TYBEE BEACHCOMBER | AUG 2019 37
only a sheet of plywood to muffle the engine under full load. So talking could
accurately be described as ‘hollering.’
Finally, it was time to retrieve that first net full. Roy generally retrieved the
small net 4-6 times before retrieving the big 40 foot net. The contents of the
small net bore no good news at any time during the entire day.
Then it was… retrieve small net every 30 minutes… retrieve both nets
every couple hours... then repeat.
We did not catch many shrimp on this day and that disappointed Roy of
course, but having been a Midwesterner all my life, I was excited just to be
out on the ‘big water.’ I enjoyed the contents of every net full. Roy didn’t
care for any. On a good day, he would catch 300-400lbs. of shrimp. We
caught 40lbs. Counting the blue crab, a couple flounders and a few whiting,
he hadn’t even covered expenses. Roy wasn’t happy. But for me, it was
fantastic! Spider, horseshoe, blue crab, flat fish, round fish, slithery, prickly,
flippin’, crawlin’ things, of all shapes and colors!
Around 3:30pm Roy told Steve, “When we finish this pass, we’re heading
in.”
Then Roy recalled one more adventure, and began to talk/holler. BUT I’ll
never know how that tale ended. He was mid-sentence… “When I had my
big shrimp boat on the gulf…” and suddenly yelled, “PULL IN THE NETS
RIGHT NOW … BOTH NETS … GET ‘EM IN NOW!!” I had to remind myself
of the affection between Captain Roy and First Mate Steve! It seemed to be
the First Mate’s fault that all those unwanted fish were in the net. Actually,
Captain didn’t say it was Steve’s fault… only that he blamed him!
Roy had seen birds start diving repeatedly into the water right in our path.
He knew immediately there was a large school of fish. Instantly both nets
were full of fish about 4” long and 2” wide. 500-600lbs. of worthless fish
mixed in the net with 1/2 of today’s shrimp! Serious sorting had to be done.
Steve got the nets retrieved, emptied onto the deck, and stowed for
traveling. Roy spent the trip back to the marina talking to himself in the same
fashion he had previously spoken to Steve. That’s when I suspected it wasn’t
actually Steve’s fault.
With the boat docked, Roy had an urgent errand to run. That left Steve and
me to do the sorting (mostly Steve). There were a couple of 1 foot square
openings in the back corner of the boat. But with 600 pounds of fish to
dispose of, scoop and shovel over the side was more efficient.
Hundreds of seagulls were everywhere hovering and squawking, but
first in line was a ‘herd’ of pelicans. A cacophony of wings and beaks and
squawks were heard as they clamored to be first. After establishing there
was plenty, they grew slightly quieter.
Occasionally the pelicans would turn their head sideways and reach thru
the boat opening and serve themselves. The biggest ate first… then the
smaller ones. Then the big ones had seconds. Shortly the pelicans had all
they could hold and they just sort of drifted off pecking half-heartedly at
what floated down Lazaretto Creek.
Next were the dolphins. The dolphins went after the fish much like hogs
at trough. Bumping, nudging, crowding, on top of each other, etc. Even with
their big snouts, they occasionally, did a little ‘self-serve’ from the boat!
Finally the swarm of sea gulls descended and cleaned up the remaining
jibbles and bits that eluded the pelicans and dolphins.
After two or three trips to carry our catch up to the fish store, I was ready
to ‘git fer tha house.’ Captain Roy was not back yet, so I felt bad about not
having the opportunity to thank him properly, and promised myself that I
would return to the marina in the ensuing days, until I caught up with him.
I usually feel a little sadness when an adventure is over. But somehow …
the sadness didn’t come. We hadn’t caught enough shrimp to make it worth
the Captain’s trouble. The day had been chilly, windy, and rainy. After we got
the sorting done and delivered the goods to the store, I was pretty much wet
clear through. My legs and back were both tired from being on the pitching
boat all day. And somehow or another, as I was driving back to town, I was
as happy as a ‘pig in slop.’ IT WAS A VERY GOOD DAY!
Captain Roy’s friendly nature and generosity blessed me with an utterly
spectacular adventure, which I still relate to today, 13 years later. I was
terribly saddened when we arrived in December 2018, went out to get
shrimp, and learned that Royce had passed in July.