08.23.26 Wait'll they get a load of us...

 

     Here we go again. Loaded to the gills and heading south. Today we leave for the 11 hour drive down to Bluffton. We're gonna drive for seven hours and spend the night in Rocky Mount, North Carolina. It's just too much with the dog and two cars to drive straight through.

     There was still work to be done here in Cape May. We were able to pack up and whittle our storage units down from two to one. At times I had to shake my head because I thought I edited down just about everything, but of course I didn't, especially when it came down to my tools. I have enough stuff I'm dragging down to start either a home building or auto repair business, if I only had real skills. 

     While it's embarrassing enough to tell the tales of a Sanford & Son couple what's more embarrassing is that I've had on the same clothes for three days. The truth is were still living out of suitcases and boxes. Last night I took the time for a much needed shower and shave as I couldn't stand my own stench anymore. 

     I have been holding on to a pair of basketball sneakers that I think I purchased twenty years ago. Believe it or not I used to have a game. Back in the 1990's I played nearly everyday in a mens lunch league at the YMCA in Montclair. While we were at the pool, during our brief stint home, we met a very fit older couple. The guy told me he played in the mens pick up league at the new gym in Sun City. He asked if I played, and of course, I said I do, well did. So these kicks will be put to good use. 

     With this big life change I'll be changing my health and wellness related life. That starts September 1st. There will be a weigh in and a change in diet, along with some dreaded exercise. If I plan on spending time on a poling platform with clients I have to get into that kind of work shape. So be ready for a new me in short order. I'm attacking this like I'm trying for the Olympics, or an Iron man, or let's say a 5k, or a memorial walk. 

     Lucky for Theresa and I we have The Boat House to drop all this shit off on our way to Sun City. The Boat House started out was The Sugar Shack, then The Shrimp Shack, but there may be one last name change. That I'll announce in the next few days after I spend some time there to see if it fits. Let's just say, since I am leaning towards revisiting the guiding side of The Average Angler, the name may be more reflective of that, although not a unique and original name. 

     In the last month we've been from New Jersey to South Carolina and back with a run up to the Adirondacks. That's a lot of driving, a lot of gas, and a lot of time still shaking my head that we have pulled this all off. We're anxious to see the house because while we were away the contractors were busy installing new countertops, installing lighting, putting down new floors, and painting the place. It'll be a far cry from the big old 100 year-old house we left behind in New Jersey. To say I've felt lost without it being on my mind, every minute of every day, along with the physical work it took to maintain it, is an understatement. That house consumed us.

We're looking forward to just living. The new routine will be hitting the gym, preparing healthy food, lots of scouting and fishing, good hangs at The ^%&*$ House, some kind of work, trips to the pool and beach, lots of Happy Hours (with healthy food choices), and of course a daily nap. That all sounds like a good way to live life and we're ready. 

08.22.26 Back from the North Country and off to the Lowcountry....

     And we keep on tacking on the miles. On Friday night we got back from a five day jaunt up to the Adirondacks. Besides the joy of seeing my family waking up to 50 degree temps was a nice change. 

     My sister and her family live on Lower Saranac Lake and most mornings she and I sat on her dock as the sun rose behind us. It's funny when it comes to siblings. No matter how long the 

distance is between us and the time between hangs it's always like we were back to when we were kids again. Besides a few chilly mornings the weather was perfect. That was a far cry from the 100 

degree temps in South Carolina and the tornados in Cape May. We kept in contact with our neighbors and luckily we made it through unscathed. 

     While up there we did the full Adirondack circuit. That went from doing nothing, to boat rides on

 Lower, to visiting Lake Placid, and finally checking out the old houses in Ausbale Forks. If you've been here for 17 years then you remember the two homes I purchased, one in 2004, the other next door in 2009. 

     Ausable Forks was about to take off and I was in early enough to watch the town start to transform. Then in 2011 Hurricane Irene came and parked herself over the area and the West Branch of the Ausable found its way over the wall and into both houses. The town has yet to recover. But real estate is always a good investment and if you can hang on long enough, always worth it. 

     I did a quick search on Zillow because there is a For Sale sign on the front lawn of 3 French Village Road. I thought, "How much could they be getting for this place these days?". Even thinking wouldn't it be funny if I bought it back. Remember, I bought it in 2009 after my neighbor pulled a murder-suicide inside and it was in foreclosure with the county. So let's see the history.

     My wife and I at the time bought it in 2009 for $43,000. The floods came. And life came. And we sold it for $21,000 in 2013. At the same time we sold the house next door, for I think $6,500. Okay, please don't judge me. So let's see what's it's listing for now....

