Just Another Day...

After yesterday's torrential deluge and wicked winds, today dawned bright and clear. Sunshine and a hint of Spring fortold the promise of better days to come. The good Captain was up at his usual 3am to check the marine forecast. I grumbled and rolled over in bed. I didn't go to sleep until 12:30, was watching "chick flicks" on the computer. So when he got up I had no intention of visiting with him this morning.

The marine forecast must have been acceptable, because when I did get up my hard working man was gone. The Captain is fishing for shrimp this time of year and he needs to make every day count when the fishermen are receiving 40 cents a pound after expenses. Which is a crime in my opinion! These men risk their lives on a daily basis to bring the best seafood in the world to the American people. Shrimp season is much mellower than groundfishing, where they go out for days at a time, a lot further offshore. Shrimping is a day fishery and they are home for a hot meal every night. I don't know about the rest of the fishermen but the Captain has been caught falling asleep in his plate on more than one occasion. Generally, though I don't worry about him so much when he is shrimping.

Today being just another day in Paradise brings the usual routine for me. Rabble rouse on Facebook taking shots at Monsanto and the thugs at the top in fisheries management. Posting items that regular people don't see, not being as involved in the commercial fishing business as I am. Port Clyde Lobster Tours on Facebook was started to help get the Captain's tour business off the ground. With Summer so far away it has turned into my personal, private soapbox. I try to make it a point to provide some educational componet each and every day. I'm heavily into Food Sovereignty and eating local. Imported seafood and "frankenfood" really piss me off! Call me crazy but I don't think it is good for us to eat food that has been messed with. Monsanto and their "genetically modified" seeds and Bovine Growth Hormone's are seriously scary stuff! Farm raised imported shrimp is also really scary stuff. Shrimp imported for Viet Nam have shown up with traces of Agent Orange in them. Guess who made Agent Orange? Umm...that would be Monsanto!

I leave the house for town around noon to run errands and go to the bank In Rockland. I return back home at 2:30. There is a big tub of shrimp waiting in the sun-room. This means the Captain is home early, although there is no trace of him in the premises. He isn't generally home this early in the day. Unless...something has gone wrong...

I check the voice mail on the phone. The Captain is there saying I need to call him and oh, by the way "the fire is out." FIRE!! What FIRE?!?!? Can't get him on the phone, I drive to the shore. His boat isn't tied to the wharf, it is out in the harbor. It has the skiff tied to the stern of the Leslie & Jessica. I hope all is well. I return home worried about this business of a fire. The good Captain is a big, laconic, laid back guy. Not much gets him too excited which is a worry all by itself. Honestly, if he were anymore laid back he'd be dead!

So he drags in an hour or so later, looking like Al Jolson getting ready to sing "Mammy" with a black face, black hands and covered in soot from head to toe. My first words are "What Fire?" He has been having problems with his exhaust on the boat for some time. He has tried every method that he can think of to make this thing work until he can have a new exhaust fabricated. Apparently the exhaust has had enough and decided to catch fire. Having fought fires in his youth as a Junior Firefighter, I'm sure he calmly grabbed the fire extinguisher and proceeded to put the fire at bay. Of course residue of the extinguisher has messed up his alternators, both the 12 volt and 32 volt. So that's a trip to Windsor tomorrow to get those fixed. His mate, my son is pretty useless in situations such as these. The big guy brings him to shore and releases him to the four winds. I'm sure he is out of there like a shot! The Captain returned to his vessel afterwards. The fire was still smoldering and the wooden platform the exhaust was sitting on was on fire also. He tore all that apart and made sure the fire was out. It wouldn't be a happy man if he had found his vessel burned to the waterline. Good thing he knows the nature of the beast!

He is out of commission until his new exhaust is fabricated and his alternators are fixed. The good news? He now has no excuse not to attend the upcoming Maine Fishermen's Forum this weekend. Just another day in the life of my fisherman. By the way see you at the Forum!