Century Club: Tim Ford

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Monday, December 4, 2023
Number of days:
1 day
Dec 4 - winter prep and paddle - DAY 99

Went down to put the cover on the boat for winter, and to remove any bilge water that may freeze and do damage.  Then I looked at the forecast for the next ten days and I figured, Hey! I might get a sail or two in (high temps mid to high 50's in the next week or so).  So the cover stays off for now.

With the tide being so high,  I put in a kayak with the idea of maybe having enough water to thrash thru the back of the creek to get to the isolated pond that is visible on Google satelite image.  Gave it a go and even got out of the kayak to scout the possibilty of making a short portage to this "lost" lake. Turns out there are two hurdles, not just one. Two built up thickets, and maybe a muskrat or nutria hutch, blocking the way into this isolated spot.  

I really love marsh and swamp landscapes especially in the winter.  So even though my goal was denied, it was still a very nice day on the creek.

 

 

 

Thursday, November 30, 2023
Number of days:
1 day
Nov 30 - Lo Tide Paddle

Very low tide, maybe one of the lowest I've ever seen on the Magothy.  A good time to get a visual on where the shoals are the worst. 

I think today was Day 98, so just two more to 100....should be easy to grab next week, weather permitting!

 

Saturday, November 25, 2023
Number of days:
1 day
EYC Leftovers

0911 hrs, a cold but quick delivery down to Annap, helped out by a knot or two of ebb and a bit of north breeze kicking in. Since we were early for the noon crew pickup at SSA (thanks SSA!), we took the touristy ride into Ego Alley and back. 

Race was in light, sometimes non-existant, air but it was short and sweet with a bit of drama at the start when two boats went THUMP.  We took third, had a really great time at EYC and then departed on a very cold but beautiful delivery back to the Magothy. 

Long but excellent day on the water, for late November!

 

 

Friday, November 17, 2023
Number of days:
1 day
Nov 17 - day 96?

I think this was day 96...a long paddle with LZ.  Gorgeous Novemebr weather, colorful leaves, clear water (sort of) and even a bite on our paddletails from decent sized Yellow Perch.  The lighting this time of year is just terrific.

Tuesday, November 14, 2023
Number of days:
1 day
Nov 14 - Low tide, the beach and Zzzzzs

I took the fishing rod out for a paddle, but the tide was so low, I never tried a single cast...why bother?  I did find some interesting stuff on the bottom, including what was once a nice aluminum oar, but it looked like it had been on the bottom for awhile and it was nasty.  Pulled it out of the water and left it ashore. 

Back in the NE arm of the creek, it was so pleasant that I ooched down in the kayak and fell asleep for 10 minutes.  Kind of an all-purpose paddle: lunch, exercise, a stint on a beach and a nap.  Beautiful November day!

 

 

Saturday, November 11, 2023
Number of days:
1 day
Nov 11 - pre Oyster paddle

We were having our trophy and oyster party, but I needed to paddle for a couple of hours to blow off some steam and get my head right.  Perfectly lovely conditions for a floating lunch and few casts into likely spots, which luckily for me, produced no response.  But it was an excellent paddle, probably good for two NM in absolutely perfect November condits.

Friday, November 10, 2023
Number of days:
1 day
Nov 10 - Two Piers and 2 cats

Nasty day, too awful to kayak.  So I searched out a park near Edgemere where I was due a little later for a celebration of lfe for a sailor friend who'd died.  Found this little gem of a park in Essex, where I fished with another fellow who'd pulled up in his pickup truck.  I like meeting folks with similar odd habits, like taking a lunch-break on a cold rainy day to fling a lure out even if it's probably not going to be fruitfull -- it was low tide.  We had a nice conversation.

I did see some fish feeding at the 2nd pier but they were too far out to toss a lure to...and clearly someone had a much better outing a day or two prior, as these two monster blue catfish attest. 

I think I'm close to my limit of PIER FISHING or BOATWORK days - I think I have nine logged...but I should easily surpass 100 days this year.

 

 

 

Tuesday, November 7, 2023
Number of days:
1 day
Nov 7 - Paddle and Perches

One yellow perch and one white perch, but a gorgeous day on the creek due to the lighting!  Lunch and peacefull float in early November on a warm day and a calm sea state. I'll take it.

Monday, November 6, 2023
Number of days:
1 day
Nov 6 - No Fish from a Pier
  • Craighill Light seemed unusually far out at sea.
  • Bad day at black rock

Not really a pier I guess.  But a very long way out in the bay.  Probably 3x as long as any pier I fished fronm this year, maybe with the exception of the NEB pier in Newport R.I.

No fish either, but I think I had a better day than this person had...not an easy entrance into the tiny beach and from the holes, I suspect it was lifted over the rocks/breakwater by wind and tides.

I have just 2 other "fish from pier" days, and I was definitely "on the water" here at North Point park.

Saturday, November 4, 2023
Number of days:
1 day
November 4 - work day

It was our club's work day.  Not specifically a "boat work" day, but I spent 4 hours within two to ten feet of the water, wailing away at some thick water snake cover, including a lot of creeping virginia vine and other sundry invasive stuff.

One person's dinghy had 11 snakes under it earlier this season, aggressive snakes in their own personal suana who get pissed off when their downtime gets interrupted.

They don't always vacate the dinghy when it's overturned, either. 

I have 4 boat work days so far, so I'm going to call this a day.  I'll definitely have more than 100 days by Jan 1.  So I don't feel too shabby about calling this a day.  It was a day alright....quite a day.

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