April 29,2000 Crabbing with Myran
We did go crabbing and a tall tale to tell.
Myran and I drove to the mouth of the Columbia River where we have been known to get our limit of 12 apiece. One time we got our limit in 45 minutes. Most the time it takes longer to get our limit, but not much if they are in there. Saturday was not one of those days.
We looked up the weather on the Internet and it said 60 Degrees F and wind 10 miles an hour. Well, they were right. The problem is that it was blowing down the river and the waves were too big for our little 12 foot boat. We took a look at it and said we would try it. There is no launch there, so we carried it down to the water and then put in the essentials. There was a lot of stuff nets and bait. As we slid it to the water, we were looking for a lull in the waves. One came so we pulled hard and got it in the water. Myran got in the boat and the next wave broke over the end. This made Myran look like a drowned rat; he was wet! I pushed it out past the breakers as Myran was rowing, trying o keep it going out and having to work hard at it. He was starting to complain when the motor started and we were able to got out and go where we wanted. The waves were big -- about one finger from coming over the end of the boat. This did not look good. We were out for about 5 minutes and starting to put out a net. Several things kicked in and said, "If you stay out here, you are going to swim. It was too cold for swimming. I don't swim good in that cold of water. The boat and all the thing in it would go out to sea and maybe us too.
Time to turn around. We needed another lull and one came. I thought. Well it was long enough to get turned around and see a wave almost come over the back. I put the power to the motor and we were going with the waves and down wind fast. The six horse power Evinrude was doing it's thing. The bank all looked the same, but we spotted the place we come down and headed for it. About that time we caught a wave and was surfing. This is a problem, big time. ( When I was in my younger teens, my dad and family went salmon fishing in a 16 foot boat. On a good day we got our fish of three apiece and were going back to shore. The motor was not big enough to get on top so I was driving and caught a 15 foot swell. (The swells were not steep so if you were sitting there you would thing nothing of it.) I was able to put the boat on top or plane. We were going fast down this swell and we got to the bottom. (Now the dumb part) I cut the throttle and yes, the prop turns the boat. We went into the trough and the boat turns -- no steering so no way to turn into the wave. It slows and almost turns the boat over. I am thinking about this incident. Good thing.
Now we are on top going fast and the bank is coming up. What to do. No problem. The bank will stop us and it did! BUT nothing stopped the wave. It broke over the back of the boat and I looked like a drowned rat! Two more hits and the boat was filling up fast. No problem -- we are standing on land.
We pulled the plug and packed all the thing in the trailer. The boat drained but there was a lot of sand in it and it stayed there. Myran's new truck and two drowned rats. What to do? Why yes, we will sit on the rain gear that we didn't wear. What a brilliant idea. Oh we are so smart. But alive. I can tell you it was hard for me to come in but it was the right decision and I am here to tell you it was.
As we were loading up, we thought Nehalem Bay would be good and it was only about an hour or so away. So off we went, sitting on our rain coats with the heater on full. We stopped at a park with water and washed the sand off our pants and out of our shoes. We both brought a spare but sandy feet in clean shoes don't work well. It was a fee or pay park so we stole parking and water. It would have been hard to pay $3.00 to wash my feet. Down the road and off to the next adventure.
We went to a private launch so it was $7.00. By the time we boated from the public launch (it was 5 miles away from where we wanted to be and with our 6 horsepower, it was not worth it.) I would have had to pay three there.
The launch was narrow and steep with a bend in it. The same launch has been there for over thirty years that I know of. No problem I was not backing it. Myran did a good job.
Myran and I got it unloaded and out. We went out and put our nets in and yes, it was our turn to get checked by the police. We were the first ones to get checked of course. They sure do like Myran and me. I don't care. If there was no police out there, there would be no game. The crabbing was well picked. All the crabs were just a little under size and what we call $50.00 crabs if you get caught. That is $50 apiece. I don't know for sure but it is a lot.
The crabbing was a contest to see if the seals, sealions or by some freak mishap, a crab would get the bait. They are $5.99 a pound to buy. I don't think this was a money making trip. We were happy to get one. Fresh crab is the best when it is hot. It was not long and we were out of bait so we packed it up and went home. As I always say, a good trip is when you come home and don't get hurt.
Myran let me drive his pickup. It is a good thing I don't have one. I would get a ticket for speeding. When you drive it, you don't feel like you are going very fast and you are 10 to 15 over the speed limit. The computer brakes don't stop when you step on the pedal. They think about it then come on. It would take a little to get use to it. It is easy to drive and has every thing on it.
We did go crabbing and a tall tale to tell.
