Pesky Gator Gets Greedy!

Florida is one of those southern states where you can find alligators in almost all bodies of water.  Most of the time they don’t bother anyone, but there are some exceptions.

My lovely wife Karen and I were camping at one of our favorite RV parks called Meadowlark Shores for her birthday.

We launched our inflatable Sea Eagle boat and headed toward the Caloosahatchee river before heading upriver to a favorite canal several hundred years away.

I started fishing right away in an effort to catch whatever would bite my worm.

We always carry another fishing outfit with us, so I rigged it up to possibly catch some Channel Catfish.

Within a few minutes after casting out with a chunk of calves liver, we noticed a small alligator showed up and stopped some 50’ or so from our bobber, where it just sat there staring, probably hoping for a fish to latch on so it could rush in and get a free meal.

Every time we moved to another fishing area, there was that pesky gator, staring at our bobber.

A few hours later we had reached the end of where we wanted to fish when we again saw the pesky gator staring at our bobber but not doing anything.

I turned away for just a minute to cast my worm with my ultra light outfit, and turned back around to reel in the other pole when I saw that gator swimming very fast toward our bobber.  Before I could reach the heavier pole, that nuisance gator latched onto the bobber and headed back toward the bushes.

Since I didn’t wish to reel a gator toward our little 10’ boat, I grabbed the reel spool and broke the line. 

Unfortunately, the line snapped off and left a hook and a brightly colored orange bobber hanging out of that gators mouth.

The next day we fished the same area and for hours and never saw any sight of that pesky gator.  Karen said it was too embarrassed to show its face!

On our third and final day of fishing, we returned to the same canal, and this time we witnessed that same gator come out of the bushes, and cruised right past another bobber I was using. 

It just kept swimming up the canal until it was out of sight.  So, by the time we had reached the area where we would turn around and return to the main river, we actually saw that same pesky gator sunning itself on someone’s lawn.

We’re guessing it had learned its lesson about trying to steal a fisherman’s gear.

Our Ortona South Campground host saved the day!

For us, camping is always a great experience!  It’s about the quality of the campground, the people who manage everything, and the friendly and interesting people we meet during our short stay.  Not to mention the overall appearance of the grounds, and of course the fishing. 

            Normally, our camping is a bit uneventful during the day when we’re not out fishing.  But this past 4th of July was anything but uneventful.

            It all started when I backed our Tundra into the shade of the awning so I could install a back up camera and mirror.  Before we left home, I tried to remember all the things I needed to make this install successful. I had our new camera and mirror kit which we received the day before leaving the house, so that kit, along with a soldering gun, flux, solder, an extra cigarette lighter plug, a rag, and some tools, I thought I was prepared. 

            After returning from fishing, I decided I’d give the kit a try to just hook up the mirror portion so I could plug it into the cigarette lighter, I was planning on finishing with the camera the next day, mostly due to the 90 degree days and high humidity we are blessed with during the summer months here in Southwest Florida.

            I discovered the + and - wires from the kit were so small that they were difficult to connect. So I took the cigarette lighter plug apart and discovered there was a piece missing from inside, so I couldn’t go any further with that procedure.  Then I took the camera portion out and with several hours of working outside and sweating like crazy, I finally got it hooked into the backup lights. 

            When I went to pull our truck back in front of our RV, It just wouldn’t start. Up to this point I had absolutely no battery problems at all.

            Shortly after that, I found someone in the park who was willing to loan us a miniature battery starter pack.  I hooked it up and NADA.  It was one of those small hand-held ones with about a 2 amp rating.

            Later on in the day, all snuggled up inside our RV, we heard a knock at our door, upon opening up, we discovered it was the volunteer camp host Ann.  Much to our surprise, she had a plug in battery charger and offered it to use.

            After hooking it up, we checked the % of charge and it was only at 15%.  Naturally the truck wouldn’t start so we waited until it reached 35%, still no start or even a clicking noise one would expect from the starter.

            We stood there chatting with Ann and she told us they had a power boat and used this charger for any battery emergencies.

            Meanwhile, the charger was doing its job charging our dead battery.  A short time later, the charger reached 55%, so I decided to try starting again, VOILA, it fired up instantly!

