Fishing

Well, went fishing this morning for the first time in a long time. Over 20 years, actually - except a couple of belated attempts at my last apartment where I didn't toss the line just sat in a chair with a beer.

Yesterday I bought my fishing license (for the year). I also picked up a second rod & reel, a tacklebox and some more lures, anchors, bobbers, and hooks. I'm glad I did.

(No, I didn't lose my fishing rod.)

Set out this morning around 6:30, picked up some ice, beer, soda and a sandwich. Went looking for a roadside shoreline spot, but due to construction, the spot I'd intended to fish from was blocked by all kinds of mess and there was no way to get to the place to fish. So I drove around a little, and went over to the Dames Point Park, under the bridge. (Same spot I took the pictures from a month or so ago.)



Well, I climbed over some broken pilings, practiced my toss a little, and set to fishing. I figured the hook was too close to my anchor, so I moved the bobber and the weight up a bit. Next toss was good. The one after that, tho... Hook got caught on a branch or a rock under the water and I couldn't get to it to release it, so I had to break the line.

(Like I said, glad I got the additional materials.)

So I place a new weight and a new hook on my line and decide to go out a little more along the rocks and pilings. Got a big ole rip in my jeans for my effort. (An old pair, so they're replaceable. Still, I liked those old jeans. And before you ask, the rip was not small, nor was it a "let's make shorts outta these" placement.) And I still fished.

Then a few tugs were pushing a container ship and another couple of fishing boats sped past, so the waves drenched my pants legs.

Well, about 20 minutes later, my line got so snagged, casting was impossible. I guess I could've taken my pocketknife and cut the line, restrung the rod and all, but I was a little irritated at that point. I checked the other rod, but since it's new and I discovered the needlenose pliers weren't in my toolbox, I couldn't string a line on the new rod.

So....

I ended up catching no fish this morning. I did watch dozens of little crabs run along the rocks tho. The crabs are about an inch to two inches long and scurry about - I'm not sure what they eat. There were also some weird bugs that lived among them - they looked like giant silverfish but they too scurried away so quickly.



(It's blurry - the crab is the object in the center with little reddish appendages poking out.)

There were people fishing from a nearby walkway so I'm thinking next time, I will try there. I'll also try taking some photos of the crabs and the other bugs. The only decent photo I managed to take this morning (all the rest were too blurry) was of the Dames Point Bridge itself - this time a darker photo as the sun was so low while I fished.

Ah, yeah, about the beer. Found out my toolbox shifted in my trunk, broke one of the bottles. So now my trunk smells like beer.

So it was a little eventful, some mishaps and all. But, at least I got out of the house for once and not just to go buy something. I figure I'm all set for next weekend - just need to restring some line on both rods. Probably pick up some more weights and gear.

I miss fishing.

Oh, and I also made another discovery. I know why pack rats are pack rats. There's a damn good justification. I used to have a small cooler. I used to have a cooler with wheels. I used to have an ice pick. I used to have cable staples. I used to have.... See what I mean?

Reston, VA Trip

Took a trip to Reston, VA for a class on UNIX/Linux Tools and Utilities for work. Was an interesting class.

I took some photos of the Reston Town Center. It reminds me of what Jacksonville wants its downtown to be - shops and restaurants on the ground floor, apartments and businesses above.

The photos are on my flickr site under the Reston, VA Trip set. I'd post a picture but the photos are on the other computer, not this one.

Updated:

Some photos.

A statue of Hermes atop a fountain:



A street view:

Long time, no see-um

Sorry it's been a while since I last posted.

Since my last post, I've taken pictures of the Dames Point Bridge.


Seen from Dames Point Park


Been having problems with either my knee or my foot or my ankle. Bad head cold for a while. Nyssa's Y-Pipe broke and needed to be welded. Went home for Christmas. A few other things here and there.

Still find myself more of a recluse than before, however.

But I decided to take a photo trip and do something I really wanted to do, ever since I started working in St. Marys, Georgia.

St. Marys is the "second oldest city in the U.S.A.", behind only St. Augustine, Florida. It was founded by the Spanish as their northernmost outpost (of Spanish Florida) in the 1500s. However, by the time of the late 18th century, the British colonists in Carolina had driven the Spanish south of the St. Marys River - which now demarcates the border between Georgia and Florida.



It's a nice little city which reminds me of Pineville back home. So I'd often tell myself that since I worked a few miles from this historic district, that I'd make sure and take some photos of the place.

Well, I finally did so.


First Presbyterian Church, St. Marys, GA


I spent a couple of hours walking around the historic district and took a lot of photos of flowers, the historic buildings, the waterfront park, and the small marina. One day I plan on going out to Cumberland Island itself.

For more of my photos from the walkabout, just visit my Flickr site.

Orb weaver

The only decent picture I have of an orb weaver that lived on my balcony at my previous apartment. Yes, she's eating dinner.

Memories

A favourite old picture of mine from a couple of years ago.

Twerp sleeping on Cameron's shoulder while he sleeps.

He loved to sleep on people's backs or in their laps. There are times when I look at his ashes and pause, remembering, and I can't help but cry. And now they're both gone, one for good, the other to California.