded the Clearinghouse on Human Services, an advocacy coaltion that now encompasses 200 organizations. .She helped legislators craft the Baker Act, which protects the rights of those with mental illness.

“I believe she was as instrumental as anyone in history in putting together Florida’s social services network,” said former Florida Lt. Gov. Buddy MacKay. “I consider her one of Florida’s unsung heroes.”

They called her the "conscience of the state."

But Budd Bell was simply a woman who cared about the disadvantaged — and spent nearly 40 years as an indomitable, unpaid advocate for children, women, the poor, elderly and disabled.

"Her sense of justice was a clear compass for every reform in Florida from the early 1970s until she retired from the stage a few years ago," said Jack Levine, former longtime executive director of the Bell-founded Florida Center for Children and Youth. "She created the conversation about what should be done, what could be done and, by God, what will be done."


In 1972, she founded Kids Incorporated of the Big Bend, which aids children and families in three counties. In 1974, she founded the Clearinghouse on Human Services, an advocacy coalition that now encompasses 200 organizations. In 1976, she founded the Florida Center on Children and Youth.

She played pivotal roles in crafting legal protections for the mentally ill, health-care networks for the elderly and transportation programs for the disabled.

Elizabeth "Bess" Lander Bell was born in Winnipeg, Canada, the daughter of working class Jewish immigrants. As a teenager, she was a counselor at a camp for disabled children — earning the nickname Budd, short for Buddha, for her leadership and guidance to other counselors.

She earned bachelor's, master's and doctorate degrees in sociology from Canadian universities. She married her husband in 1942, and they moved to the U.S. in 1949. William Bell died in 1991.

"The word I always use with Budd is 'formidable,' " said Pam Davis, executive director of Kids Incorporated. "She had no fear. There was nobody more important to her than a child and its family."

Bell's success often was a result of her commanding personality. Solidly built, with a deep voice, she had bulldog persistence on every cause. She harangued politicians, lobbied agency heads and assembled coalitions of often diverse groups to push through legislation and policies.

"She was so darn tenacious. It was a whole lot easier to tell Budd 'Yes' than 'No,' because if you told her 'No,' she'd be back the next day just as persistent," said former Florida legislator and FSU President Sandy D'Alemberte. "If she thought something was wrong, she was going to work as hard as she could for as long as she could to make it right."

One of the most famous examples was in the early 1980s when she held a bake sale at the capitol for a children's issue that was stalled in the Legislature — with Bell facetiously asking, "Wouldn't it be great if the Air Force held a bake sale when it wanted to buy a B-1 bomber?"

As the end of the session grew near, Bell went to every legislator's office to plead her case — and got the bill passed.

"Kids were her special cause. But she took on anyone to fight for the disadvantaged," said longtime capitol TV reporter Mike Vasilinda. "She was a wonderful woman with a warm heart who did it simply because she cared."
##########

Budd—what can I say? How do I count the ways I loved her? Her love and influence are woven into the very tapestry of my life…I see her in the garden every time I clip a rose bush or grow a tomato. I remember the patience with which she taught my son, Joe, to trim the chrysanthemums…while she taught him so much more. I remember the hours we spent “brainstorming” on issues…three years of “brainstorming” on the bicycle helmet issue—and no matter the obstacles, she never quit.

I remember all the meetings of the Transportation Disadvantaged—the Clearinghouse mornings in the basement of the Capitol—then, often the trip to the cafeteria “to see who’s there that we might speak to…” The endless news conferences and talking points and committee meetings. So often, so many of us, would say “let’s get Budd, she’ll know what to say or do.” And, she always did.
I remember sharing an office with her and marveling at her energy and her knowledge. I remember traveling with her—and sneaking away from the meeting to go shopping for shoes because so few places carried the large size she needed…I remember standing for hours on the Mall at the Capitol in Washington with thousands of people who were Standing for Children...I remember the American Forum meetings and the fun she and I had writing an article together…and often, at the same moment coming up with precisely the word we each had been searching for…and laughing about how we came from such different places, but shared something neither of us quite understood.
I remember how she loved the photograph I took of the Aspen trees...and her wonderful stories about her time in Colorado. I remember thousands of cups of tea at her table.
I remember what a good sport she always was and how she loved to laugh. I smile every time I remember her favorite “bad” words—and how shocking it was for some to hear her use them—usually directed toward something, or someone, she found incomprehensible. I remember the strong presence she displayed as she leaned on the podium, toward the microphone, in a Senate or House committee hearing. Watching from the audience, I would chuckle to myself as I saw the members of the committee, perhaps unconsciously, move back in their chairs.

