A young boy experiences his very first deep-sea fishing adventure with his father on their brand-new center console boat. But his giddy excitement turns to sheer panic when dangerous elements intrude on their lively, memory-making excursion…
Laddie could barely sleep that night. His mind was full of visions of the open ocean under a bright sunny sky. He could hear his parents talking softly in the next room and just knew that they were discussing tomorrow’s schedule. A game plan he knew very well by now. It would be the first day he put all of his preparation into practice. He and his father had spent the entire morning and afternoon getting ready for their deep-sea fishing trip with a couple of friends.
This would be Laddie’s first time this far away from home, though oddly enough he had traveled all over the southeast and up to the northeast, too. At least, that’s the way it felt. After all, the Gulf of Mexico is a really big place – over 617,800 square miles. Previously, he’d traveled with his mom and dad to Georgia, South Carolina, North Carolina, Tennessee, Virginia, Texas, and way up to New York. But, this felt bigger, a whole lot bigger, because it was a different world.
Tomorrow, they would take their new boat out further than they ever had gone before in their old one – way out of sight of the shoreline to a spot called the Florida Middle Grounds. Prior to this, the furthest offshore they ever went was still in sight of the beach, just a couple hundred yards from land – never out into the middle of the gulf.
As he lay in bed restless, he went over the new routine, thinking about all the work they had put in throughout the day to get ready. They checked all their equipment, along with the weather and marine forecast. He and his father also turned every valve, flipped every switch, and went over the entire vessel with a fine-tooth comb. His dad had explained many times before that safety was the utmost concern and that being prepared was his number one priority.
Now, their very first adventure was only seven hours away. At 5 am, their alarms would go off, and they’d be at the boat ramp within an hour. But first, a good breakfast, though not too hearty. After all, it would be a long way out, more than four hours, and the real possibility of getting seasick remained. So, just enough, a light fare. Plus, a small lunch was ready to go later in the day. Besides, big meals weren’t a worrisome part of the agenda – it was deep sea fishing. But, nothing could really prepare him or his dad for what would unfold.
September was coming to a close and both the tropics and the west coast of Africa remained uncharacteristically quiet. Usually, at least a few tropical systems had spun up by now. This year was demonstrably different, with very little activity, save for a brief, fast-moving but strong tropical storm that whizzed its way across the peninsula a couple of weeks ago. However, nothing was on the radar and the local forecast called for a mix of sun and clouds with a light chop.
Just before five in the morning, Laddie awakened before his alarm went off, hearing his dad stirring in the hallway while his mom let their dog out. He rubbed his eyes, turned off the alarm seconds prior to it sounding, leaped out of bed, quickly changed out of his sleep clothes into his new fishing outfit, then washed his face and brushed his teeth.
“Laddie? Is that you? Are you up?”
“Yeah, dad, it’s me!”
“Okay, go ahead and finish up and let’s have some breakfast. Mom has a little fruit, bagels and cream cheese, bacon, and cold glasses of milk waiting at the table for us.”
“Sounds good! Do you want me to turn on the TV, dad?”
“That’s what I was about to do – go right on and let’s see the latest forecast.”
While the family enjoyed their breakfast, they watched the weather report. It didn’t bring anything new, pretty much just a reprise of the previous forecasts from the day before. Again, a mix of sun and clouds, an ever-so-slight chance of rain, a light chop, and nothing bubbling up in the tropics or off the African cape. Good news indeed for their fishing excursion.
Right after breakfast, Laddie and his dad gave their new boat and equipment a final once over. They inspected their maps, depth finder, fish finder, off-shore radio, satellite phone, first aid kit, life vests, fishing poles, bait, live well aerators, bilge pump, and everything else. It all checked out just fine and with that, they hugged mom, gave her a kiss, and waved goodbye, jumping into their truck, with their new trailered boat in tow.
“Now, Laderrick, before we get to the boat ramp, I want to go over a few things with you – very important things.”
Laddie immediately knew how serious his dad was – using his formal first name meant what followed required undivided attention. So, he listened carefully, repeating the key points: always be aware of our surroundings, keep a close eye on the horizon – especially the sky – stay on course when steaming out and returning back to shore, and pay attention to where people are standing on the vessel before each cast.