            Karen and I could not have been any happier, since we had lined up several mobile auto repairs in addition to our Good Sam’s Roadside Assistance.  It was difficult to get anyone to come out to help us except for Good Sam’s, which we had already scheduled for the next morning.

            We discovered that the kindness of our camp host Ann not only saved us a lot of frustration, which we had already gone through, but she went way beyond her normal realm of duties by helping someone in dire need, even when she didn’t have to.  It only took me a few minutes to jump on my tablet and order a charger like the one we were borrowing. It's a Schumacher SSC-1500A model I bought from Walmart online for $50.

            We left that charger on until nightfall and it got up to 82%, so I turned it off for the night and plugged it back in the next day very early so we could hook up and return our RV to its safe storage not far from our house.

            This past 4th of July will be one we will remember for a long time.  Didn’t see any fireworks, but we did meet one of the nicest camp hosts we’ve had the pleasure to know.  

The Perfect X’mas gift!

For Christmas 2016, I received the perfect gift, it wasn’t a new rod and reel, it wasn’t a fish scale, cause I really like the one I use, and it wasn’t gold bars. Are you done guessing? 

You’ll never guess, so I’ll tell you.  It was a 13 lb. Channel catfish.  That’s right, I said channel catfish! 

My honeybuns and I were camping at Lake Manatee State Park for our Christmas time.  Mostly so we can drive into Tampa to be with my brother and his wife and friends.

On Christmas eve day, we decided to fish a few hours before driving north to Tampa.

After launching our Sea Eagle, we immediately headed over to one of our favorite fishing areas.  At first we caught and released a few small bluegills, so we just kept moving around and casting toward the plants near the shore.

About half an hour later, we anchored near a large patch of water lettuce.

I hooked up a night crawler, tossed it near the water lettuce and sat my pole down while I took care of a small task.

Some minutes later, my pole started bending so much that I thought it was going to go into the lake.

I started reeling in a fish that felt like a monster to me.  It took awhile to get it to our boat, but honeybuns finally netted it safely.

NO, it wasn’t a 13 pounder!  It was a 2’ long five pound Channel Catfish.  I was like a kid with a new toy.  Eating this type catfish is a real treat to me so excitement was overflowing.

After that great catch, we motored over to another place we like to fish at.  Off in the distance, we could see the guy who had launched ahead of us.

After reaching our fishing area, I started catching a few more bluegills.  Then I looked up and saw that other fisherman we saw earlier coming toward us.

When he got closer, he yelled out, “do you want a fish”?  Naturally I couldn’t say no.

He lifted this 13 lb. Channel Catfish and my eyes almost popped out of my head.  My excitement increased as we motored over to his boat.

Before handing it off, the guy told us he had to remove the hook.  And when he did that, he explained that after landing this monster, he noticed that it was not only hooked, but at the other end of the line was a brand new fishing outfit.

We were all in disbelief from that bizarre catch.  We thanked him several times and motored off back toward the ramp.

For our camping adventures during Christmas time, it just doesn’t get any better than that.  This perfect Christmas gift will be one we shall remember for a lifetime!

Poli Glow is the way to GO!

Are you one of those people who spend time waxing your RV, Boat, Corvette or anything that's fiberglass, and expect it to last a good year or so?  THEN STOP RIGHT NOW!

What if you could have an easier way to make your toy look good for a year or more?  Well, NOW YOU DO!

We introduce you to Poli Glow, a complete kit that not only makes it easier for you to make all your fiberglass items look brand new, it lasts a lot longer than regular "wax on, wax off".

First you dilute the cleaner, spray an area, use the brush, then rinse off.  After it dries, start with pouring a small amount in the mitt and wipe on in one direction leaving no bubbles.

You don't actually start seeing the shine until the 4th coat.  Instructions say 4 to 6 coats for superior protection from the brutal summer sun.  We live in Florida and coated our 28' RV with five coats and it's so shiny that people in our storage area have asked how it got so nice and new looking.

Try this seemingly miracle kit and you'll get the best protection you've ever had.  The best part is that this is a COMPLETE kit.  "Water hose not included."  This kit is NOT designed for metal surfaces, just fiberglass!

