Thread: Saltfest 1- Bloopers & more

In an effort at being discreet, I'll be discriminately disclosing some behind the scenes before, during and after the big event = remember that pull-up chair I referenced initially...you may want it for sure this time!!---
After referring to tide, solunar, fish activity, weather forecasting charting, restaurant pricing, availability, elf candidates, it was Tuesday, December 18th that was chosen for the Saltfest 1 shakedown event(incidentally also my Baltimore born, now heavenly Mom's birthday).
Different mindsets, prices, extras, availability, seasonally decorated, message callbacks etc. were considered and the restaurant nod went to Peck's Old Port Cove restaurant in Ozello. Which by the way is beautifully located within the ambiance factor of being an on the water restaurant.
Day of the event, with secrecy/surprise being surreptitiously guarded and employed the 1st meetup of elves were in the books @700 am. Slab & Skeetbum in my neck of the woods. I'll defray from technique for brevity, but let say according to script! Next on the docket, was a 30 minute jaunt to do the Anchorman/CrappieQueen checkoff=success...then on to next mystery meetup when I had to entice Vic & Eileen to accompany me into Circle K to meet up with an employee from their hometown of Scranton, PA. With a quick tin hut from Vic, Eileen reluctantly surrendered her backseat blanket comfort zone to see if it was a classmate. Well, the rest is in the books as Eileen still surprised that Slab is from Scranton...NOT!! Skeetbum Tim was @his side when the surprise was culminated.
At the rampsite??(one of a kind), the launches were flawlessly made and the day was about to progress, when my motor fuel line connector had "issues". You see the day before during my pre-scout, I smelled/noticed a dripping from fuel connector fitting(bad O-ring), fished anyway disconnecting line at each stop to avoid water contamination. Returning home I stopped by Tohatsu dealer to replace but was turned down because the last one was sold yesterday and more coming in two days= no help, but, I can sell you the whole fuel line assembly for $80 !! of to Ace hardware for a plumbing o-ring to match(probably not gasoline durable but definitely doable). Well after refitti on the connector, I thought I'd be ready for the next day, NOT. when doing the rampside snap in, I met resistance because the o ring thickness was a mm thicker. Being rubber, I wet it and used pliars to assist in the 50 lbs(+-) of pressure to get it to snap in while the elves waited = it finally snapped, no drip, I guess not except for my drippy, sweaty brow!! My boat, can't speak for Slab's, went thankfully mishap-free. I specifically advised Slab to closely follow my path. with an occasional lookback by Vic and I, I was comforted to see that he hears well. After about a 1.5 mile run, we then look back to see NOTHING/NOBODY/NADA(comprende?) Well, here we go back, a la down water skier mode, to see if they had engine trouble, skeg damage, conflict between guide/client?!! Didn't even hear them in the stone cold silence. So a half mile back around the bend, there they sit...fishing!! Skeetbum Guide Service representative Tim responds "I didn't know you meant for us to keep following you"! I said let's go boys there's fish to be caught. Off we go to further intel on tide flow/fish movement, starting point and as tide picks up how we will chase the fish. Well, as Tim and Ed soon found out within about 45 minutes or so, the curtain was about to raise and the show was about to begin. As Vic, Eileen and I made our electric motor help positioning now about 100 yards form the boys, I noticed that they had found a campsite! At the spot I instructed them from, not moving for at least an hour!! Well Tim/Slab can attest to this easily, as well as my two partners. Well, both boats(guides) seemed comfortable to separate and re meet @ ramp through cellphone communication.
Back @ the ramp, one elf, I'm obligated to confidentiality, so I defer from Spotlighting him/her, however, I think speculative hinting is permissible, married to the same netgirl for 46 years!! Sorry, I can't mentioned his hometown of Scranton, but he/her snapped my heavy duty brass winch strap hook(see pics) while "helping" to secure the boat th winch stand. Pics attached. Both boats now on land, cleaning station manned(impromptu), boat snap reconfigured(temporarily), filets now bagged, restaurant manager alerted and the rest to unfold.
To be cont'd
u2s