The Bobber

July 2009 Issue
Club
website
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access GBYC website
The Bobber
Soundings
by Sylvia K. Gozzard
Contents
Today would be a perfect day for me to
go fishing. It’s something that I really The Bobber
enjoy, because it looks like I’m doing Brunch Pics
something other than just enjoying Upcoming Events
recreational time. That’s a funny thing Spring Series 2 Pics
about fishing ... if you have a rod in Spring Series 3 Pics
your hand, no-one accuses you of being idle. It turns laziness into Videos & Pics
Galley
industriousness to onlookers.
Greetings
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Only a ten-foot length of wedge-shaped dock at the marina separated
our boat from my friend’s vessel. Jackie offered the use of her small
rubber dinghy the previous evening for a friendly outing. I arose
early the following morning to walk to the rustic fishing shack to
purchase enough worms for the day. Jackie wasn’t a fisher person
like me and agreed to our jaunt knowing the weather was suitable
for both relaxation and sport. Having obtained a ration of bait, my
task was ensuring the rest of my gear was adequate to meet the
challenge of catching a fish. I didn’t really know much about actually
catching them, but had read several books concerning the how of
it. No one offered to teach me the finer points and in my naiveté,
it didn’t seem necessary to ask anyone.
Would GBYC
members like
the Club to host
Pleaure Craft
Operator Card (PCOC) tests
at the clubhouse?
Over the side it went, “Kerplop.” The bobber was doing its
thingCstaying on the top of the water and I could watch its every
nuance. Mostly it didn't do much ... just floated around. After about
fifteen minutes, it made a deep dive and I began to feel a force
Next Issue: Contributions
Deadline July 26, 2009
The deadline for boaters to
have this license in their possession is Sept 15, 2009. If so,
We decided to paddle up the river to the other side of the bridge please email the Editor and
where lunch could be enjoyed before settling down to our respective pick from the following dates:
enjoyments. After refreshing ourselves, my moment arrived. Jackie Sunday, Aug 30, Sept 6, or Sept
was comfortable just to watch my machinations as I began putting 13 after the races. (Contingent
the worm on the hook and casting it over the side. Ugh ... that sure
on approval by the Canadian
was a messy job, but very necessary I’d heard to catch elusive fish.
Power & Sail Squadron.) I
I added a pretty red and white bobber to my line, because I didn’t have experience proctering
have the skill to figure out how to keep the hook off the bottom.
these tests.
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tugging at my fingertips. Next
the end the rod took a sharp
downward turn! "Jackie, I have
a fish on my line!" I exploded
with wonderment! "Reel it in!"
she eagerly exclaimed. For the
next fifteen minutes I struggled
and fought with the creature
under the water. It was very
feisty. Ever so gradually, I'd
been able to shorten the line
and now the fish was almost
within reach.
"Get the net!" I cried, in anticipation of my prize. Now how
was I going to keep hold of
the rod and also manage the
net? Oh heck I'll think about
that when it gets closer to the
dinghy. Soon it was there.
My rod was straining with its
weight. It broke the surface
...It was humongous and it
was the ugliest thing I'd ever
laid my eyes on. I'd never
been that close to a live fish
before. It had slanted bulging eyes and an enormous
mouth that appeared wellsuited to be a live vacuum
cleaner. Just above its mouth
dangled what looked like a
slimy mustache that drooped
over a protruding lower
jaw. It took the prize for the
world's most hideous colour
combination--a sickly olivegreen with a high fin in a
paler putrid lime at the top of
its body. There were flashes
of a sickly, yellowish underbelly that no sane decorator
would choose. Topping it off
was a touch of red on its tail.
Temporarily mesmerized by
its grotesque appearance, it
made a swift dive that caused
the fishing line to break. "Oh
thank you God" "You've saved
me from that demonic creature."
In its haste to depart, it stole
my bobber with no spare in my
tackle box which meant my day
of fishing was over. "That's not
all bad" I said to myself!
Catching the ‘Leviathan' had
taken quite a bit of time. It was
now almost three o'clock. The
heat of the sun and the reflection of the water had begun to
take its toil. Additionally, we
knew the trip back presented
a challenge. So we began our
departure from our gunkhole.
After paddling for thirty minutes,
we reached the shadowed water of the bridge when I spied
the glow of a red and white
object floating in the water just
ahead. "Jackie, there's my bobber!" I shouted.
