Entry for July 15, 2006 NO MORE OCEAN FOR ME!!!!!!

On a vaction trip to visit my uncle and aunt in Jacksonville, Fla. years ago Uncle JB took me on my first and last deep sea fishing adventure. We got up early on the morning of our planned fishing trip. After our coffee and cereal we were off to to the dock and boarded our boat. The boat was a 50 footer with 50 people on board. One poor old lady started throwing up walking up the ramp. This should have gave me a hint of things to come. The day started out perfect, weather was great and not a cloud in the blue sky. Dolphins followed our boat as we went 17 miles our to our fishing spot. I caught a strange fish on the way out.It looked like a frying pan with sharp teeth. Once the captain anchored over a great fishing school the fun began. We were catching redsnapper sometimes two at a time. Out of nowhere a storm came up and the boat began to list back and forth, the waves were crashing over the boat railings. I had two life jackets on as I didn't know how to swim, I went down below as I was now very sea sick. I threw up rice krispers all day long and I had only eaten one bowl. We tried to talk the captain into going back to the dock but he replied this aint nothing and you have paid for a all day trip. Man that was the saddest news I had ever heard. Two people stayed out and fished the entire time the storm lasted, Uncle JB was one of them. Finally late that evening the captain pulled up anchor and headed back to the dock. Trouble was just beginning, the durn motor caught fire and we are still about 12 miles from shore. I had been praying to get off the ocean during the storm. Now I'm praying harder, LORD if you will get me off this ocean I will never get on it again. A call goes out and a sister boat comes to our aid and pull us back to the dock. The only person sicker than me is the poor old lady that started throwing up getting on the boat, she never got to wet a line. Uncle JB and I arrive back at his house about 4 in the morning. I had planned on going back to Tennessee that day but I'm to sick to drive so we stay an extra two days. I'm sad to say that JB died about five years later with cancer but until his death he always laugh about my fishing trip.