Been here since the 29th of January, and I have had two snow storms (second one just ended), and damn near every morning I have to break one of my ice scrappers to clean the windshields before I go to work.

On a clear day I can see the Cascades, and I pass over Dyers Inlet almost daily here. I will post some pics here shortly.  My ice scrapper is looking forward to spring, it only got used once or twice a year in San Mateo, it gets a daily workout here.  The funny part is I have a Navy Guy and his wife next door to me. He is from Guam, and his last duty station was San Diego...I don't think he knows what an Ice Scrapper is...lol

Guys and Gals, it is hard to say this, but I recently got a start date of 4 Feb 2019, to begin work in the Emergency Management Section at Puget Sound Naval Shipyard in Bremerton, WA. A lot of things led to this happening, a change in work, cost of living in the bay area, GF's apartment being sold, and a chance to go someplace I really fell in love with on a previous visit, led to this happening.  Jan and I recently went up there to scout the area out, look for a place to live. We will rent for the first 12 months or so then look for a home to buy. We will miss the NCKA family. I have met and hung out with many  of you over the years.

Some of the memories that will stick with me forever is the night Mooch and I shared a hotel room for a HOW event up at Lake Natoma. We laughed our asses off with insults, jokes and you name it. Being interviewed by the sons of one of our fellow members for one of their class projects is also a memory, and how he wanted to know what being over there was like from someone who could tell him. The shock of reading of our fellow members surviving the ordeals of terror of having their yaks munched on by the landlord will always stick with me as well. Seeing what new thing Andy and his boys created from a chunk of steel they found somewhere. The camaraderie of fish and chill, Angler of the Year award ceremony, Play it Forward Event, and HOW support have never stopped amazing me and Jan at how this small community gives back. We both feel truly blessed that we were accepted with open arms, friendship, and support. I will miss all of you, even though I haven't been as active a member as I have in the past. I know over the years I spent enough on tickets to have bought a couple of Kayaks, but I felt that giving to these events was worth more for my soul, than a new boat would ever do. I hope my efforts brought some level of comfort to those who needed it most.

One advantage of us moving north is we will now be able to afford something that will allows to have guests, and we look forward to any of you who decide to venture out our way. You have place to lay your heads, and try your luck out on the "sound."    This has been something we have never been able to do, and I feel we suffered for it, so we hope to be good hosts to those who venture our way.

I wish all of you the prosperity that NCKA brought to our lives, MOOCH Strong!

 

I sold Big Red  (aka the 2006 Hobie Quest), as well as the Necky Kyook today, delivered them a few miles down the road to the new owner who lives off of the Foster City Lagoon. After my land lord decided to no longer allow anything in the back yard, the boats had spent the last year in the back of the truck. It made it impossible to do anything with them as I also had GF's 17 foot touring Kayak, three boats for a truck with a rack for two boats kind of just made it impossible to use the truck or go anywhere, so I made the radical decision to get unload them at this time. It also gives me the chance to get a jump start on the next boat.  Big Red was part of my recovery plan when I got back from Iraq, and was always a good boat. It took me down the Brazos river, the Pacific Ocean, Russian River, Tahoe, and other places. I hope her new owner gets as much out of her as I got!

Anyone heading to Albion on the Peninsula. I got a Wok & grill grate for him for Fishmaster 1. I can meet you off 101, 280 or?

I am looking for a heavier Siwash than what Gamakatsu makes, they appear kind of flimsy to me? I switch out my treble hooks with Siwash's ?  I can never find Owner or other brands of Siwash in stock. has anyone tried using the gorilla hooks to replace trebles with? Or what do you use. I do this to help preserve the ones I plan on releasing and reduce the chance of accidentally hooking myself.

Sad to say the new models coming out are getting fatter, few look sleek, and most won't need Wheel Eez, they will need forklifts to get them on off your roof racks. Many look they were made for one body of water, perfectly flat water.  Your thoughts brother paddlers?

Some of you old time been on the water forever may know every trick in the book for reentry. This video covers the classics and two techniques I haven't seen before.  I hope you uses this as a good refresher, or as a something for the new guy and gals to learn.