All of this was for everyone’s safety. Other boaters may not obey the rules of the water, the weather is always a potential factor, the compass doesn’t lie, and don’t hook someone else onboard when casting a pole. It was good, sound advice and he took the instructions to heart. After all, these weren’t merely suggestions – they were rules to follow and warnings to heed. Any divergence or disobedience could easily result in disaster, maybe even a senseless tragedy.
“Now, Laddie, what do you say we get her in the water?”
“Yeah! I can’t wait to try out the helm!”
“Not so fast there, Laderrick! You haven’t even gotten your sea legs seaworthy yet!” His dad joked, chucking heartily at his own quip. “All right, hop on board and take the wheel while I back it down the ramp!”
“Okay, dad!”
The boat smoothly slipped off the trailer, and Laddie’s father hurriedly got out of the truck, ran to the ramp, grabbed the port lines, and tied them to the cleats on the dock, securing the vessel alongside the walkway. Once he parked the truck and trailer, his dad returned to the new boat and hopped on board, firing up the twin outboards. It was at that moment their guests showed up, carrying an oversized cooler, filled with ice, drinks, and snacks.
“Hey fellas! How ya doin’ this morning?”
“Great, how ‘bout you, Harold?”
“Oh, just fine, thanks!”
“Hey Laddie! Are you ready for your first trip out to the Middle Grounds?”
“Hi Walt, I sure am!”
“He definitely looks like he’s dressed for the occasion!”
“Yes indeed, Beau!”
Walt and Beau were old family friends, Harold and his wife Julie had known the two for over twenty years. Walt was an experienced seaman, who spent eight years in the navy and Beau had plenty of time on the water, being an amateur bass angler who aspired to someday turn pro.
Harold himself had racked up countless hours in and on the water. In high school, he was a competitive swimmer. During college, he paid his own way by working on a fishing charter. After graduation, he started his own company and spent a lot of his free time surfing, water skiing, and scuba diving. Now, as a successful entrepreneur, his reward to himself and his family was a new boat.
Although he and his wife had owned a boat before, it was significantly smaller – a 23-foot bowrider. This ran 37 feet long, with a 30-inch draft, dual 300-horsepower outboards, 250-gallon fuel capacity, and all the bells and whistles. It was a perfect craft for both day and overnight trips and a great vessel to take all the way out to the Middle Grounds – 460+ square miles of natural reefs approximately eighty miles west-northwest off the west coast of central Florida.
There, nearly two dozen species of stony corals, over one hundred species of algae, around forty sponges, and about 170 species of fish live and swim in 18 to 70 fathoms or 108 to 420 feet of water – making it an ideal destination for eager deep-sea anglers who want to snag the ultimate catch. And, it’s precisely where their four-person party was headed.
They’d leave out of John’s Pass – a waterway created in 1848 when a hurricane struck the area, separating the barrier island on the coast and ostensibly named for John Levique, a French peasant boy, forced to take up a life of piracy, according to legend. Once clear of the pass, they’d point their compass toward 2-7-0, due west, and steam for approximately four-plus hours to reach the shelf of the Middle Grounds. There, they’d enjoy a fishing bonanza for a few hours, then turn around to 0-9-0, due east.
“Okay Laddie, let’s push up the throttle and see what this baby’s got!”
Slowly but steadily, Laddie increased the throttle and in mere moments, the party was cruising at just over forty knots, slicing through the water, bouncing off the roll of the waves. It was a very mild chop so the new craft handled really well – easy enough for the teenage boy to stand at the helm without being tossed up and down.
The trip out was largely uneventful, the adults telling each other various sea stories while Laddie kept the compass steady at 2-7-0, slowing down to cruise at a little over 30 knots, a practical compromise to get them out to their destination comfortably without burning fuel unnecessarily.
On the way, they spotted a few big ships and even a Melon-headed whale, a rare sight indeed. By 10 am, they were nearing their destination and a gentle breeze flowed from east to west, providing a refreshing atmosphere under the mix of clouds and sun.