Soon we were upon it. I reached
over to retrieve some of the
line that it had been attached
to and suddenly the line drew
taunt and began digging into
my hand. The sea monster
was still attached to it!
But I was determined that it
wasn't going to get to keep my
looted bobber! I held on tightly
and our little rubber dinghy
began to be towed with the sea
creature navigating the way.
We were now the catch of the
fish! "Let go!" Jackie shouted.
With a burst of adrenaline
Captain Ahab must have felt
encountering Moby Dick, and
with a great deal of luck, the
bobber was within reach. I
snatched it up and jerked
hard. It broke free in my hand
and we were released from
the jaws of the amphibian creature. My hands were
severely chaffed and cut from
the 10-pound test line and
not able to hold the paddles.
Fortunately it was only a short
distance before we were in
deeper water and were able
to hail a friendly boater to
tow us the rest of the way to
our dock. What a great tale
I'd be able to tell...the time I
caught the same fish twice
and was in turn caught by
it. I learned a lot about fishing
that afternoon.
A). There's an enormous difference between the way they
look in a box or a wrapper
from a refrigerator and what
they are really look like up
close and personal.
B) Fish are much smarter than
me. B was to be repeated
over and over in future
encounters.
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Brunch Pics
Submitted by Sylvia K. Gozzard
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Upcoming
Events
Hear Ye, Hear Ye:
Monday, June 29th, BOOM Sailing School (in progress)
Wednesday, July 1st, Canada Day Fireworks (weather permitting) 10 pm North pier
Saturday, July 4th, Pig Roast, DJ provided, Clubhouse, Dinner 6 PM
Saturday, August 1st, Fish Fry, Clubhouse
Saturday, August 8th, Grand Bend Aquafest (all day with scheduled evening events)
Social, Sail Pass--postponed to a later date because
of inclement weather, future date for the event to be
announced by Commodore Bill Morrison
Spring Series 2 Pics
Submitted by Sylvia K. Gozzard
Anne Bannister and
Brenda Tims after
starting and recording
finishing times
Light Air Finish
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Spring Series 3 Pics
Submitted by George Dutka
Another light-air race as was Spring Series #4,
the Port Franks and the GB30. Participation is
encouraging. No more
races are scheduled until
August 22nd.
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Videos & Pics
Ray Rogolino (aka Big Foot) and Kat,
thankfully, showing progress
from broken heels
GBYC June Perennial Flowers
(taken by David Bannister)
Click to view the London, ON couple who made this video on YouTube:
Canadian, Please
Silent Sound, sets sail
for the Arctic (40’ cutter
rig)
Seeking the face
climate change ...
of
Crew will sail through the
Arctic
to
document
phenomenon's toll on
northern residents
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Galley
Canada Flag Cake
(Prep
Time: 15 min., Ready In: 2 h 15 min., Serves: 12
LINE bottom of 13 x 9 inch baking pan with 1 pkg. (298g) sliced pound cake.
DISSOLVE 2 pkg. (85 g each) Jell-O Strawberry Jelly Powder in 2 cups boiling water;
add 3 cups ice cubes and stir until slightly thickened about 3 to 5 minutes. Remove
any unmelted ice cubes. Stir in 2 cups crushed or sliced strawberries. Spread over
cake slices. Chill 10 minutes.
SPREAD 2 cups of thawed Cool Whip Whipped Topping on top of jelly mixture.
Chill for two hours. Garnish with additional strawberries arranged to resemble the
Canadian Flag.
Tip: You can also quick-set the jelly with frozen fruit. Just dissolve jelly powder in 2
cups of boiling water then stir in 2 cups frozen fruit and 1 cup ice cubes.
Holiday recipe from kraftcanada.com
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Greetings
Enjoy
Summer
2009!
Grand Bend’s days of yore
I do remember many of the features of the beach and village now long gone such
as the Lakeview casino where live bands used to play, the roller skating rink and the
absence of developed dockage. Wooden boardwalks appear to be making a comeback.
It’s fun looking at vintage photographs. Not included in the above link was this picture
of the Colonial before having that
name:
Historical depictions can be very
amusing. Here’s how the residents
of Port Franks during the 1800’s
were depicted:
“the population
abounded with “bummers, slushers, dead-beats, tad poles, blokes,
and channel cat-fish.”
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