But most of all I remember her compassion and her love. Once, when I was having an especially difficult time— it was Budd, of all my friends, who realized how devastated I was and who promptly came to my house, pulled up a chair at my kitchen table and said, “Now, we must talk about this and you must be strong.”

We did, and I was, because she was there for me and she believed in me. From her vast reservoir, she gave me the strength I needed, then, to go on. She was there for so many of us: her family, her friends, her colleagues and all the thousands of children and others who never even knew her.

The world has lost a hero and we have all lost our friend and mentor…but she is not lost: she lives forever in the bloom of the rose, in the smiles of the children, and in the faces and hearts of the thousands for whom she so tirelessly worked.

In the unending circle of life, she is there –in each of us. I love you Budd. ]]> goodwitch58 http://www.sowal.com/bb/blogs/goodwitch58/639-now-shes-lobbying-angels.html <![CDATA[Fishin' Hard]]> http://www.sowal.com/bb/blogs/captain-larry/638-fishin-hard.html Thu, 15 Oct 2009 21:48:26 GMT Fishin' Hard, Runnin' Late

Capt. Larry Pentel
October 15, 2009
Destin - Saltwater Fishing Report




Okay- I know it's been almost 2 weeks since I wrote a report. I have been fishing hard, enjoying this wonderful warm (and calm!) October weather. The fish have been enjoying the warmth too. There are huge schools of small cigs and herrings up on the sandbar and lots of pelagics up in the shallow water chasing them. We have jumped Sailfish on 4 days this past week , putting a really big (80#+) fish in the air today. Plenty of kings up on the bar although most are of the "regular" size there are a few bigger ones thrown in just to surprise you every now and then. Another great surprise this week has been the Mahi- there have been a lot of 10 to 20# fish right up on the beach in 20' of water , chasing the small baits around. I have not been able to spend a full 4 hours up in close trolling- I have run out for at least half a trip every day to take my anglers bottom fishing. One of the other Grayton capts. (Jody Wesley) was able to spend his whole day riding the tower and looking up on the bar a couple days ago and found a BIG school of Mahis-- I think they ended up landing 16 fish in the 8 to 15# range as well as their limit of kings.

The best surprise for me and some of my anglers though was a big galvanized fish that hit a slow trolled minnow the other day. check out the pic below-



That's a 50# wahoo in the middle of the rack- the best part is the 11 year old caught it !

Plenty of triggers have moved in as well as some amberines . The hard part with the trigs is finding 'em over 16' long (14" to the fork)



Here's a good dozen fine trigs along with an assortment of other critters.

Plenty of great catches-- here's a sample of a few more-



A limit of Kings and some bottom dwellers-



One of those beach mahis and some beach regulars



Gals always catch fish!

We have the first "real" cold front of the year coming thru starting tomorrow-- probably be too rough to fish. The blue Norther that is supposed to blow for a few days behind it will keep just about everybody up in close to the beach. I think it'll give me a good excuse to stay on the bar and troll all trip Saturday and Sunday!

The water temp on the beach is still 82 degrees- I'm sure it'll start to drop pretty quick after this front moves through. While that may push the sails and mahis back offshore it should help turn on the Kings, Triggers, Amberines and ...... lets not forget-- Flounders! I would think that a quick few degree drop in water temp will have those tasty flatfish up on the beach!

capt Larry Pentel ]]> Captain Larry http://www.sowal.com/bb/blogs/captain-larry/638-fishin-hard.html