So, What's New??

Hi all, welcome back to yet another addition of my halfhearted literary attempt!  Thanks for stopping by, as always, and I hope that you get a few laughs, insights, or inspiration from my ramblings on life, the water, and family.

So... 2016.  Big year!

Yep... Yours truly, doing our 9:30 feeding.  Meet Julia!  I went all in.  Married, new house, baby, even got me a dog to round it all out.  I'm still taking it all in, but it certainly has been a wild ride.  Being a Dad is the big change by far...  Still trying to get a handle on that one; but progress is being made!

As Im typing this (Listening to a lullaby as Julia nods off... hopefully...) my wife is asleep upstairs, the dog is curled up next to me, and life is pretty good. Damn good.  

I need to remember that more often.  Im cursed with negativity sometimes, and I can't stand it when reality and my plans don't sync up.  What's the old phrase?  Man makes plans and God laughs?  So true.  Overall I don't have a damn thing to complain about. 

So if you see me bemoaning my station in life sometimes, just tell me to stuff it and move on.  

Onward indeed!  You're here for some fishing/boating/ocean nonsense, not my ramblings!  Whats on tap for Knot Reel Teeth in 2016??  Charters, my friends! Charters!

Having a larger boat is awesome.  Its a great feeling, its super cool, and the bills are huge!  Really- not kidding there.  It really is a hole in the water that you throw money into.  That is gospel right there.  So, why not get paid to have fun??  

This year, some great people and great friends at Big Game Sportfishing decided that Richard and I were worthy of coming aboard and adding another dimension to their business.  Already one of the most popular and successful charter outfits in RI, Big Game has two boats, a 32 and 36 that regularly sail for inshore and some offshore charters. But sometimes 36' isn't all that big offshore.  Thats where we come into play.

Offshore charters are a tricky thing.  Not many guys in RI still go offshore for paid charters.  There is a perception out there that all the fish are gone, it's a good ways offshore (85+ miles from land), and with fuel being expensive (and we burn a ton of it...) it becomes a costly endeavor.  But its AMAZING.  The "canyons" are an amazing place to be.  It's like a National Geographic episode out there.  Whales, Dolphins, Sea Turtles, Mola Mola, Tuna, Marlin, Mahi Mahi... They all ply the waters south of New England, and not many people know about it.

But we do!  And we have the boat to get there; and stay for a while.  Going back to fuel, day trips are impractical.  You have to steam 3.5-5 hours to get there, and the same back.  Thats where overnights come in.  you leave Friday Morning, come back Saturday night or Sunday am.  Nights are spent offshore, drifting or anchored, under the most amazing night sky you can get on the East Coast.  

I can go on and on, because its that amazing.  But here is the deal- Its an awesome experience; and one any serious saltwater fisherman needs to do.  

The other facet of our chartering is going to be tournaments.  Big money needs a big boat.  Call it ego, comfort, or just bragging rights.  All apply.  And Knot Reel Teeth fits the bill.  We get you there in style, and can fish the far reaches of the map.

So onward!  To the 2016 season!  As of this writing, Bluefin tuna are showing up south of Block Island, and its shaping up to be another Great Season!  We're splashing the boat later this week, after some much appreciated upgrades and maintenance (remember that cost thing...) and with some great new tackle, we're super excited to hit it... HARD!

Check us out at the following Tournaments:

2016 Star Island Shark Tournament - Montauk, NY

2016 Snug Harbor Shark Tournament - Pt. Judith, RI

2016 Oak Bluffs Bluewater Classic - Martha's Vineyard, MA

2016 Tri-State Shootout - Block Island, RI

See you on the Water!  

New York, New York! and, the end of our Journey.

Hiatus! Yep, I took one, but hopefully, Im back with a vengeance!  Although its 2016, I want to finish what I started here, so lets pick up...

It was a summer day. Warm, warm like you remember it as a kid.  The smell of excitement in the air, a new adventure just about to start! When we last left our intrepid travelers, we had just gotten over a small mishap in New Jersey, and once repairs were made, it was on to New York!

I have a great fascination with New York, from a historic standpoint.  More than most East Coast cities, Manhattan has such a draw to it, such a rich past.  The people, the way it was bought and settled, its role in the revolutionary and civil wars, the gangs of the five points, the corrupt Tammany Hall times, its just so enthralling...

If you have a fondness for history, and maritime history specifically, New York is a treasure trove for you.  So many layers, so many characters, its awesome.  Two particular works that always stand out for me, if you are a reader, are "The Big Oyster" by Mark Kurlansky and "The Great Bridge" by David McCullough (a personal favorite). Sure there are plenty of others, but these combine my loves of history, New York, and the sea.

But back to me...

As I was planning this trip, New York was always going to be a stop on the way home. How could it not be?  Some friends told me to go from Cape May and cut to the Northeast, across the hudson canyon and across the south side of Long Island.  Its shorter, saves on fuel, and you can get some fishing in.  Pretty convincing normally...  But the route through New York has the Statue of Liberty, the Brooklyn Bridge, Manhattan, Hell Gate, Rikers Island...  Evens the score pretty well I think.

So Manhattan it was.  My research led me to stay in Jersey City, actually, and not Manhattan.  Once a bustling town of water transit and piers, the years and decades have left Manhattan's shore pretty inhospitable for pleasure boaters, with only the public dock up near 65th st. or the O-So-Pricy marina down in the Financial district, which caters to the Megayacht/Hamptons crowd.  So to Liberty Landing Marina it was!

Our approach to Manhattan had me a bit nervous.  I heard about tons of debris, crazy water taxis and ferrys, and general mayhem.  The truth was quite the opposite.  We were welcomed under the Verrazano Narrows bridge with some moderate chop, which flattened out after our entrance into NY Harbor.  Rounding the bend, and we were greeted with Lady Liberty, in all her Glory.  This was my first time seeing the Statue up close, and she didn't disappoint.

Truly a remarkable sight any boater should have on their bucket list.  

Liberty Landing is located right near the Lady, and Ellis Island.  Its a stones throw from Manhattan, with reasonable prices and very clean facilities.  Its no Canyon Club, but it was very nice. You didn't even feel like you were in the city.  Odd, but comforting.

After a pleasant night, and a morning fill up next to a big 150'+ yacht, it was off.  Off to our last day, the end of our voyage; Home.  

For all the pitfalls and treacherous waters around New York (maybe more of a valid statement in 1840, certainly less so today...) our trip up the East River and into LI Sound was quite pleasant, certainly uneventful in comparison, and a nice, quiet, relaxing end to a fantastic trip.

We made the trip from Manhattan to Pt. Judith in about 4.5 hours, and were greeted by family and friends for an impromptu welcome home party on the boat that has been, and continues to be, a great source of enjoyment and bonding for all of us.

We circumnavigated Florida, made it to the Bahamas, voyaged the East Coast, caught some great fish, whacked a drawbridge, bent an outrigger on a Hammerhead, made new friends, had plenty of firsts, learned a lot about our new boat and each other, laughed, bonded, and have memories that will last us a lifetime.  

Im writing this entry almost two years after the fact, yet I still think about our trip, and remember so much of it so vividly.  After finally getting to do this trip, my biggest regret is not doing it sooner.  If you have the opportunity to travel the coast by boat; DO IT.