Good day out

PeterPalmieri · Post by **PeterPalmieri** » Jul 15th, '20, 05:48

On Sunday headed out with my wife, the boys and my parents. Planned on doing some fluke fishing but it was blowing.

Crossing the bay I passed a big sea ray bouncing around, he decided to follow my wake to not get beat up, came within 100’ of my transom before I pinned it and got away from him. When we got to the 5 mph zone another 45’ sea ray type boat decided he was going to stay on plane to pass me on the port side before we slowed down. He finds himself along side me with oncoming boat traffic and forces me to drop into neutral so he can cut me off.

As we get to the draw bridge most boats are not doing 5 mph and choose to be on all sides of the channel, it is just chaos. Before the end of the 5 mph zone boats want to stay on plane until the last minute or take off early throwing wakes all over. We finally get out into open water and the kids wanted to swim first as it was super hot. Run over to the FI lighthouse dodging more crazies, only to get pulled over by the CG. Thankfully it was just our friend Captbone saying hi, good to see him. Although I’ve spent so much money being over prepared a safety check wasn’t a worry and the kids loved seeing the CG boat.

Dropped the anchor and swam for hours. Watched the chaos in the channel. Boats drift fishing with boats motoring right through the middle. Wanted no part of the drift fishing. Ocassio ally a boat or jet ski decided the better option than the channel was to pass between my anchored boat and the shoreline 100 yards away, what a joy.

In a heavy current I couldn’t get the anchor up so my wife got on the bridge and got a quick lesson on how to bump the boat in and out of gear. It was a struggle should have just taken out the anchor ball but I got my excercise.

Heading back to the narrow part of the state channel a little boat running down the middle pins me between him and the buoy along with a shallow bar. Screamed at him and blew the horn. He just waved, cleared the buoy by less then 10 feet. Again as I get to the draw bridge boats seem to purposely be on the wrong side of the buoys. Boats passing me doing 8-10 mph throwing wakes in the no wake zone.

Decide when the 5mph zone ends we will run west to the next cut to avoid the open bay traffic and have the wind at out back. As the channel gets narrow and has a bend a 50’ post comes motoring right down the center at me and makes a wide turn I have move off to get out of his way. As I come ove his wake I can see the shallow water and land hard aground. I get out of the boat in knee deep water and thankfully it’s only 50’ or so before the water drops below waist level.

In 25kt winds I force and hold the bow of the boat into the direction of the channel while my wife who is all of 120lbs soaking wet pushes from the transom. Tons of boats pass they all look but nobody slows down or stops to help. We used the wake they throw to inch the boat forward and eventually hop in like two kids stealing a car and take off.

Careful run back to make sure nothing is vibrating or leaking, all is good rinse off the boat and go home and have a nice bbq with the parents. In this crazy socially distanced time where everyone wants to get out on the water we just call that a good day on the water no harm no foul.

Going to go back to going out at first light and either stay out until dark or head back by noon. Make a B line for the ocean and take the long way home to avoid traffic.

CamB25 · Post by **CamB25** » Jul 15th, '20, 06:00

Reminds me of Caddy Shack!

Carl · Post by **Carl** » Jul 15th, '20, 06:34

I love people...I just don't want to be around them.

Peter- It sounds like you had an attack of the Weekend Warriors. I'd offer some advice...but I have non aside from what your doing...stay away from them.
Although they tend to make an effort to find you.

...as bad as it was it still beats working!

Dug · Post by **Dug** » Jul 15th, '20, 07:28

Crazy! I am glad all are ok, including the boat! Wow she's had a heck of a year! Maybe time to get a big set of air horns!!!

pschauss · Post by **pschauss** » Jul 15th, '20, 12:40

Wow. That makes the weekend traffic in the Connetquot River seem like nothing.

Amberjack · Post by **Amberjack** » Jul 15th, '20, 13:02

Peter that is real knife between the teeth boating. What waterway was that?

Charlie J · Post by **Charlie J** » Jul 15th, '20, 14:16

glad it all turned out ok for you pete
yep dont miss running thous waters over there
a lot of skinny water

mike ohlstein · Post by **mike ohlstein** » Jul 15th, '20, 16:00

Work weekends. Boat during the week.

Tommy · Post by **Tommy** » Jul 15th, '20, 16:52

What Mike O said!

