Ed Killers Column from Stuart News 2.1.2014 A recent fishing trip with my uncle, Bob Pelosi, was a night-time swordfish expedition to the middle of the Gulf Stream. Bob, my teenage son Conrad, and I trailered Bob’s 19-foot flats boat, Renegade, to Burt Reynolds Park in Jupiter. We departed Jupiter Inlet shortly before sundown. Bravely, we steered into the Atlantic Ocean well beyond the sight of land about 18 miles southeast of Juno Pier. There, we set out our lines into the calm, deep blue abyss under a dark moonless sky. We hoped to catch a “marker” that night, a term for a large swordfish exceeding 100 pounds. Either the fish gods weren’t on our side or (as my uncle likes to say) my bad luck was to blame. Either way, shortly after 1 a.m., with nary a bite to our credit and our tails between our legs, we turned the bow of the Renegade toward the west to begin our long run back to terra firma. The powerful current had carried us to about 25 miles east northeast of the St. Lucie Inlet. It took more than an hour of running before we began to see the familiar lights of the Treasure Coast: Arcs of the bridges across the Indian River Lagoon, the nuclear power plant, the rotating light at Witham Field, radio towers on the western lands, the “glow” of urban development. Technology, experienced seamanship and smooth sailing enabled us to reach home port safely. As we cruised past the red and green lights marking the inlet’s rocky entrance, my uncle repeated a favorite expression of his I’ve heard many times. “Well, we cheated death in the Bermuda Triangle one more time,” he always says. He is only half-joking. The sea has no conscience. It is all at once beautiful, alluring and unforgiving. It will give, but when it chooses, and without asking, it will take. Making safe passage from the middle of the Gulf Stream in the middle of the night aboard a 19-foot skiff is enough to make even a staunch agnostic believe in divine oversight. It’s why all mariners should participate in the annual Blessing of the Fleet next Saturday. The tradition takes place in many seafaring communities around the world. Whether we work aboard a crab boat in the Bering Sea, or merely take the center console out to the Sand Bar on a balmy weekend afternoon, we all can use all the good karma we can get. The 43rd annual St. Lucie River Blessing of the Fleet and Marine Parade will begin staging at noon in the North Fork of the St. Lucie River near the square green Marker No. 7, just off the marina at Harbor Ridge. All boating clubs, yacht clubs, sailing clubs, fishing clubs and individual boat owners along with neighbors, family and friends are encouraged to participate. By 12:30 p.m., boaters will be instructed to proceed in the direction of the Review Boat anchored off the mouth of Bessey Creek. Organizer Darrell Brand, commodore of the Palm Cove Yacht Club, said the Review Boat will have several clergy members of various faiths aboard it. Brand said boaters will need to keep an ear on VHF radio channel 78 to listen to instructions provided by St. Lucie River Power Squadron member Cy Seidel. “We hope boaters come and get there early, drop their hook and maybe have lunch as they wait for the parade to begin,” Brand said. He said choosing the theme for this year’s Blessing was easy — Save Our River. Brand wants boaters to decorate their boats to express how important it is to have clean waters to boat in, fish in and enjoy activities. “It gives people who were not here during the summer a chance to express how much they care about our waterway,” he said. So come out Saturday and be blessed, along with the St. Lucie River. We’ll see you on the water. ed.killer@scripps. Follow him: Facebook, TCPalm ekiller; Twitter and Instagram, @tcpalmekiller.
Posted on: Sat, 01 Feb 2014 12:39:54 +0000
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