chris whitney
Active member
I traveled about 700 miles this week to return to the salt marshes of Atlantic county New Jersey. I loaded the truck, boat, decoys and guns and headed across the PA turnpike. Traveled through a major ice storm last saturday that taught me many lessons in patience!
I arrived to the ramp and found it windy and cold. It was blowing about 15 out of the north and the temps were in the twenties. I backed the box into the water and gave the cord on the old evinrude a pull...Pow, started right up and peeing water! Pushed off and motored out to the "Point"...a place I had last visited 11 years ago, under similar circumstances.
What a peaceful ride! Got out there to find a pretty low tide with bout 20 yards of exposed mud. I went ahead and set my blocks and pulled the box up as far as I could. I figured i woukd just move the boat as the tide came in.
Starting to get the boat arranged I see why I made this trip to this particular spot. A ornate brown urn that holds the remains of my ever faithful friend...scout. I made a promise to myself to take him to be in the spot where I had laid his brother to rest in 2005.
The day started good...but apparently I was shooting blanks as I had a mallard and a black dead to rights and they both left unharmed! A flock of brant decoyed and same result! I was shooting black cloud and I started to wonder if the beretta didnt like them? I had a bunch of winchester supremes and that changed how the ducks left the spread! I had a pair of buffleheads come in and I cleanly took the drake!
All in all a slow, but steady day and I finished with four bufflehead and a hooded merganzer. Not quite a fitting bag for a lifelong friends send off...but, he would have been happy with the retrieves!
Brigantines Dig Em Out Scout 4/16/2004 - 12/09/16
I arrived to the ramp and found it windy and cold. It was blowing about 15 out of the north and the temps were in the twenties. I backed the box into the water and gave the cord on the old evinrude a pull...Pow, started right up and peeing water! Pushed off and motored out to the "Point"...a place I had last visited 11 years ago, under similar circumstances.
What a peaceful ride! Got out there to find a pretty low tide with bout 20 yards of exposed mud. I went ahead and set my blocks and pulled the box up as far as I could. I figured i woukd just move the boat as the tide came in.
Starting to get the boat arranged I see why I made this trip to this particular spot. A ornate brown urn that holds the remains of my ever faithful friend...scout. I made a promise to myself to take him to be in the spot where I had laid his brother to rest in 2005.
The day started good...but apparently I was shooting blanks as I had a mallard and a black dead to rights and they both left unharmed! A flock of brant decoyed and same result! I was shooting black cloud and I started to wonder if the beretta didnt like them? I had a bunch of winchester supremes and that changed how the ducks left the spread! I had a pair of buffleheads come in and I cleanly took the drake!
All in all a slow, but steady day and I finished with four bufflehead and a hooded merganzer. Not quite a fitting bag for a lifelong friends send off...but, he would have been happy with the retrieves!
Brigantines Dig Em Out Scout 4/16/2004 - 12/09/16