Myran and I drove to the mouth of the Columbia River where we have been known to get our limit of 12 apiece. One time we got our limit in 45 minutes. Most the time it takes longer to get our limit, but not much if they are in there. Saturday was not one of those days.
We looked up the weather on the Internet and it said 60 Degrees F and wind 10 miles an hour. Well, they were right. The problem is that it was blowing down the river and the waves were too big for our little 12 foot boat. We took a look at it and said we would try it. There is no launch there, so we carried it down to the water and then put in the essentials. There was a lot of stuff nets and bait. As we slid it to the water, we were looking for a lull in the waves. One came so we pulled hard and got it in the water. Myran got in the boat and the next wave broke over the end. This made Myran look like a drowned rat; he was wet! I pushed it out past the breakers as Myran was rowing, trying o keep it going out and having to work hard at it. He was starting to complain when the motor started and we were able to got out and go where we wanted. The waves were big -- about one finger from coming over the end of the boat. This did not look good. We were out for about 5 minutes and starting to put out a net. Several things kicked in and said, "If you stay out here, you are going to swim. It was too cold for swimming. I don't swim good in that cold of water. The boat and all the thing in it would go out to sea and maybe us too.
Time to turn around. We needed another lull and one came. I thought. Well it was long enough to get turned around and see a wave almost come over the back. I put the power to the motor and we were going with the waves and down wind fast. The six horse power Evinrude was doing it's thing. The bank all looked the same, but we spotted the place we come down and headed for it. About that time we caught a wave and was surfing. This is a problem, big time. ( When I was in my younger teens, my dad and family went salmon fishing in a 16 foot boat. On a good day we got our fish of three apiece and were going back to shore. The motor was not big enough to get on top so I was driving and caught a 15 foot swell. (The swells were not steep so if you were sitting there you would thing nothing of it.) I was able to put the boat on top or plane. We were going fast down this swell and we got to the bottom. (Now the dumb part) I cut the throttle and yes, the prop turns the boat. We went into the trough and the boat turns -- no steering so no way to turn into the wave. It slows and almost turns the boat over. I am thinking about this incident. Good thing.
Now we are on top going fast and the bank is coming up. What to do. No problem. The bank will stop us and it did! BUT nothing stopped the wave. It broke over the back of the boat and I looked like a drowned rat! Two more hits and the boat was filling up fast. No problem -- we are standing on land.
We pulled the plug and packed all the thing in the trailer. The boat drained but there was a lot of sand in it and it stayed there. Myran's new truck and two drowned rats. What to do? Why yes, we will sit on the rain gear that we didn't wear. What a brilliant idea. Oh we are so smart. But alive. I can tell you it was hard for me to come in but it was the right decision and I am here to tell you it was.
As we were loading up, we thought Nehalem Bay would be good and it was only about an hour or so away. So off we went, sitting on our rain coats with the heater on full. We stopped at a park with water and washed the sand off our pants and out of our shoes. We both brought a spare but sandy feet in clean shoes don't work well. It was a fee or pay park so we stole parking and water. It would have been hard to pay $3.00 to wash my feet. Down the road and off to the next adventure.
We went to a private launch so it was $7.00. By the time we boated from the public launch (it was 5 miles away from where we wanted to be and with our 6 horsepower, it was not worth it.) I would have had to pay three there.
The launch was narrow and steep with a bend in it. The same launch has been there for over thirty years that I know of. No problem I was not backing it. Myran did a good job.
Myran and I got it unloaded and out. We went out and put our nets in and yes, it was our turn to get checked by the police. We were the first ones to get checked of course. They sure do like Myran and me. I don't care. If there was no police out there, there would be no game. The crabbing was well picked. All the crabs were just a little under size and what we call $50.00 crabs if you get caught. That is $50 apiece. I don't know for sure but it is a lot.
The crabbing was a contest to see if the seals, sealions or by some freak mishap, a crab would get the bait. They are $5.99 a pound to buy. I don't think this was a money making trip. We were happy to get one. Fresh crab is the best when it is hot. It was not long and we were out of bait so we packed it up and went home. As I always say, a good trip is when you come home and don't get hurt.
Myran let me drive his pickup. It is a good thing I don't have one. I would get a ticket for speeding. When you drive it, you don't feel like you are going very fast and you are 10 to 15 over the speed limit. The computer brakes don't stop when you step on the pedal. They think about it then come on. It would take a little to get use to it. It is easy to drive and has every thing on it.
posted by Byran on the side at 7:21 AM
0 Comments:
Post a Comment
<< Home