Southeast Octoberfest Reunion - Back to Southport!

[jdupree]

Just a few more pics..............


Marc (Flounderponder) on left and Scott (Skoot) on right


Scott and Farley




Scott


Farley (Fitz) with the big catch off my boat

[wingtime]

Awsome pics guys!  Looks like you had a blast!  Man you made us Florida boys look bad!  Were gonna have to kick things up a few notches to match that gathering!  Love the shirts, how long does the batteries on those last?  

[fitz73222]

Hey Bruce,

The Carolina/Georgia boys are an hour flight away into Sanford/Orlando. I'm 3 1/2 hours towing, Mark, 6 hours towing from you guys. Skoot is in Largo. So there is no reason why the group can't do the same thing in the bay region. The venue needs to be a place where we can all stay; on the water or near a ramp. This is not about polarity between us and not trying to "one up" the other region. Can you imagine if the whole southeast plus anyone else from other parts of the country all got together and did 4 days of Aquasport bliss? Fishing, eating, drinking, BS ing? We had a blast, now lets do the Florida version.

[seabob4]

You know Farley, here's a thought, it makes it a little easier for you and Marc, a little more difficult for Bruce, Skoot, Fernando, Scott, Rick, Dave, etc...but not that much more difficult...maybe Cedar Key?

[fitz73222]

You know Farley, here's a thought, it makes it a little easier for you and Marc, a little more difficult for Bruce, Skoot, Fernando, Scott, Rick, Dave, etc...but not that much more difficult...maybe Cedar Key?

Bob,

Cedar Key would be excellent... Do we want to start to entertain this?

[seabob4]

Well, it is definitely something to think about.  Easier tow for you and Marc, not a bad tow (but more fuel) once the guys get out of St. Pete and Tampa, but kinda leaves the Sarasota bunch with a pretty hefty, although easy, tow.  It was pretty much 120 miles from my house to Scott's last weekend, but I did a kind of detour route, over to Anna Maria, down Longboat, back across Ringling to the trail, so maybe more like 100 miles.  So for the Sarasota boys, probably 140 up there.

Easy drive over from Sanford (the little airport), just come across SR 46, then pick up 44, turn right on 19...

Just throwing something out there...

[Circle Hooked]

Worth thinking about for sure.

[gran398]

Speaking of towing....Lew tows his rear-end off, not an easy drive either. Same with all of the boys this year.

Function of love :flower:

We'll show up down there....that hundred dollar direct flight is too good to be true.

And a hundred dollars says a boat named Slipaway with Georgia tags will be there

[RickK]

For the people that have been around the forum for a few years and remember back a while, we have been doing these gatherings for many years (5? - check my photo gallery for pics and also search on "gather*") starting here in the Tampa Bay area and then moving around over the years, along the west coast of FL (we'll make it to the east coast some day spreading the CAS "word").  We've had as many as 9 boats with families at our 4-6 hour gatherings.  We have NOT done the weekend thing though - never seemed to get enough interest in the 4-6 hour ones let alone the weekenders (even with the Hooter girls attending   ).  We have one of the biggest concentrations of Aquasports in this area too - always been a mystery to me as to why there is not much interest.  We've had a few gatherings where there was only the 3 diehards - CircleHooked, Dave and myself.  Still had a nice time.
You guys have a special thing going up there and I hope it continues for many years.  

[fitz73222]

For the people that have been around the forum for a few years and remember back a while, we have been doing these gatherings for many years (5? - check my photo gallery for pics and also search on "gather*") starting here in the Tampa Bay area and then moving around over the years, along the west coast of FL (we'll make it to the east coast some day spreading the CAS "word").  We've had as many as 9 boats with families at our 4-6 hour gatherings.  We have NOT done the weekend thing though - never seemed to get enough interest in the 4-6 hour ones let alone the weekenders (even with the Hooter girls attending   ).  We have one of the biggest concentrations of Aquasports in this area too - always been a mystery to me as to why there is not much interest.  We've had a few gatherings where there was only the 3 diehards - CircleHooked, Dave and myself.  Still had a nice time.
You guys have a special thing going up there and I hope it continues for many years.  

Sooo,
Lets take this up a notch and start to reel this in. I think there is an opportunity here. Not all the gals are as into this as we are so we need to accommodate them with the right venue. Quite frankly, Beth wasn't with me this past weekend but she would have had a blast with Betsy, Susie, Rhonda and Bridgette; so there is room for our girls under the right circumstances which pulls in a different dynamic to this gathering.

[gran398]

Rick, thanks, you do a great job for the membership with little praise....here's some...THANK YOU

The nine boats ya'll gathered still holds the record for the largest Aquasport gathering outside of the delivery staging area of SB's old Genmar plant

And thanks, we do have something special going on. It's genuinely the more the merrier, been that way from the start. There are no strangers. If they're new...they aren't new after thirty minutes.

Logistics:

We try to plan it so no one has to run to the store for anything. When the party starts...we're on. Nothing worse than asking someone to go to the grocery store in a strange place, especially after a beer or two. The arrangements, menus, condiments, support items etc. were worked out weeks in advance. Sure don't want to hold things up lacking two sticks of butter.

The long weekend idea makes sense for us. Nice accommodations as well. You tow in... that's a full day. You want a shower, a nice dinner, and a good night's sleep. (Edit: just read Farl's post...nice accommodations are mandatory)

The next morning....a good breakfast, you're ready to go fishing

Thanks guys!

I'll speak for the crowd....we had a blast

[seabob4]

Scott,
You're right in regards to logistics.  Especially when towing long distances or flying in, then driving a bit.  Wear's us all out.  Then fishing the next day?  Wearing as well.  It's almost like it needs to be a 4 day thing.  Travel, fish, rest and fun, then travel again...

[wingtime]

Looks like Cedar Key is about 139 miles for me.  So about three hours with the boat behind me.  Not worth going unless we would stay for the weekend.

This is how Amy and I used go up to Cedar key:



We'd hop on up there for lunch.  There used to be this old timer with a old checker cab.  He had an aircraft radio and would pick you up at the airport if you called him before landing.  He'd drop you off in "town".  We'd have lunch, walk around a bit then he would pick us up and take us back to the "airport".  I say "airport" cause it is nothing more than a runway with water on both ends.  No tower or anything.  In fact there is hardly even a hard stand to park on.

[fitz73222]

143 miles for me... 4 day stay would be perfect.

[flounderpounder225]

350 miles for me, doable