While I've spent most of the first week down here looking for those elusive redfish there's other things to do. We've been spending a part of each day opening a bin or a box and trying to figure out what to do with it. While the garage looks like Sanford & Son could be shot there it's better then paying to keep it in a storage unit.
Before the incoming and his tide I went up to The Guide House for a check in and to find some simple tools to handle some things around the house. When we first arrived down here the three homes on the block were for sale and when I rolled up yesterday all had been sold and were occupied. It's a neighborhood now and I have to do my part to be a good neighbor. So I mowed the grass and hung up the American flag to give the place some color, pride, and life.
I'm sick of posting pictures like the above but that's what I'm doing. Walking and stalking looking for tailing redfish. What was interesting yesterday was there was no life on the strong and wind driven incoming tide. That was totally different from the spot I'd been hitting the previous four days. At this spot there were markedly more fiddler crabs so I thought I might have better luck.
After I baked for a bit I went back to my truck and found the below. Water was starting to fill in where I had parked. Not that it would have been swamped but it showed me how and where the water winds up on bigger tides.
Then I did what every good New Jersey beach angler does. They get in the car and try and find fish. Tailing redfish shouldn't be too hard to find, if I was in the right spot. I drove and broke out the binoculars but again couldn't find a tailer. The only thing that got me was a crab that made its way up the stalk of a grass I think to grab a snail that was perched above the water. Its carapace looked like a redfish fin for a while. It at least drew my attention and interested me for a bit.
I walked a few miles no doubt going from the super skinny, or supra tidal, zone to where the sound met the entrance to the marsh. Not a nothing. Nowhere. With high tides today around 330 if I go it would be later.
Last evening I met with the fence contractor who built the fence from scratch at The Guide House. That was two years ago. When I bought it the town let me know it was out of compliance. And now that the neighborhood is up and running I have to address before they bring the heat. So we came up with a plan, an early one, on how we are going to handle it. I could do it alone but would welcome the help from the guy who did. I told him to come up with a price, which would include me being the laborer.
I don't know what the idea of the original design was but it looks kinda wonky. Right now it sits over the property line onto the county road, and it's too high. I went over to a neighbors house, corner house upper left, who was having flat work done. He was a contractor who bought the house for family to live in. He did a beautiful job but had poured too large of a foot print of concrete, so the town made him rip it up and put pavers down. Ouch. I guess they mean business down here in the south.
I have a vision about this place which will include a new apron running from the street to the entrance to the garage. But first I have to deal with this fence which is well built,
but kinda of fortress like in appearance, and way out of the property lines. Today will be my first visit to Ridgeland Town Hall so I'll see how welcoming they are.