Camping “super chair” gets a new home!

Have you ever had one of those outdoor fabric chairs that you absolutely love sitting in? Well, if you have then you’ll probably relate to this story.

My wife Karen and I do a lot of camping and fishing.  Although most of our fishing is from our Sea Eagle inflatable boat, there are times when I like to fish from shore, and I don’t like sitting on the ground.

Although I’ve owned a few fabric chairs over the years, I’ve NEVER found one that actually holds up for more than a year or two, until we bought my current chair, made by Coleman, which I think is going on its third or fourth year.

So, what’s the point of this story?  Well, I’ll tell you.  My Coleman chair is in top condition and more comfortable than any I’ve ever had.  It not only has two cup holders, it even has a small cooler pocket to keep things cool. The problem is, the carrying case literally disintegrated, which made it totally unusable. Carrying this chair without a home is a task since it just wants to open and be sat in!

Since my “super chair” needed a new home, I was a little confused as to how I could just buy a carrying case, without the chair inside.  After much thought, I finally decided I’d sew a new case.  That’s right, I said “sew” a new case!

Since I’d been sewing stuff for many years already, I had very little fear about recreating a carrying case that would work well.

You might be thinking, is this guy a little strange or what?  Taking on the task of sewing a new carrying case for my favorite collapsible chair instead of just buying a new one.  It’s just what I do!  I’ve made everything from worm pouches to a robe, so sewing a new carrying case didn’t faze me one bit.

It all started with a simple drawing, based on all the measurements I’d taken to give the new case a custom look and one that would make the chair fit comfortably inside.

With plan in hand, we went to Wal-Mart’s fabric section and chose a heavy duty fabric that I thought would work.  Naturally I made sure the fabric color matched the chair.  Since the fabric bolt was 60” wide, I only bought one yard, because I knew if I laid my plan sideways, it would fit just fine.

I laid the fabric on the floor and after double checking all my measurements, I started marking out and cutting my pattern.

I was glad that I had the original carrying case as my guide, or I probably wouldn’t have undertaken this challenge.

Luckily I reused the drawstring and the shoulder strap.  Wasn’t sure our sewing machine would easily sew the strap since it was so thick, but it worked just fine.

For the bottom, I cut two round pieces of plastic tarp and glued them to the fabric with Gorilla glue to strengthen it.  Now I have a camping “super chair” that has a new home for years.

A Burrowing Owl keeps lookout for predators!

Being blessed enough to live in such a beautiful state has been a great reward for us.  Mostly due to the fact that Karen and I both love the outdoors and all that lives there,

including alligators, as well as the many other varieties of birds, mammals & fish.

We’re extremely fortunate to have a family of burrowing owls living less than 100 yards from us where the babies have just left the nest to find a home of their own.  There is also another nest a few blocks away that has four small babies that are just turning color.  At first they were little white fluffy balls of fur, but now the spotted brown color prevails.

Since we are more into nature, finding a new kind of animal is of great interest to us, so we’re always on the lookout for those creatures that cross our path.  We even buy books on the species we like including any type shells.  We even carry plastic cards in our cars to identify anything we can’t.

One such animal is the Florida Burrowing Owl.  I just can’t help myself when I see them because they are such gorgeous creatures, especially when they are babies.  Even when they are full-grown, they only reach 9” and are considered the smallest species of owls.

With most owl species the female is larger, but in this owl’s world the female is smaller.

These beautiful birds actually live underground and they dig their own homes instead of using an abandoned hole in the ground.  They literally make the dirt fly when they are busy digging in.  But it’s not uncommon for them to live in an abandoned gopher or squirrel hole when they get the opportunity.

Unlike many other nocturnal owls that like the cover of night, Burrowing Owls are diurnal.  In other words, they like the daylight!  I guess they just like sleeping in until the sun comes up before looking for breakfast!

Burrowing owls eat anything from bugs to lizards and rodents, and they even like small frogs when they can get them.  They can eat up to one half their body weight daily.