     Ouch, that hurts. But that's just what it's listing for. But if it goes anywhere near that, well never mind. Water under the bridge, after coming through the house. While there Erin and I looked for our brick at the old Town Clock park. It was part of the town's makeover back in 2004. Since then the bricks have lost their level and the clock is behind in time, kind of like the town. 

     Saranac Lake has also has changed markedly since my first visit here in 1987. It was there that I first visited Paul Smith's College and turned both my brother and sister onto. She took the bait, set up camp, and never left. So walking around town was a good time. I even got to have an adult beverage, finally, with Erin, who became of legal partaking age last month.

     But even though she's 21 she still has that kid in her and couldn't resist getting one of those squishy toys all the kids are raging about theses days. They're a cross between those sticky octopi we used to

throw at the walls when we were kids and the spinners kids with issues used to carry around with them. I remember stopping at 7-11 about 10 years ago on my way into work at the child and adolescent inpatient psych unit at Monmouth Medical. I bought a dozen for the unit. Great idea. I clocked in at 7am and by 930 they were throwing them around at each other and broke a reinforced glass window on the dining room door. So by 10 am they were in a box at the nurses station. 

     And to bring it a little towards fishing. Kids, no matter how old they are, just want to fish, and catch fish. Boy have I learned that the hard way. I pushed fly fishing on them too hard too early, and spooked them out of the sport, and fishing altogether. So it was fun to watch my big kid have fun with rod, and fish, in hand.

     On the way home as the girls slept I put on the Millhouse Podcast to ease the ride. Remarkably we went from Saranac Lake, New York to Cape May, New Jersey, with maybe a 10 minute slowdown in traffic deep on the Garden state Parkway below LBI. That was weird. Friday afternoon in the summer? 

     I happened to pick out Episode 35 with Richard Stancyzk. Like most of the people on Andy's podcast they are legends from down in the Florida Keys. Richard owns the famous Bud & Mary's Marina in Islamorada and is one of the top guides in the Keys.

     Like other podcasts I had forget if I had listened before, which I had done, but he was interesting enough to listen to it again. During that hour long show he talked about his son, Nick, who is a guide out of their marina. When I got back to Cape May I lugged in my computer and connected to the still working and strong Starlink satellite I had set up before we left.

     It was then I learned that on Thursday Nick's boat had been struck by lightning as he headed out with a charter. The boat was towed back to the marina and he was airlifted to a local trauma enter where he remains stable but in a medically induced coma. So thoughts and prayers go out to him and his family. Mother Nature is a bitch, but a wonderful and beautiful lady at the same time. 

     Today we'll be packing up both cars before the long ride back "home". It's been a month of staying in Cape May and with family and friends but now it's time to start the process of learning our new normal. We're getting a little tired of living out of suitcases and our cars and not knowing where anything is, but, it's all good. I told my sister, who is a teacher herself, that my body and mind are missing the feeling of returning to work both in the classroom and hospital. Boy, who would ever think that. 

     The above picture was taken just about a year ago when the fall semester started. It seems like an eternity ago and so much has happened in the past year. I'm looking forward to getting settled and back to work, which could be teaching, guiding, or picking up garbage around the Lowcountry. I don't care what it is I just have to do something productive, and keep the money coming into the checking account and not leaving it. But one thing is for sure, what a long strange trip this last year has been.

08.20.26 I guess I'm a creeper....

 

     The only social media platform I've ever been on, or signed up for, is Facebook. No Tik Tok, Instagram, Twitter, Pinterest, or SnapChat for me. Now I know that there's some minky-flinky stuff going on behind the curtain with Facebook, but I stay anyway. And what stuff am I talking about? Well, I find it suspicious that after I do a search on the internet, or these days have a thought, my Facebook page then gets flooded with content of similar posts from other sources. And forget it if you join a Facebook group or search for something on Facebook Marketplace. You're tagged and it seems like you can never be un-associated with that item, person, or place, for the rest of your life. 

     A recent example of my Facebook feed getting blown-up came after I did some searches on traveling to Ireland. When it was done off Facebook my emails blew up. When I went on a few Ireland Facebook travel sites and asked for some advice my feeds, including ones for United Airlines, who I searched off Facebook, blew up. And my Messenger had lots of traffic as well from tour guides, accommodations, and even strangers who had traveled to the Emerald Isle.

     So that brings me to something I was notified of a few days ago. I had been identified as the proud lead engager, or creeper, of the Southern Drawl Outfitters Facebook page. Just so you know SDO is a fishing and fly shop located down in Hilton Head. I've been there a few times over the years and even picked up a t-shirt that I sported at the years The Fly Fishing Show. (Note the crowds to the left and right of me).