I feel your pain, Pete, as we deal with the same crazy operators down here in NC. Entering Beaufort Inlet the marine traffic bottlenecks at the NC Port Turning Basin No-Wake Zone, and the crazies bunch up and totally disregard the rules of the road. Yes, the quarantine situation has increased marine traffic dramatically; and boat sales are off the charts down this way.

PeterPalmieri · Post by **PeterPalmieri** » Jul 15th, '20, 18:08

I’m on the great South Bay in Babylon. I have to run through the state boat channel a few miles to get out towards Fire Island inlet. It’s usually not this crazy and our general opinion is to stay off the water on Sunday afternoons or head directly for the ocean or a secluded spot. Now that I’m not a kid and my youngest is 7 and my parents are in their 80s I tend to be super cautious. Goes to show you no amount of caution can keep you away from idiots.

Carl · Post by **Carl** » Jul 16th, '20, 06:17

The first time I went to Fire Island for the week we left bright and early Saturday morning. A great ride till I got inside Fire Island inlet...then try to navigate the channel with everyone fishing the channel, boats zipping around. From there out to the bay was a bit uncomfortable knowing there is slim water.

After that, we packed boat on Sunday to leave early Monday morning...we lost the weekend there, but found out its nicer during the week when your the only patrons in the whole place. Well maybe not the only ones...but at times it sure seemed like it.

We have our spots like that too...up the Shrewsbury and Navasink River in Jersey are a ton of marina's with lots of Dock and Dines, places to anchor, water ski, yacht clubs, howdy boating, lots of money there too in Rumson area so huge boats, yachts all on a skinny river channel...
It's a place to avoid early in the year, on real nice weekends after a lousy couple of weeks of weather.

Charlie J · Post by **Charlie J** » Jul 17th, '20, 05:12

carl when i had the 33 egg
i use to go over with the kids on a sunday by the time i got there everyone was leaving
and would stay till monday or tues big difference

Carl · Post by **Carl** » Jul 17th, '20, 10:11

Charlie- I could use a couple of days waking up there right about now.

PeterPalmieri · Post by **PeterPalmieri** » Jul 18th, '20, 05:28

We are on vacation the last week of July. Planning on doing a weekday trip to sailors Haven and Sunken Forest. A lot of times we will do an early drive over to the beaches on a weekend and come home before 11am but given the nowhere to go environment and 50% capacity that’s not enjoyable, traffic is crazy.

Hoping to make a B line for the ocean Sunday morning and doing our best at socially distancing ourselves. If not we will drop the hook in shallows and do some clamming. Fishing on the inside I don’t think is an option it will likely be like hanging out in time square.

In college I started sleeping in my truck on the beach as I’d much rather wake up to fish sunrise with nobody around. I soon learned that you were rarely alone in the good spots especially when you worked during the week. Got a boat so I can get further away and catch some fish in peace. Maybe the next step is a cabin in the woods and back to trout fishing.

Carl · Post by **Carl** » Jul 20th, '20, 06:09

I went fishing with my daughter yesterday, think maybe we saw 5 boats the whole morning. Well that's not quite true...coming in we had a parade of boats heading to the Trump rally on the Hudson River.

...and then Saturday was the big Fluke tournament, guys came back with very few sizable fish after a long day in the heat, I think a 4.9lb took it. While a nice fish, for the guys that were fishing its nothing. Bay fishing from what I hear is dead at the moment...but that's a usual thing this time of year when the heat cranks. It was just odd to be anyplace in the bay and see huge schools of bunker anywhere and everywhere.

The one fish we caught was so small I think the bait attacked the fluke...it still beats working on the boat...or working in general.

Yannis · Post by **Yannis** » Jul 20th, '20, 08:10

Carl,

Your last phrase, and its last part more precisely, just sums it all up!

Carl · Post by **Carl** » Jul 20th, '20, 09:01

Yannis wrote:Carl,

Your last phrase, and its last part more precisely, just sums it all up!

Your 100% right Yannis!

I told my daughter I looked forward to this for the past two years.

Light breeze, calm and sunny, boat ran well, put a couple lines out and called it fishing.

Yannis · Post by **Yannis** » Jul 20th, '20, 13:46

Carl,

I love your engine boxes’ upholstery!!!

