Testimonials
July 20, 2009
THANK YOU SO VERY MUCH for the FANTASTIC TRIP with you and Jim yesterday! We ALL enjoyed ourselves thoroughly and I'm sure we will be talking about the trip for a long long time!
The orientation you gave us as we were leaving the marina was so informative, but yet light and fun. We felt so welcome and you both encouraged us and made us feel good - even though we didn't really know what we were doing. Do you do that for every charter? I mean, do you put the lines out and bait the hooks and stuff for everybody that goes out with you? Dean said on the charters he's been on in the past, "you are on your own" and on some of the trips he's been on, he never caught anything at all - but it wasn't your charter either.
I will never EVER forget you getting off the boat and giving us 52 push ups! It's obvious that you work out and don't have an ounce of fat on your body, but that was pretty impressive! Kim has a great picture of you doing your push ups!
We all want to go out with you again ... and we'll pay! Now that I know I won't get sick, I'd like to do an all-day trip to the gulf stream. I'm "hooked" on fishing now!
OH and the best part was cooking our catch last night ... the fish was absolutely DELICIOUS! Jim was right, a little salt, pepper, and Lawrey's Seaoning is all it needed. YUMMMM!
THANK YOU AGAIN for a wonderful day on the water and for the ROYAL TREATMENT we received. You will get LOTS AND LOTS of referrals from us, I assure you!
Whenever someone asks me what they can do here that's FUN, you'll be at the TOP of my list!
Kathy
P. S. I hope your wife realizes what a "great catch" she has in you. You truly are one of a kind, Captain Wally!
A DAY ABOARD THE SEAWOLF WITH CAPT. WALLY
July 22, 2009
Recently, I was invited to go out on a fishing charter with one of our member companies. I was a little apprehensive, as I have never been fishing out on the ocean, but I was quickly put at ease and I believe everyone on the boat had a great experience.
After waiting a while for suitable weather on an open date, we eventually headed off to the Port Royal Village Marina and Capt. Wally’s boat, the Sea Wolf. We arrived at the marina, a bit bleary eyed but ready for adventure, just as the sun rose over Lady’s Island. Soon we were all aboard with our gear stowed in the cabin.
While we were underway heading down the Beaufort River to Port Royal Sound, the captain briefed us about the safety features of the boat and safety procedures that need to be followed while we were underway and while we were fishing. The wisdom of several of the procedures was demonstrated after we landed a few fish.
The sun burned off the high overcast and left just a few wispy cirrus clouds in the azure sky. The ride down Port Royal Sound to the Atlantic was a little bumpy but we were making swift progress and the two-foot swell wasn’t an impediment to our passage towards the Atlantic. Once we were out on the ocean and had arrived at our fishing spot, the surface of the water seemed to smooth out like fabric floating on top of a table. As we trolled around our fishing spot, it was easy to move about the boat; there was almost no pitch or roll.
The captain and the mate soon had lines out and it wasn’t long before we had fish landed and on ice. We were catching Spanish mackerel, and before the morning was over, we had accumulated quite a catch. There was plenty of fish for everyone to share.
Unfortunately, barracuda like Spanish mackerel, too, and we lost a few to those silvery fish with many big teeth. Some of the most exciting moments were when members of our party landed a couple of the barracudas. The fish were more than three feet long. I wasn’t one of the lucky ones who pulled the fish in, so I’m not sure what they weighed, but they certainly seemed to put up a good fight. I just made sure I stayed out of the way of those teeth. I had seen what they did to the mackerel and that was enough of a warning for me!
After a successful morning at the rod and reel, we headed back to port. On the way we spotted a loggerhead sea turtle in the open ocean. Presumably it was feeding on the jellyfish we saw from time to time over the side of the boat. I missed it, but others on board saw a ray flip up out of the water. The ride back to the dock was smoother but equally speedy as the ride out in the morning. We were all pleasantly tired from our day of sun and sea.
I leaned over the railing on the dock and saw a variety of fish swimming around the marina, greenies, pipefish and even a couple of cow-nosed rays. Nearby, the mate efficiently cleaned and helped us divide the catch. We each bid good-bye to Capt. Wally and the mate, and headed home with fresh fish for dinner, eager to try our hand at deep sea fishing again.
I thought you might enjoy seeing the post before it goes live. I’ve attached the photos I’m including in the post, too. Let me know if your first mate has any reservations about me posting the photo where he is standing beside Dean Winnings and the barracuda.
Thanks again for your kind invitation. I really enjoyed the trip!
Best regards,
Debbie