     During the past week I had been following, and writing about, the Lowcountry Tarpon Open, which is run by the shop. The updates for that tournament appeared on Facebook long before they were posted on the shops website, so that's where I would check. 

     So during that week I must have been the shops biggest stalker because I was put on the top of their "Engagement List", and, told I should "Celebrate my recognition....". Now that's just scary to me, and I find it reverse stalkerish, and definitely kryptonite-like when I surf Facebook going forward. 

     Now I know that every time we fire up our computers or phones we are being tracked, and watched. And forget it when it comes to cameras out in public these days. Currently people, and towns, and cities, are fighting about the legality, and constitutionality, of Flock cameras. 

     Flock cameras, or Automated License Plate Readers (ALPR) are used to identify vehicles by their license plates, make, model, color, and even damage, but they say there's no facial recognition technology being used. And there's the cameras people install at businesses and residential apartments, condos, and single family homes, like those do it yourself Ring cameras. Hey, it's all fun and games watching someone slip and fall on the ice on three front stoop but do we need to be watched and tracked on video, by our clicks, and by our IP addresses 24/7? 

     After the big announcement to the other Southern Drawl creepers that I was the winner I stopped going on or around anything that is Southern Drawl Outfitters. Hey, it's not the guys and gals in the shop I'm sure, but just the thought that someone is watching and maybe is tracking me creeps me out a bit. 

     And that's a shame because next week Theresa and I finally go "home" back to South Carolina and I would probably have put my hands on my fly tying stuff to catch Fly Tying Night at the shop on August 25th. But can you imagine me walking in and introducing myself, "Hi, I'm Colin Archer", and then the guy I'm talking to, who's in the know, is thinking "Oh there's that stalker-Engagement Winner in the flesh". So, no thanks. 

     There's also a fly only tournament that they're running in December which I would be around for, but I won't be reporting on because I just don't want to be watched, even by machines or mathematical equations. I can imagine walking into the shop and some facial recognition security program picks me up and puts me in their database. God forbid anything nefarious should ever happen at the shop or anywhere, who would they put on their check em' out list? Colin Archer, Weekly Engagement List winner, from August 9-15th. I've seen those Law and Orders and cop shows and see how things go sideways in a hurry. No thanks, I'm good. 

08.18.26 Happy 30th birthday Ryan...

     August 18, 1996, the day Ryan was born. September 23, 2017, the day he took his own life. 21 years young but that'll be for a next months post. Today he would have been 30.

     The picture above is one of my favorites on him and I. We had purchased a home in a place called Big Bass Lake in Goldsboro, Pa. It sits about 15 miles outside of Scranton. We would take the drive to a town called Jessup and fish the Lackawanna River, back before it was on the radar as a big wild brown trout fishery. The rod he had was one I had Fran Better's build during our time up in the town of Ausable Fork's, in the Adirondacks, which is where Fran's shop was. 

     Of course Ryan loved his family and friends but there were other things that were close to his heart and mind. He loved to read. He loved math. He loved music and playing his guitar. 

     For awhile there he loved to go fishing, especially with his brother Sean and me. But I think what he love most of all was learning. He hated school, but loved to learn. He was an exceptionally deep thinker and loved to discuss philospohy, history, and the world outside of this world, which fascinated him. 

     And while I had 21 years with him, and I do miss him, one of the things I miss the most is the times I didn't have. At 30, he would have been years into his career path, most likely been in a relationship, maybe even married, and possibly even a father. Like for him, it was the unknowns that kept him intrigued and interested. And now knowing where he would have been brings me sadness when I think of him. 

     And while Ryan would have been 30, my other children are keeping my heart, mind, and time filled with what kids fill your life with. Some of it worry, lots of it love, and always pride as they thrive in their relationships, careers, and milestones. 

     They say you never stop being a parent, and that is true, no matter where they are. 

08.16.26 Learning the layout of the Lowcountry...

 

     Man there's a lot of water to fish down there....

08.15.26 Starting to learn more about fiddlers ...

 

     One of the staples of a redfishes diet in the Lowcountry are fiddler crabs. When they talk about excellent fishing on flood or king tides that's when the flats and spartina grass get filled in with water which allows redfish and other predators a better shot at finding, and then eating, fiddler crabs. 

     Fiddler crabs are burrowers and dig cylindrical holes 1-2 feet deep where they hide from predation, mate, and where eggs incubate. They say there's a difference between a hanging out safety burrow and one that's used for love and babies. They come out on the low tides and then 

retreat back to their "holes" where they plug them up so they don't drown on the flood tide, although they can breathe in and out of water. 

