Well, another great time to spend with old and new friends.
Just as we were leaving Dave's house an old friend I hadn't seen in years dropped by and long story short we convinced him to come along.
We got to Apollo Beach Marina around 3 after a few sidetrips (you had to be there) and idled out to the bay and was met with 2-3 footers and a stiff breeze
We had only about a mile to go to get to the island but the seas were all quartering to us and spray was flying everywhere, over the sides, over the windshield - you know, a sailors worst kind of wave sets, quartering and windy.
We idled the entire way over and ducked behind the hook of the island and that helped flatten everything out. We dropped the hook, tied the boats together and settled in to cooking and BSing.
Nice moon rise for the first night.
Good friends catching up - Dave to the left, Jay to the right.
Next morning Chuck shows up early as usual, we cook breakfast, eat and then go hunting some fish. Chuck jumped a little snook and then it got off. That was about it for any action. We decided it might be a wise idea to go stake out some beach before it gets too late and I'm glad we did. This little island gets packed and this was only one side of it.
Jeff was the next to arrive and then Chuck and him left to do a little fishing. Ended up finding a very friendly Manatee while they were fishing. LilRich and someone I didn't recognize arrived shortly thereafter to round out the group.
This person I didn't recognize ended up being our own Broadbill and he had trailered all the way from the other side of the state.
Paul it was nice to meet you and your family and after seeing your boat I understand your signature "Things Done Right" - it would be hard for anyone to even start to think that your boat is 36 years old - a beautifully restored boat.
Great job Paul.
Well, as some mentioned, tragedy struck while we were there - sounded like a sonic boom but REAL CLOSE and by this pic you can tell it was only a few hundred yards away from us. Our thoughts and prayers go out to the families.
As reported there were 10 people on the 37ft boat when it exploded - 5 adults and 5 kids. The kids were down in the cabin with one of the dads when it happened. Most think that someone didn't vent the fumes in the bilge before starting up but later reports said that they did vent but something about the genset. Anyway it seriously hurt a couple people (last I heard they're not sure if a couple of them will make it) and the dad in the cabin was able to throw the kids into the water somehow with just minor injuries to them.
People were attending to the injured on the beach until help arrived (which seemed like it took forever - like 30 minutes at least)
Helicopters came in several times to take the injured to the hospital.
Fire department trying to douse the fire.
This is all that was left of the boat later on.
Anyway, it was a sad day for some people.
After everyone called it a day, Dave and I motored our boats back out a few hundred feet from shore, dropped the hook, BBQ'd some ribs and kicked back. This was the moon rise that night - nice way to end the day.
This is the last time we'll have the gathering in Apollo Beach - been twice now, nice place but time to move. We've been having the gathering in the Tampa Bay area 3 years now so there might be a geographic change the next time. Either South, maybe Boca Grande area or a little more North - Anclote area.
