Sink or Swim!

I talked all last week about taking the boat out this past weekend because the weather was going to be beautiful. Kyle made sure to get our boat registration and insurance during the week to make sure we could take it out. We had the plans set by Friday night that H&D would go with us. We were glad that someone that had a good bit of boat experience was going with us to help. This would be Kyle's first time with the boat on his own. He went with his brother twice while they were visiting, but its not the same to do it on your own.

Kyle woke me up moving around the house BEFORE my 6:30 am alarm went off. I stayed in bed until then. When I got up, he was fully dressed and preparing for this fishing trip. He was so excited that he had been up since around 5 am. He actually did the butterfly when I woke up. Yes, I said the butterfly. He does it when he gets excited. H&D were supposed to be over around 7 to get ready. When they got there, Kyle was still getting things together. It felt like forever before we actually left. Heather made her a cup of coffee for the ride, and we were out. Although it was supposed to be mid 60's that day, we still layered up because it was chilly that morning and would be windy on the river.

We stopped by several stores on the way to the river. We actually were headed to Second Creek. Someone thought long and hard about those names...First and Second Creek. Kyle stayed up late the night before studying the records of small mouth bass in Second Creek. We stopped to get snacks at one store, bait at another, and on we went. We saw Second Creek, but we couldn't seem to find the boat ramp and our GPS told us stay straight. We ended up at the dam at Wheeler. We went ahead and put in there. The rest was an adventure to say the least! ha!







Kyle backed the trailor in while Derek backed it off into the water. We parked and piled into the boat. Off we went! Derek commented about the motor seeming to be slow and asked if Kyle had charged it. I asked why the boat seemed to rise so high in the front that we couldn't even see! I think we thought it was supposed to do that?? We went around an area of rocks, stopped, and were ready to get out the poles. I was up moving around trying to figure out what I wanted to fish with first. While I was up, I noticed water was right below our seats and wondered how it was there since it had been in a garage since we got it. I asked the simple question - How did this water get in here? Derek looked around and opened the section where the motor is and calmy said - Kyle go back to the dock. This is when I freaked out! I think my life flashed before my eyes! haha I was already planning an evacuation route...I would jump in right there and swim to the rocks a few feet away while the boat sank! Luckily - we made it safely back to the dock and pulled back out of the water. The boys investigated where the water was coming from to know where it was coming in at. WELL...they figured out that they plugged the wrong hole. haha! I had no idea a hole had to be plugged or I may would have checked! I swear tons of water poured out of the boat! It took a good 5-10 minutes for all of this water to come out. I couldn't resist taking pictures as the water emptied onto the pavement and ran away. Once all water was gone, we plugged THE RIGHT hole and were off again. I was a nervous ninny this time!

All that water!





Heather snacking while the water pours out!



I questioned everything as we went along this time because I was still scared to death. Everything went well. We stopped several places and casted out. I started with a fake lizzard, then on to a yellow torpedo thing, and can't remember what after that. I am so impatient. I was asking all kinds of questions - what kind of things will they bite, how do I reel this one fast or slow up or down, can you change this one out for me? haha Once I learn each one and how to work it, I will be good to go. Of course, we didn't catch ANY fish! Kyle said it was because I talked the whole time, but I was trying to learn so that next time I would know. This was my first fishing trip on the river. I have only fished in ponds and that is usually for brim because they are speedy biters! I hate waiting!

Anyway, back to the adventure...we were coasting along trying to find a new spot to stop. Kyle was going about 30 which felt like 60 on the water...or to me. It was so funny because you could feel every wave and usually taste it too. We were dodging splashes here and there and ended up with most of them in our eyes/mouth. H and I brought blankets to stay warm if needed...and we needed. Our blanket was soaked after a while of this coasting. We were riding along a little ways off the coast when we hear this thumping/scraping noise. Derek jumps up yelling - Bring the motor up!!! We were scrubbing the bottom a little or hit rocks that were sticking up or something - who knows! We chipped off some of the blade below the propellors. Oops. By this time, I was just hoping to make it back alive. Boy was I glad I called mom to tell her where we put the boat in. H made fun of me for doing it, but I told her if we sank I wanted someone to know where to search for us at! haha sorry, I was being paranoid. I am glad now that I did, because Kyle tried to kill us more than once! haha j/k, but I was scared!

We figured now that we would stay in the main channel between the red and green buoys. We stopped a couple of more times to cast out with no luck. I was scoping out the fish tracker the whole time to hope that I could throw it in one's face. It didn't work! I don't think anyone caught anything. I hate we couldn't figure out how to get to Second Creek because we may would have caught something there. I guess we will have to figure it out next time. We finally pulled out of the water around 2 or 3. We had been in the water a good 4 or 5 hours. As we were hooking onto the trailer to hold the boat on, they noticed that piece of the trailor seemed to be falling apart too. It looked as though it had been welded back together. It was coming loose. They spent a good while trying to make sure the boat was tied to the trailer. Ahhh, we finally made it to land safely and were headed home.

We laughed and took this picture on Kyle's GPS/Rear camera. It sure was a "rear" camera! haha While Derek was trying to hook the boat on, Kyle's reverse camera was getting a good shot of Derek's rear. It was so funny! He moved right before I took it so I only caught his foot. Too funny!



When we got back to our house, H and I passed out on the couch. We slept for hours. H&D left around 8 or 9. I could smell myself, so I got up to take a shower. ha ha ok TMI. By the time I got out of the shower, Nate and Jess were here. We played Spades till 3 am. Good thing I had a nice nap earlier! Boys sure do now how to make a girl mad when it comes to card games. We play with our emotions and they play to win. Kylissa was a good team though! We won both rounds against them. I took my happy self to bed.

Sunday - I was able to get up at a decent hour, but Kyle slept in because he stayed up longer than I did. We had a relaxing day at home. My sweet husband cooked dinner for me that night. We like to surprise one another when it comes to dinner. We try not to peak the whole time the other is cooking. It smelt so good in there. I was smelling mushrooms but also something like spaghetti. I am not sure where the spaghetti smell came from because that was no where in the meal. He called it goulash, but that was nothing like what my mom would call goulash. Whatever it was, it was good! He baked steaks with cream of mushroom. Since he knows I don't like mushrooms although he loves them, he tried to make them good where I would eat them. He sauted them in soy sauce. I actually ate a few...SHOCKING! He made it with rice pilaf and green peas. Yummy!

Monday - was back to work and home again. My poor honey - I went to sleep on him so early. He ran to the movie store and brought me back a surprise dinner from Dip N Dop. It was our first time eating there, and he knew me well. He brought me a grilled cheese. One of my favorites. It was pretty good. I think I ate it, got full, and passed out! I was worn out for some reason. I probably went to sleep at 8 if not sooner. I slept through 24 and the City. I got up off the couch at around 11 and went to bed. It was off to the rest of the week.

Hopefully I will get to see little Keegan sometime this week and eat lunch with one of my besties - K10. Can't wait for either! Tomorrow is hump day! Have a great rest of the week!