Then, just a little while later, they’d reach their pre-determined coordinates – a spot Harold had a lot of good luck with several times before when he went out on charters or with friends who had bigger watercraft. Within the next half hour, they were right where they wanted to be – floating over the Florida Middle Grounds.
“All right, everyone, time to do some serious fishin’!”
Harold’s enthusiasm was shared by the rest of his party. Walt and Beau got busy baiting hooks and testing lines while Laddie scanned the horizon in every direction. This far out into the gulf, there was no sight of land, making it easy to get turned around. Meanwhile, his father checked the instruments and took some time to walk around the vessel.
The next three hours yielded a cornucopia of fish: cobia, red grouper, vermillion snapper, amberjack, Mahi, yellowtail snapper, and tuna. The catches kept coming and coming, with very little effort. In fact, none of it required any skill, something absolutely necessary when fishing for bass in freshwater or snook in the shoreline mangroves. This was pure procedure – bait the hook, cast the line, wait a few moments, then snag a fish and pull it in.
Walt and Beau even tried their luck with a shark pole, hoping to catch a decent-sized tiger shark that made a couple of passes, but it wasn’t interested and swam off. Although Harold did manage to hook a small lemon shark, but he ultimately cut it loose and let it go. However, that wasn’t the most exciting part of the day. That came with the presence of a big bull shark, circling and stealing anything they tried to pull in.
With the live well nearly full and other sharks beginning to take advantage of quick and easy meals, they decided to move to another spot, just a short jaunt away, a little further out into the gulf over a deep ridge well below the surface. There, they might just run into some Wahoo and/or kingfish to top the day off.
But, right after firing up the twin outboards and heading toward their next destination, the wind began to shift. Instead of blowing directly from east to west, it gradually changed, and gray clouds appeared in the distance. Still, the guys weren’t too concerned. After all, the weather report forecasted a clear day and no red sky appeared early that morning. So, they continued on their way and were able to reel in a few super-sized catches.
“Hey Harold, we’re runnin’ out of room in the live well. We can toss some of the smaller ones back and hook a few more of the big ones. What do ya think about that?”
“It’s all the same to me, Walt. How ‘bout you Beau? You want to throw a few smaller ones back into the drink and see if we can catch a couple more super-sized ones?”
“Yeah, let’s go for it! Why not?”
“Okay, then Laddie, take us out just a little farther and we’ll be over the deepest spot of the ridge. We’ll find some really big fish there!”
Laddie took the helm, and navigated a short distance, west-northwest, putting them just over eighty miles from shore. Now, their sail back in would take at least four and a half to five hours. Still, they had more than enough fuel and plenty of daylight left – it was worthwhile to get all they could out of the trip.
“Stop right here, Laddie. Walt, Beau, bait up those two poles over there and we’ll pull in some good-sized gamefish! Maybe we’ll get lucky and catch something so big, it’s got to be stuffed and mounted…I know the perfect spot in my house for that kind of trophy!”
“Whoa, whoa, there Harold! I’m gonna be the one who lands the biggest catch today! I’ve got the best setup and perfect, irresistible bait. Those big boys down there are going to strike my line first!”
The men continued their playful banter, each hooking some big fish. But, their joking was suddenly interrupted when they heard a loud crack of thunder off in the distance. Before they knew it, heat lightning exploded over the same area, and the wind picked up, now coming directly from west to east. A strong thunderstorm was brewing and headed for them in short order.
“Laderrick! Laderrick! Get on the helm and fire up the engines! Walt, Beau, put the fishin’ gear away, and let’s hightail it back to shore! We’ve got to turn around and outrun that storm or we’ll get soaked!”
“Dad! Dad! The port side outboard! It’s not turning over!”
“What!?”
“The engine on the left – it won’t start!”
Harold quickly stepped to the helm and tried to start the port side engine, but it didn’t respond. “Laddie, go ahead and cut the starboard engine. Walt, Beau, I’ve got a toolbox in stowage – right over there, by the transom. Would you pull it out?”
The men worked hastily to diagnose the problem but just couldn’t pinpoint it. They thought the cause could be a bad spark plug or something with the starter or wiring. Whatever it was, they didn’t have the time to hone in on the problem. The storm was forming fast and headed right toward them.