     Along South Carolina you can find three different species, although there's like over 100 worldwide. In the Lowcoutry there's the mud fiddler, the sand fiddler, and the red-jointed fiddler. The species are differentiated by where they like to hang out and different types of structure on their shells and claws. All that info came from the SC Department of Natural Resources website.

     The other thing I learned is that fiddler crabs are left and right handed. Unlike humans, where 90% of the pollution is right-handed, fiddler crabs are closer to 50-50%. So when I get to tying some I can go right or left, as long as the big claw is furthest away from the hook eye.

     During my very limited time fishing for redfish I've seen a ton of flies that people throw for them. They're a combination of buggy and leggy looking things while other are more of a dam near match. In addition to the tide cycle fisheries, I'm learning what species are where and when during the year, what they eat, water quality and clarity, and how water temps play into where they are.

     If it's not fiddler crabs, or other crabs, they're after then it's shrimp, and both can be mimicked with some brushes and some rubber legs. As the water cools and becomes crystal clear during the "winter" months having something that's a better representative of the natural becomes more important. And then there's colors as well, fiddler crabs have different coloration, as well as the males extra large cheliped, or claw. That claw grows 65% of the Toal size of the crab and its main function is to attract females to mate. So in the fiddler crab world, size does matter.

     In a later post I'll get to explaining about fiddler crab flies as I learn more. Crab flies to me where always more of a bonefish and permit bait then what I as fishing for which was fluke, striped bass, and bluefish. Our crab flies aren't direct imitations as the surf churns them up, usually, so it's more about the profile, size, and action that gets a fishes attention. When sight fishing, say up in the Vineyard, better imitations are needed to get the job done, similar to the gin clear waters of the Lowcountry during the winter. 

     These days they're a million of everything. Once somebody comes out with something the next month there's 1,000,000 knock-offs. I remember when Pat Cohen of SuperFly came out with synthetic crab legs and then it was followed by everyone else. 

     Before I go on I wonder what the OG's would say about todays flies, especially crab flies. They seem to be more of a lure?, well maybe not, but all of the "components", things like the claws, the eyes, the shells, the weight, would they make the purists roll over in their graves? But anyway, I liked what I found from Space Coast Flies. I could see me managing to tie up something that would work, especially with deer hair, which I have a decent amount of experience since I started tying Snake Flys over a decade ago. 

     The above fly was shown with the fiddler components and I searched but couldn't find a fly name or tier, but it's a pattern that I think I would like, and would work, just maybe in more of a grayish/brown color. 

     Most of the crab flies you see today, especially ones with a bigger and then smaller claw, are a variation of Dave Skok's Strong Arm Merkin, which revolutionized sight fishing for permit and bonefish. His "arm" is tied with chenille which doesn't used pre-stamped materials for the components. 

     And then there's always those Flexo crabs made out of that Chinese finger-lock mesh material. I've used those type of flies with good success most recently while up in Martha's Vineyard this past June. 

And speaking of, the countdown has begun until MV 2027, just 10 months away. It's time to start looking for an affordable place for next year, key word, affordable. An early check on

AirB&B shows a house for June 12-19th running about $4,000, ouch. I just put those dates in because the Full Moon is June 18th and I like Moon tides. When I put in may 31 to June 5th the price is about $1,000 less, and the New Moon is June 4th, so that easier then usual trip may be worth is money wise. 

     We're making good progress settling into Cape May and setting it up as a true home away from home, rather than just a place to go like it was in our old place. After a trip up to the ADK's this week to visit with my sister it'll be time to load up both vehicles and head south. It'll be there where I'll attempt to find all my fly fishing and tying stuff and get going. They say August and September are great months for bull reds in the Lowcountry, and I'm ready to finally do some fishing in 2026.

08.14.26 A good, but long, day in NYC...

     We're quickly approaching the 25th anniversary of 9/11/2001. For many who responded during the rescue and recovery operations the exposure to dust, smoke, and toxins, have left us dealing with 9/11 related health issues. Luckily, there has been what is now called the Mount Sinai World Trade Center Health Program. It's a program made up of two parts, the monitoring program and the treatment program. For 25 years I have been a part of both and I'm grateful that these programs exist.

     Yesterday I had a two-part visit. First was a stop for another low-dose CT scan of the chest to check on the status of the lung nodules and stuff that have been detected in both lungs. The second was an appointment with my thoracic surgeon, Dr. Raja Flores, to see if and or when he may have to get in there and do what surgeons do, which is to cut bad stuff out. 

