Damn Yankee Spearfishing Tour III

[DetectorGuy]

Last night I couldn't sleep or at least until 1:00 AM. I kept trying to count sheep jumping over the fence, but every time I got to number eight or nine, the sheep turned into sharks coming over the coral head to steal my fish. ;D As I was laying there I ran scenarios through my head: What if the viz is this, or the current is that. What if I have a monster gag and a monster amber jack in the same kill box? What if I hook into a fast swimmer? What if I need to lift bag my groceries to the surface to keep them from the tax man? What if the tax man is eating my groceries at the surface when I get there? Lots of things run through my head when I cant sleep. I think I got it bad, and there is only one cure... perforating some fish. What do they call this "ism" I have? Blood lust? Adventure deprivation? Adrenalin deficiency? Empty freezer-itus? Itchy trigger finger?

I have never drove to Florida before, but Nate and Art have a few times. We will take turns driving between the 3 of us (probably in 8 hour shifts or something like that). Its roughly 1,500 miles each way with 960 foot difference in elevation from here to there (plus another 130' drop to the bottom of the Middle Grounds, but that doesn't count). Technically the mileage should be better on the way down. If we drive 64 MPH and get 18 miles to the gallon, it will take 167 gallons for the round trip, at average $3.85 per gallon, it will cost $642 for fuel, divided by 3 divers will be $214 each = Priceless!

Nate mentioned that there are different bag limits for the larger commercial charter versus the same length but leaner "go-fast boat". We will probably take the go-fast boat out for two "day trips" if the weather is inclement when we get there, and take the bigger boat out after that, for the 10 hour trip out, two days on the boat diving and fishing, then the 10 hour boat ride back. If the weather looks like it will be better when we get there than later in the week, we will reverse these plans. If the weather looks bad throughout the whole time we will throw the dice at the wall and let the chips fall where they may. We don't leave for another 6 days and a wake up but in my mind... I'm already gone