“All right, guys, we’re in for a rough ride back. Laddie, start the starboard engine, put the compass on 0-9-0, and let’s head back in. If we’re able, we’ll stay ahead of the worst of it! Now, let’s get underway, there’s not a moment to spare!”
Laderrick immediately fired up their remaining engine, turned the vessel around, and headed due east. But, the storm continued to form, looking more menacing by the minute. His dad counted down from thirty, hearing the thunder roar before he got to ten. It was getting closer and closer. Making their situation worse, the waves picked up, slowing their retreat.
With only one engine and the gulf churning wildly, the best they could do is about 17 to 18 knots. And, the storm was moving in their direction at an accelerated clip. It would only be a matter of time before they were under a torrential downpour, exposed to the lightning that repeatedly struck right behind them and was coming closer.
“Dad! Dad! The waves, they’re getting bigger!”
“We’ll have to cut right through them, Laddie, so put your life jacket on now! We can’t be zigzagging all over the place – the shortest distance from one point to another is a straight line! Hey, Walt, Beau, could you guys make sure the bilge pump is workin’ right? Last thing we need is to have to bail this thing out!”
Their situation quickly went from disconcerting to dire. The storm engulfed the entire area all around them, moving fast from west to east, bringing gusts up to thirty miles an hour, unleashing pelting rain that stung their skin, as the sky quickly turned to a foreboding heavy gray and kept getting darker – looking more like the dead of night than day.
If they were going to stay out of danger, they needed to get out of the storm as fast as possible. But, their slowed pace wasn’t sufficient and the extra weight they now carried hindered their escape even more. It soon became obvious they could not make it to safety without making some tough decisions.
“Walt, Beau, we need to empty the live wells. All the fish, all the bait, and any other extra weight, we’ve got to get rid of it to lighten our load. Hopefully, by jettisoning all that, we’ll be able to pick up our pace and outrun this storm before we drown!”
The men got right to work, emptying the live wells, throwing all the fish they caught that day right over the side. But, when they went to empty the live wells of water, the heavy rain and strong sea swells kept filling the spaces right up again, leaving them with no choice but to try to siphon the water out – something no one was eager to do. Still, it was their only remaining option.
“Laddie, keep the compass on 0-9-0, and don’t push the engine too hard. We’ll still be under the storm for a little while longer, but we’ll eventually outpace this downpour and get away from all that lightning!”
“Harold! We’re havin’ a lot of trouble emptying the water out of the live wells – there’s just too much rain and we’re rockin’ back and forth way too much. We may have to batten down the hatches and hope for the best!”
Though Walt and Beau tried a number of times to drain the live wells, they weren’t successful in their first attempts. Eventually, the siphon worked and the two men were able to drain them. Now, their load was considerably lighter and they could increase their speed a little more, helping them get out of the storm in a shorter time.
But then, the storm rapidly intensified, greatly swelling the waves and redirecting the current, pushing the boat towards the north, making it much more difficult for them to keep their craft on course. They corrected course, but only moments later, the storm pushed the boat farther to the north again, and the vessel suddenly began to pitch and roll at alarming degrees, leaving them in real danger of capsizing.
Now, the craft flailed, barely keeping afloat, and increasingly veered off course. Further and further to the north-northwest, away from shore. Laddie tried his best to keep the compass pointed due east but the current was too strong and with just a single engine on such a large boat, it was an ongoing fight – a fight that could be easily lost at any given moment. Realizing the seriousness of the situation, Harold took over the helm. But, even his experience and skill could still fall short, putting them in more danger.
“We need to get that other outboard up and running! We can’t get out of the storm and to shore without that extra power. I’m going to call the Coasties – we’ve got to tell them we’re in trouble and give them our position!”
Walt and Beau immediately got to work, trying to pinpoint the problem to try to fix it. But, the gushing waves and heavy rain made it very hard to find the source of the failure. Laddie assisted, handing them tools and doing everything he could to help them get the engine running again. Several tense moments passed, with Harold looking back often as he could, attempting to reach the Coast Guard on the radio, while still trying to steer the boat due east on just one engine.