The Burrowing Owl can easily be found in the fields of Central and South Florida, but it also can be found in South America and even as far North as Canada.  Today this cute little creature is considered on the endangered species list.  They were here long before the housing boom started and fortunately they are totally protected so you can’t even move their nest if you want to build that dream home you’ve always wanted.

One really cool thing about these little beauties is that they can actually rotate their head around 180 degrees.  Can you imagine if you could rotate your head like that?  The real beauty about this is they can see anything that is trying to sneak up on them from behind.

Their breeding time is in early spring when the female will lay several eggs, which take about a month to hatch.  Normally the chicks will leave the nest around 42-45 days to go live on their own and start their own families.  Ironically this is the same time they learn to fly. Unfortunately burrowing owls only live about 9 years in the wild.

When an adult male is at its burrow and wants to attract a female owl, it will make a loud sound that sounds like “who-who.”  Then when the female arrives, they make a totally different sound to each other.  I wonder how you say I love you in owl sounds? 

There is something that threatens the burrowing owls existence and that is the agricultural use of a pesticide called carbofuran, which has already been banned in Canada.  Another threat is the plowing of fields where they live.  Developers don’t exactly build around a nest when there’s so much money at stake in making homes for us humans. 

So, if you’re near a burrowing owl’s nest, please take as many photos as you like, but whatever you do, don’t harass them or upset their daily life cycle.  After all, they were here way before we were so they have a right to the land and would speak up if they could. Please give them the space they deserve.

I suggest you get this book called: Buffy The Burrowing Owl as it will give you a much better understanding of these beautiful creatures.

Lights, Camera, ACTION!

I’m sure you already know how the market is filled with a lot of action cameras like the GoPro, and they all have their unique characteristics to give one a lot of variety to how they want to use them, not to mention all the accessories that allow the owner to do everything action related.

If you’re a skier, there’s a helmet mount for those thrilling downhill shots, or even those crash-into-something shots.  Or, you can attach them to a bicycle handle bar and record just about every trick you can do.

           They even go underwater for those beautiful fish or corals shots, or even you on a surfboard.

Our JVC camcorder was a good one and served its purpose, I decided that getting an action camera that would be waterproof would be a great idea.

           Since we do lots of camping and fishing, I wanted to shoot and post videos to YouTube, and I did with the JVC, however, it wasn’t waterproof and we knew if it got even a little water on it, then that would end its life as a recording camera.

 My research started with checking out a GoPro Hero and ended up with me ordering one. When it arrived, I charged it, installed the micro SD card and starting recording a few things in our house

Immediately, I noticed that the wide angle was a lot more than what I was looking for.  I could stand three feet from any object and see everything out to my left and right side.  Not exactly what I was looking for so I turned around and sold it on eBay!  That’s what I call perfect recycling!

During one of our weekly shopping trips, we walked into the camera department and I saw a few action cameras so I started taking notice what they did and what type of lens they had, etc.

When we arrived home, I started doing my regular research and was a bit overwhelmed with the information available.

I was more interested in the Vivitar DVR786HD, I gathered as much information I needed to start my search for one I wanted.  I found a few that I liked, but didn’t want to wait for them to be shipped.

So, during our next camping trip we wanted to do some fishing a little later, we drove up to the nearest store and bought a Vivitar DVR786HD action camera.

We drove back to our RV where I charged it and installed a micro SD card, and then I did the overall setup, which was easy. I had a great time recording little things, taking photos and just giving it a good test. 

            We did go fishing and ended up recording a large bluegill catch, which I posted to YouTube the next day.

            What I liked the most was the fact that the lens angle or field of view was more concentrated around my subject, which was the fish.  You can set 3 different quality levels so I tried them all.

            The quality is good on all the levels.  But the only thing I found I didn’t like was that the use of the zoom made the subject a little fuzzy. 

Just to sum this up, the Vivitar DVR786HD has a 12.1 megapixel with full HD 1080P @ 30fps. Waterproof up to about 10’, a 2” preview screen, 4X digital zoom and a wireless remote control, and all under $60!

            If you’re thinking of buying an action camera, put this one on your list of ones to fully check out.

            I’ve attached this recent video so you can also see the quality: https://youtu.be/jADvtjD3isA