I’m sure your beautiful little lady has already known that you’ve been looking forward to this...Im sure the dog knew that already too!

Carl · Post by **Carl** » Jul 20th, '20, 14:53

Yannis wrote:Carl,

I love your engine boxes’ upholstery!!!

I’m sure your beautiful little lady has already known that you’ve been looking forward to this...I'm sure the dog knew that already too!

Ah yes, modestly understated on the "upholstery".

The dog was wondering what he got himself into.
He hates the heat and it was day two of a heatwave.
He also hates the water...

He found shade and settled in ok though

Charlie J · Post by **Charlie J** » Jul 20th, '20, 15:15

looks like romma sholes

Carl · Post by **Carl** » Jul 20th, '20, 19:19

Charlie J wrote:looks like romma sholes

Charlie- more local to me, Princess bay, that is the bug light. Bow of boat is only a mile or two offshore, stern is pointing to Union Beach/ highlands.

Romer Schoal would have been another great place for larger fish in Ambrose Channel...but the the 2 oz sinkers grow to 5-6 oz and the spinning rods get put away. Already heard fishing was lousy so I go for more with light tackle.

Charlie, Romer Shoals was a good ride for you...but one of my favorite fishing spot. A bit north between Rohmer Shoals and West Bank light house is the swash channel...love picking up Bass is that area....a bit of work between 3 channels, but fun.

PeterPalmieri · Post by **PeterPalmieri** » Jul 21st, '20, 06:03

Made a b line for the ocean Sunday morning. About 9am traffic was light, the inlet was a bit churned up and we headed out into the ocean with few boats found a good spot and the boys released a couple dozen short fluke in a couple hours, a couple blues and some sea robins. Worked a couple of bunker pods with no success. Dropped the hook inside for lunch and were back at the barn by 2pm. Deep breathing, took it slow home and tried to stay as far as possible from the loons. It’s like they were giving away jet skis in the spring. Heading across the bay in a narrow channel back into the bay, Babylon cut, with flats on either side. 6 jet skis crossing the channel, at current speeds I’m going to crush them like bowling pins. Lay on the horn until they realize they can either stop or die. I also do the right thing and come off plane as I pass a sailboat in the channel and give him a wide berth, larger center console at 40+ mph passes between us, closer to the sailboat, tossing them. All in all uneventful.

PeterPalmieri · Post by **PeterPalmieri** » Jul 21st, '20, 06:11

Also first trip to west marine this weekend, pretty nice store by me no complaints. I’m thankful their is a store a mile or 2 from the house. Inventory completely empty, not a single kayak paddle board in the store. Usually a stock of hundreds of life jackets, 8 or 10 left on the rack. They seemed to have most essentials but a weird scene and sign of the times.

pschauss · Post by **pschauss** » Jul 21st, '20, 07:40

My favorite jet ski story:

I went down to the Timberpoint West Marina on a foggy morning to check my sailboat. Fog was so thick that I could barely see past the end of the jetty. Two guys on a jet ski came up the canal from the bay and asked me how to get to Captree.

I asked them if they had a compass. “No.”
“Ok." I said, "Go out to the end of the jetty and take right and go until you get to the bridge. Then take a left and follow the bridge.”

I hope they had enough gas. They were a LONG way from Captree.

Carl · Post by **Carl** » Jul 21st, '20, 09:20

I don't have any Jet Ski stories....

except for the one way back when Jet Skis were Jet Skis and you had to stand up on them.

Fall off

and get back on

and fall off...

Climbing back on I accidentally pulled the throttle while trying to pull myself up the back...shot my bathing suit right off.

Tony Meola · Post by **Tony Meola** » Jul 21st, '20, 21:24

Carl

Nice Pic. The dog looks like he has had it with you. LOL

All the loonies are out. No one slows down, trying to go under the bridges a no wake zone and the idiots coming the other way pushing a large wake. Ugh! The Jet ski are crazy. On Saturday we ran the boat from Forked River up to the Point Pleasant canal. Black jet ski's with riders wearing black bathing suites and black life jackets. When they are in the right position with a chop on the bay they just disappear from site. Trying to watch for them, crab pots and other crazy boaters, makes for a trying ride.

