04.22.22 Shakedown of the S.S. Archer....not good

     "Just sit right back and you'll hear a tale, a tale of a fateful ship.......". I don't know if I jinxed myself or do I just have a black cloud over my head at all times....or am I just an idiot. So, this was the maiden voyage of the dinghy that I found in the woods along the Delaware about a month ago. I ordered some oars for it, found an anchor, and with Erin's lacrosse game in Red Bank I thought what a great time to

give it a go and absolutely crush the fish on the flip of the tide. Things started out great. I could launch in about 6 inches of water. Oars were great, but they needed to be adjusted, you can see that in the below picture. I thought the freeboard of about 5 inches was a little less than I hoped for, but it was flat enough and there was no boat traffic so I would be good. Rowed out aways to my first stop and 

tested the anchor...all good. A little rocky and rolly get it in but that was fine. Stood up and kept my feet as far apart as I could for stability, and that was fine for an hour. No need for a stripping basket as the line fell in front of me no problem. As the tide flipped I decided to put my feet up and take a little shut 

eye for a minute or so. I tied on the fly I tied the other night in order to present my best offering. Before I launched I filled my fly wallet with my best ties of the winter, just to be ready. I could feel the boat

every so slightly moving to my right with the incoming tide so I moved to spot #2 and set up on the anchor as the tide flooded. A bunch of casts, surf guys and boats starting to move from the west to east side of the bridge. The crabber was out checking his pots and there were a few in my vicinity, I was concerned, but not worried. Water was a little more choppy with the NE-NW wind against the tide. But I was ready. I stood up and make a bunch of casts just waiting to get tight. On a cast, with a little chop, I leaned left, the boat rail dipped, and then it went right, and I flipped. In a matter of seconds the boat was full of water, my gear, and LIFE JACKET, were floating, and there was a brief moment of terror. I had my throw away waders on, not wanting to wear my Herman Munster Simms G-3's on the boat. 

     So at first I was floating, and sinking, but after a few swims towards the beach I could just brush against the muddy bottom. I kept at it, and at it, until I had some momentum. I pulled the anchor, tried to gather all my gear inside the boat and made way. The guys on the shore, four of them, watched and kept fishing, I love that, I think. So I was maybe 500 feet out on the first hour incoming tide, it could have been worse if I was out at high tide. But I made it in, and acted like this was my plan all along. 

      But here's where it gets funny, and the photo above is proof. I am standing there out of breath, soaking wet, a boat to the brim with water, stripping basket, rod and bag floating in the boat, and, my waders blown out in each leg with 20 gallons of water. Two members of the Coast Guard are at the stairs talking to each other and one walk down. I am waiting for some kind of something. "Did someone call?" He says to me, "Hello sir, have you seen a beached boat around here". Now I did notice one up the creek when I got there and pointed him over to that. "Okay, thank you, have a good day, sir". That made me laugh. After getting everything back in my truck I emptied my waders and hit it for an hour and a half on the incoming.....not a touch, and I was frozen. Water if cold.....really cold.....below 50. 

     Now, yes I am an IDIOT. Last post I stressed how important safety is, wear your life jacket. Hears my story. Early this morning I went down into my basement to find an automatic inflatable life jacket, but all of them had "went off", all four of them. So I grabbed one my kids use, its an adult "Just to have on the boat". I didn't have it on. Shame on me. Any small boat from now on, I'll have something on. 

     On the way home I had to see if the fish God's would grant me one wish, just one fish, on the dead low tide, which is still running at over 25,000 cfs. I should have been grateful with just making it back to shore today and not losing any gear, other than that fly wallet with my best flies in it, but you know what, I had to pay something for this learning experience.