Week ending 1/25/10

Saints win NFC Championship! For the first time ever, and after a 43 year excruciating wait our Saints are off to the Super Bowl. As many of you know both Captain Whit and Captain Den were both born in New Orleans. We attended every home game in the Dome when they were little guys usually with brown paper bags on our heads to hide our identity as avid Saints fans.If you haven't lived in the "Big Easy" you just can't imagine what it like to be a Saints fan, inadvertent whistles and all. Anyway the entire family had one heck of a celebration last night with even Whit's old coon hound "Cooper" howling to beat the band ..When the Saints come marching in.. Archie's son Payton better buckle his helmet on the 7th.. See you in Miami.....

We enjoyed a fun Maine outdoor winter weekend. My lifelong friend Terry Shortelle (CT) came up for his first trip to Maine after retiring from his families business after 40 years. Always a true friend and a very kind guy,Terry brought little McCarey a full downhill ski outfit that his daughter had outgrown. Ski's, boots, poles, helmet, goggles, snow pants and jacket. Like every other sport he takes to McCarey took right off like the champ that he is. Pictured "left" all suited with his dog Fisher. Saturday, we spent the day at Powder House Hill in So Berwick. A super little beginners slope not five miles from the house, they have a real nice rope tow with 150 skiers maximum, and no lift line. Once he mastered the rope tow "second try", McCarey made quite a few friends and over 70 runs down the slope.We had a wonderful time enjoying the great snow conditions.

On Sunday morning, Captain Whit called and invited us ice fishing with his friends at Kennebuck Pond. It was my first time on the ice since we pulled "India" out of the water on Jan 15th. The fishing was very slow but the weather was beautiful. Looking at the horizon when your on a lake ice fishing in Maine is like your on another planet, another experience you can't really put into words.. If you haven't done it, please call and come up, the boys and I will be glad take you. Pictured on the right is 7 year old "Hunter" He ran head over heels to the only flag of the day and landed this nice 14 inch small mouth bass. Spring's coming, it's not getting dark till at least 5:23.... Best Satch

Week ending 1/02/10

Happy New Year! Wishing all our good friends and guests good health and the hope of easier financial times for those in need this coming spring. We spent a few days over Christmas break with my grandson McCarey's Jamaican Grandma. Ms Patsy, I believe she summed it up best. "We are praying to God for continued good health and the strength to support our families in the coming new year." Here in Maine we are very blessed to have such a good life, clean water, great schools, caring friends and neighbors, a couple of strong seaworthy boats, our own farm and plenty of wood for a warm family hearth. It's my hope that we will continue working together over the next few years to make it easier for those who have so much less.

On Thursday, we officially ended or 2009 season aboard the "India Marie". On the last day of the year, Captain Whit, little Dennis and I hauled in the rest of Whits lobster gear back to Wells harbor. Pictured below are Whit and Den seated a top a fully loaded "India Marie". In her role as commercial lobster boat she is superb, able to haul at least 40 traps to and from the fishing grounds in heated comfort. " For the Captain in the wheel house at least". We enjoyed a very good fall lobstering, but all good things always come to an end and with the oncoming cold weather and heavy snow it was time to call it a season. I believe we timed it almost perfectly getting our gear in before this very large winter storm hit this weekend.


At noon time, I rode down to the harbor and tied additional storm lines on "Indi". The forecast is for northeast winds with gusts to 40 knots tonight and tomorrow morning.On the ride home I passed Captain Whit (pictured above) he was out helping his brother Den make a first pass on his ambitious snowplow route. Both boys will be busy plowing for a few days cleaning up this big mess.

I've already made arrangements w/ Captain Scott Worthing to have "India" hauled out at his Webhannet River boat yard early next week. Then little Dennis and I can begin working on our list of winter maintenance items. Whit and little Den spent a few days over the holiday insulating his new maintenance workshop. This will give Ms. Jeanette, Frank, and the rest of the gang a nice warm, well-lighted place to hang out make jigs and rebuild our fishing gear. Now that the seasons over, I'm already looking forward to a nice relaxing day ice fishing with my boys before I get immersed in submitting our guests trophy lists and my annual season newsletter.

Anyway Happy New Year and sincere thanks for another successful season..Satchie