It is hard to find a used boat. They are being bought up as soon as they hit the market. I had to stop into the local marine supply on Saturday morning. Guy asks the owners son, if he knew of any boats for sale. The kid says starts laughing, telling him there are none. He told the guy he just had a customer tell him he was buying a 20 foot used Parker that he found online. But the boat is in California and he is having it shipped to New Jersey. Crazy, usually 20 foot Parkers are a dime a dozen around here.

Now the question is, with all these sold boats, how many of these people even have a clue how to run them.

It is going to be a long couple of years before this all shakes out.

Mark · Post by **Mark** » Jul 22nd, '20, 22:28

Carl wrote:I don't have any Jet Ski stories....

We knew you would have a story. LOL

PeterPalmieri wrote:.... 6 jet skis crossing the channel, at current speeds I’m going to crush them like bowling pins. Lay on the horn until they realize they can either stop or die. I also do the right thing and come off plane as I pass a sailboat in the channel and give him a wide berth, larger center console at 40+ mph passes between us, closer to the sailboat, tossing them. All in all uneventful.

Not a jet ski story but the other night coming back from fishing and just before I make my turn to starboard from the main channel in Manasquan River just before Hoffman’s Marina to head towards the Glimmerglass, a guy on a paddle board decides to cut across my bow. Now I was going slow but I did have to back completely off the throttles. He didn’t seem to care.

Carl wrote:....
Light breeze, calm and sunny, boat ran well, put a couple lines out and called it fishing.

You have earned many such days. Just brings a peace about you when you can finally sit back on a calm day with family!

PeterPalmieri · Post by **PeterPalmieri** » Aug 2nd, '20, 08:46

Good news is we got out during the week had everything to ourselves it was awesome.

Since I started this thread someone has been killed in a boating accident every weekend, locally. Drove to the beach yesterday morning and you could see the insanity.

I really don’t feel safe taking a midday trip on the weekend at this point.

Carl · Post by **Carl** » Aug 2nd, '20, 20:45

Had the same week off...

One morning I aligned the port motor, snugged all the clamps...
Next morning I did the other side..

Saw two hoses on each motor that needed replacing before I got to doing them all.

Then I was ready to head over to Rockaway point for some swimming with the family...that was till I heard A Bull Shark was sighted off Coney Island Beach. Which is just over there from where we swim...sooo we went to a nice place to anchor up and swim. Well kinda...Atlantic Highlands. Ran over( longest ride so far) anchor up, jump in and do my bottom inspection which goes quickly as bottom is clean. I get out and my daughter says hey dad, look a fin. Ha ha ha...joke was on me as there was a fin about 8' off the side of the boat. Needless to say nobody else went in the water...well I did, but I was hot. On the way home they spotted the fin again a few hundred yards away.
Next day a couple buds come over and ask my if I was letting Doreen out in the kayak..she was going to take the day earlier and was just sitting in it on dock. Anyway they wanted me to know we have a 5' shark roaming around our harbor. So I guess that means no paddle board for the kids either...

Good news is I can go sharking in my slip.

I did go out Friday night and drowned some dead spearing. Great quiet night...flat light breeze and got a few fish....all sharks except the sea robin. All small little guys but kept the evening interesting.

I skipped going out yesterday...no need to hang with the weekend cruisers, today's ride was a bit sporty, nobody out, maybe for good reason, it was nasty. Although my wife and daughter thought it was nice out enjoying their ride from the cockpit.

Interesting year...

Tony Meola · Post by **Tony Meola** » Aug 2nd, '20, 23:24

Unfortunately every Yahoo who can afford it bought a boat this year. On Saturday I had some Yahoo in with an aft cabin came clise to pinning in a bad s pot under the mathis bridge. As I started under the bridge heading south, he is heading north and decides it is one way and tries to pass another boat. I had to slam the boat in reverse to stop so he could get by. The Boast US tow boat behind me had to do the same so he did not hit my transom. Luckily no one was close to him.

This is just going to be a long summer with these clowns.

PeterPalmieri · Post by **PeterPalmieri** » Aug 3rd, '20, 19:23

Good news Carl. Can’t wait to maybe get a ride next season. We went swimming at the ocean beaches all week and over the weekend. Sharks don’t bother me.

Tony so many stories like that, it’s not going to end well. Wish I could be a fly on the wall when all these new boaters get their winter storage bill.