The storm continued to rage, tossing the boat around and soaking the deck to the point water started to fill the inside. Now, they were in even more trouble, the craft could sink if it continued to take on water.
“Laderrick! Cinch up your life jacket! I can’t reach the Coasties, too much interference from the storm. Get ready to abandon ship! It’s only a matter of time!”
“Harold! Harold! Try the port side engine now – I think we’ve got it!”
“All right!”
Harold anxiously hit the start button, which spit out a few clicks, and then went silent. He tried it again and they could hear a low rumble for a brief moment but again, it went silent. So, he waited ten long, agonizing seconds, counting down with his fingers, then pushed the starter once more. The engine responded with a zippy roar and they all cheered. Still, their party wasn’t totally out of danger. The rain relentlessly poured down, the waves continued to pound the hull, and the lightning struck all around the boat.
“Laddie! Take the helm! Walt, Beau, let’s turn the bilge pump on high and bail out as much water as we can! Now that we’ve got both engines running again, we should be able to get away from the storm.”
The three men got busy bailing the water out of the boat while the rain continued to fall and fill the inside and the waves crashed over the hull. And just when it seemed they were making headway, another threat emerged.
“Dad! Dad! What’s that off the starboard side in the distance?”
“Oh for cryin’ out loud! It’s a waterspout and it looks like it’s comin’ right at us! Laderrick set the compass on 1-2-0, we’ll go east-southeast and hopefully dodge it. There’s no way this craft can withstand that!”
“All right dad, here we go – I’m setting our course to 1-2-0!”
The waterspout grew nigh, spinning furiously around menacingly as they tried to navigate around it while still attempting to get out of the thunderstorm and escape the approaching lightning.
“Laddie! Laddie! Keep your eye on the compass and I’ll watch the waterspout and tell you where to steer the boat!”
Harold hurriedly made his way back to the stern, while Walt and Beau continued to bail the standing water out of the boat. Each person aboard worked furiously to do his part to get their party and vessel back to safety, even as the water tornado gained strength and speed all the while. Now, it bore down on the boat, just over two football fields away and closing.
“Laddie! Throttle up! We’ve got to go faster! Bear harder to the left! Bear harder to the left!”
“To the left! Got it!”
Harold continued to coordinate with his son, instructing him to steer in one direction, then another, while trying to keep a general course toward land. “Laderrick, tack back to the right, back to the right! And give it a little more power!”
Laddie obeyed, steering the boat to avoid the wrath of the waterspout, which suddenly took a turn in a perpendicular direction, speeding away from their craft before turning yet again toward their boat. Now, it was running almost parallel to them but still sidewinding on a very possible collision course with the vessel.
“Laddie, full throttle! Full throttle! We have to stay away from it! Don’t let up! Let’s put some more distance between us and that thing!”
Their strategy really started to pay off. As the boy steered to elude the waterspout and kept a loose course toward shore, the distance grew greater and greater. And, they were near clearing the thunderstorm as well. Walt and Beau slowed their flood bailing as the boat incrementally escaped the danger. Finally, they were back on course, headed 0-9-0.
“Hey Laddie! How much fuel we got left?”
“We’re good. We’ve got more than enough to make it back home.”
“Great! Let’s just stay due east for now and we’ll be back before you know it!”
Everyone breathed a sigh of relief. They were out of the storm and the waterspout was well behind them. Although, they weren’t bringing anything back, having jettisoned all their catches and bait. So, they took a break and cast a net for more bait fish while refilling one of the live wells. Soon, they were fishing again, catching a few decent-sized amberjack and mackerel.
Then, they continued back toward shore, with Laddie driving at the helm. As they approached land, a pod of bottle-nosed dolphins swam near the boat. Harold threw some bait fish out to the playful creatures, who happily gobbled up the tasty snacks, prompting them to follow alongside the now speeding boat. They accompanied the vessel for over ten minutes, before breaking off, then disappearing below the surface.
Even though they threw back their biggest catches and got caught in a huge storm, it was the most exciting day on the water Laddie had ever experienced. A genuine true life adventure he would share for many years to come and memories he cherished for the rest of his life. Every chance they got, he and his dad returned to the Middle Grounds, although, none of their subsequent trips were nearly as thrilling.