     Theresa and I were sitting in a patient room when he opened the door with his always supportive smile. That brought both of us some relief. The plan was to go from having repeat CT scans every six months to annually. He preliminarily liked what he saw but need to wait until a radiologist reads the scan and files his report. He basically said, as he always does, "There's stuff going on there, you basically are symptom free, it could be cancer, but let's wait and see". And then he adds, "If you went to any other surgeon they'd want to cut you open (and do a wedge resection), which is what surgeons do, but if I were you, or you were my Mother, I'd just wait and continue to see". I guess that's good news, although the pending report will tell us more. And in the end I'm coming back in six months, so I'll be back in NYC in February. 

     And since I was in NYC it was a great opportunity to catch up with my daughter Juliet. It's been a bit since I checked up with this almost now 30 year-old woman. She works down in the Meatpacking District so Theresa and I had planned on driving down and picking her up to grab a bite and drive her back home to Brooklyn. We got there early, and scored a legal parking spot on the street, so we hit a Happy Hour at The Standard Grill which is part of The Standard Hotel.

     After the kind of nerve -wracking day between the 3-1/2 hour trek from Cape May to 102nd Street and Madison Avenue and the test and consultation is was time for a drink. Now you know I'm cheap, well let's say frugal, so I was expecting to empty out my wallet for a quick bite and a beer. 

     It was Happy Hour. It's bougie NYC. And we were surrounded with high end stores and office buildings many of which are headquarters for trendy businesses. So I was shocked to learn that this place, from 4-6 pm, offers $5 Budweiser's and $1 oysters. Imagine that. Two Buds and half a dozen oysters set me back $16, now that's a bargain anywhere, especially in Manhattan. 

     We had about an hour to kill before Jules got out of work and we resisted ordering more to eat so as to not ruin dinner in Brooklyn. It was the prefect stop and I would go back if I'm ever down that way again. Surprisingly the rooms at The Standard High Line Hotel run about $350 a night, which even to me sounds fair. 

     After we picked up Juliet we headed towards the Williamsburg Bridge. The end of the day traffic was starting to build as we made our way through The Bowery towards the Lower East Side. As we drove east on Delaney Street towards Essex I saw something that caught my eye. A frantic woman on her cell phone, a few people standing over something, and a man down who was less then responsive. We were in Theresa's car and I didn't have my Jr. First Aid kits that I always carry in my own truck. But I knew she carried something that might come into good use...Narcan. 

     As I pulled to the curb Theresa fished the cardboard box out of the glove compartment and gave me one of the two nasal injectors. Narcan, or naloxone, is the go-to opioid antagonist medication if someone has overdosed on an opioid. It's generally a miracle medication but these days with people using poly-substances, including fentanyl, it doesn't always work even after multiple treatments. In the ER when I was at Capital health this past spring it wasn't uncommon to have patients on Narcan drips. 

     Luckily for the guy all it took were some intermittent sternal rubs to get him breathing again. His dilated pupils told me this wasn't an opioid event, and the Narcan I had next to me would just be wasted if I gave it to him, so I just stayed and kept stimulating him to breathe. 

     It took about 5 minutes before the FDNY's Engine 9 and EMS arrived on the corner. It wasn't a big deal, and most people just kept walking, and not even looking down, without even missing a beat. And as far as getting a picture? You know me, always. The good, the bad, and the ugly. So if you're with me and you get run over by a train, make sure you have a smile on your face before you land. I find stories without images don't have the same umph, and if there was an ever a doubt as to the truth that it ever happened, well there you go. 

     It's also a bit of a public service announcement. If you can't bring yourself to stop and help directly, at least see if there's anything you can do, which at least, is to ensure someone has called 911. Many times people stand around thinking the person next to them called, while the firetruck and ambulance sits in the apparatus bay unaware. And if ever get a chance to get a dose of Narcan from a pharmacy or a health fair, grab one. It's a simple nasal spray you administer which can restore a person's breathing, which in the end could save their life, or prevent brain death from hypoxia, or a lack of oxygen. 

     After that pit stop we made our way into Williamsburg and went to a Thai return called Sage. It was a great meal with better company. If you know then you know, there's nothing better then 

sitting across from you adult children and listening to them tell you about their lives. It would be an understatement to not say how proud I am of her, and miss her as well.Brooklyn was a distance from Titusville, with Cape May even further, and Bluffton another world away, so I have to make sure I do a decent job in staying connected and in-person as much as I can. It looks like my next specialist appointment at Mt Sinai is on October 5th, with Dr. Morgenthau, a world reknown sarcoidosis expert, so maybe I'll make it a medical and personal trip with a sleep over in Brooklyn. 

We pulled into Cape May just before midnight and needless to say we were beat.