Tony Meola · Post by **Tony Meola** » Aug 3rd, '20, 20:39

Peter

I bet that if these Governors finally open things up, you will see a surplus of used boats for sale next year.

Carl · Post by **Carl** » Aug 4th, '20, 08:20

PeterPalmieri wrote:Good news Carl. Can’t wait to maybe get a ride next season.

Yes sir!
Soon as I get the kinks out and finish up some of the needed upkeeps like re-enforcing the interior hatch supports and...
Finish maintenance on motors so I can put back my helm chairs.
I am happy to be where I am at this time...but work needs to be done before inviting guests.
LOL - - boy, does work need to be done.

I work on boat till family comes down, when they arrive I open every draw and hatch shoving tools and parts where ever they fit so we can go out.
Then after it is try to figure out where I put the stuff.
Luckily with each project my pile(S) of stuff dwindle, boxes get emptied, tools no longer needed get taken away.
Hatches and covers get put back...

PeterPalmieri wrote:We went swimming at the ocean beaches all week and over the weekend. Sharks don’t bother me.

For the most part I agree with you Peter. Rockaway has seen its share of Threshers, Great Whites and Makos are not too far from there...but a Bull Shark does give me an uneasy feeling. They have the reputation of tasting before bumping. Knowing one was seen at a beach on the other side of the channel is a bit too close. If water was clear I'd go in. At Rockaway the incoming is clear Ocean water, the outgoing is warm Jamacia Bay brownish water...with family and my wifes friends kid who's staying with us...I was leary, my wife who usually could care less was the one who first voiced her opinion. Atlantic Highlands has the two rivers running out, clarity is never great. If I can't see too good, neither can the sharks...oh and did I mention the Raritan Bay is loaded with pods of bunker. One or two of those pods were right around us too. Swimming with bait just can't be a good idea. I'll also heed the warnings about swimming at dusk and dawn.

[quote="PeterPalmieri"Tony so many stories like that, it’s not going to end well. Wish I could be a fly on the wall when all these new boaters get their winter storage bill.[/quote]

Winter storage bill, boat repair bill, cost to bottom paint and the list goes on.

My neighbor from home just bought his 1st boat two weeks ago...he's already had to install a new outdrive prop and knocked an anchor chock from another boat. That repair is going to be a rude awakening.
I asked if he wanted some help practicing, if he did I could go down to his marina with him "but he's got it now".

PeterPalmieri · Post by **PeterPalmieri** » Aug 4th, '20, 12:21

Carl I have a really hard time believing it’s a bull shark. Maybe the same bull shark that swam from Long Beach to Jones beach and then East to Tobay Some how that same fish was seen off Coney Island.

There are plenty of sharks out there and like most on this board I’ve caught my fair share. A thresher is easily identifiable if it jumps out of the water. Other sharks like a blue or mako aren’t always easily identified when you have a perspective above the water on a boat with him attached to a line that’s 100 yards from the boat.

But some genius spotted a bull shark swimming in the surf from the beach, the local politicians then believe its likely the same fish swimming up and down the beach.

I call BS had my two boys boogie boarding on the outer bar at Gilgo this past weekend.

Tony Meola · Post by **Tony Meola** » Aug 4th, '20, 21:09

Peter

Bull Sharks do visit our waters during the summer. How many, that is a good question. Probably not enough to really worry about. There are too many other sharks out there that would get you before a Bull Shark. Several years ago people claim there was one seen swimming around Barnegat Bay. I have been on that bay since I was a kid. I have never heard of a shark seen or caught in the Bay. Are they there, probably, but the dam bay is so shallow I don't see them going very far past the light house area. Could one, sure but should you worry about it, only if lighting has struck you more than once.

PeterPalmieri · Post by **PeterPalmieri** » Aug 5th, '20, 06:17

Tony about 10 years ago when I had my flats boat I chased around a thresher in about 4 feet of water for an hour. I have no doubt they are out there. Just highly doubt some clown on the beach could identify a species of shark

DanielM · Post by **DanielM** » Aug 5th, '20, 08:09

Tony I don’t know how shallow is too shallow for a shark but we have had one come into a cut we were wade fishing in Matagorda bay that was probably only about 12” deep. The top of his back was out of the water and my buddy was pretty sure his belly was close to dragging. He didn’t stay long, he was chasing the same redfish our group were after. My fishing buddy and I were out wade fishing with our wives. Got the ladies’ attention.

We have them in our bays pretty frequently down here in Texas. I’m convinced they don’t eat us because we taste bad, as there are quite a few of them. I don’t worry about it too much but I still avoid them if I see them, but our bays are pretty muddy. Most of the incidents down here are probably just a mistake on the part of the shark. Hitting someone by accident. We don’t have many occurrences given how many people are on the beach and the bays. Stingrays are more the worry.

I’ve had friends lose fish off of their stringer to them while wade fishing. That would freak me out, I haven’t had that happen though. My buddies would say it’s because I don’t catch enough fish….and they’d be right.

Carl · Post by **Carl** » Aug 5th, '20, 08:43

PeterPalmieri wrote: I have no doubt they are out there. Just highly doubt some clown on the beach could identify a species of shark

Peter- Your 100% right on that point!

Look up Coney Island "Shark Sightings" videos and you'll find clips of 2' Dogfish swimming around.

I do take the media frenzy with a grain of salt.

But it was one of those days...

First, my rides are getting longer, but I am still in shakedown mode. This would have been a longer ride across Ambrose Channell, one of the busiest ship channels around. Then get across and its Breezy Point which can be snotty with currents ripping, not really an issue anymore...but it used to be growing up and with my first boats. Going home in the afternoon breeze it was often wind against current making tall standing waves.
My Depth Finder crapped out...ran around trying to buy a replacement, limited choice for a NOW purchase had me getting a Simrad Cruise unit...but not compatible with my through Hull, shooting thru the hull wasn't working too well. So getting close to the beach wasn't going to happen for me.

So I had some apprehensions...the new plays up the shark sightings, bites, fatality, guy who caught the Bull shark, then hearing about Sharks a 10-minute ride from where I intended to go...and know its a long long swim to shore from where I would feel comfortable anchoring. Add to that the enormous amount of bait we have swimming around my area...so when my wife who advocates Rockaway as the most besterest Beach around said she was leary, I said I had enough strikes working against me and I was up for a safe trip across the Raritan Bay to the Highlands. I know the waters so no sounder required, it's a quiet place away from the crazies and never heard of a shark sighting in that area.
Sometimes I just don't have it in me to push a point. This was one of those times.

As to Sharks not being in shallow water...Jaws was based on the 1916 shark attacks on the Jersy shore which concluded in the Matawan Creek, which is in the back of the Raritan Bay....and also has a nice Dock and Dine with live band. Well the food is usually lousy..but the rest is good. The creek is a very shallow area supposedly a 9' shark made it was up...some say it was a Bull, others say it was a Great White. In either case a Great White was caught in the Raritan Bay at 325 or 375 lbs with human remains.

It is their ocean, they are definitely out there and I rarely give it much thought. I have seen them around Rockaway point when I skin dive there, nothing big...but I did hear the theme music from Jaws playing in my head. While I do not usually pay any mind to them I do leave the water as the sun goes down, I leave the water when bait comes in (I do worry about bluefish chasing the bait and coming through) I make sure if spearfishing the fish are quickly removed from the water. I have little concern of sharks wanting to eat or taste me...but mistakes do happen.

...or maybe so many tail tales made me a bit chicken.

Tony Meola · Post by **Tony Meola** » Aug 5th, '20, 21:04

I am not saying it isn't possible for the Shark to be in shallow water, just that they have to have something attract them in and usually if they want food, they would do better on the outside. Head 18 miles south where Little Egg and Beach Haven inlet are, and it is connected to Barnegat Bay, you will commonly catch 4 foot Brown sharks, but the bay down that way is much deeper open water, with better flow and I would say selection of food.

In the world of the Ocean anything is possible.

DanielM · Post by **DanielM** » Aug 5th, '20, 23:28

Yep Tony, you’re right. It’s all about where their food is. I’m a diver and have spent a fair amount of time in the water over the years, I get a little uncomfortable when there is a lot of bait present, or a bleeding red snapper on the end of my spear. Other than that, not too much.

Peter glad you are getting some time on the water after the troubles you had with the boat.

Same for you Carl, glad to see you guys enjoying the fruits of your labor.

I hope to join you shortly. I’m about ½ way through this latest house remodel, hopefully we’ll have some time to get the bay boat on the water later this month.