2nd annual Turkey Fry at Venice

[simbrooks]

I can't wait to be able to put on gear and hop in the water again this spring..

Sure, i am sure another malady is going to come up to mysteriously "prevent" you from diving for another season - i think you dont like getting wet!! This of course coming from the stoopid third of the old, crippled and stoopid combo.

 

[bdrannik]

It was great to meet some of the regulars again, along with some new faces. The food was quite excellent.. (Better than my Thanksgiving meal, but we'll keep that one a secret)

The vis. was the worst I'd seen it at Venice.. Taildragger and I were cruising along about 2 feet apart, both gripping the flag line.. All of a sudden there was a tug on the flag line - he'd done a face plant into a crab trap that neither one of us saw..

A great day overall.. I was introduced to the recent transplant from Minnesota, and we got started talkin' Minnesotin, don't ya' know. "Dat waters' mighty cold der, eh? Ya, darn tootin' it is.."

Thanks all for the eats & treats - and thanks to Taildragger for some thermal protection he loaned me.. Would have been chilly in my trunks and t-shirt... Till next time..

 

[Wildbill]

I forgot about the dog incident.... Anne brought with her a cute little Chihuahua affectionately know as “GATOR” an excellently behaved doggie it just stayed busy looking up at everyone hoping for some snacks.

Anyway on with the story, I was at my Jeep when I saw a Venice PD pull up. He mentioned to me that I had to move my Jeep ‘cause I couldn’t park there and proceeded to tell me that it was illegal to park in front of reflective signs. I have been in Law Enforcement for over 12 years and have never heard of such a statute. (I am looking that one up). I asked if he was here for a complaint or just cruising? He then proceeds to be a little snotty and stated no he was here for something else but if he had to come back for the noise he would take action. I advised him that I was a fellow brethren and I would keep peace for him. After that he calmed down a little.

He then tells me he is here for a dog complaint. :06: I almost told him that there was no dog here but then remembered “GATOR”. I told him we have something that resembles a dog, (I’m sure “GATOR” does not consider himself a dog.) and that it was a small Chihuahua. He wanted to see the culprit anyway. We walked down to the beach together and I advised Anne that he was here to arrest “GATOR”. When he saw the dog he was almost embarrassed. He said,” I here because of that?” Anne then tried bribing him with some turkey, which he declined and left the beach.

Now that was the first time that I can remember any law enforcement coming to our parties and it was all because of “GATOR”. I sure we would all have pitched in and raised bail for the little guy though.

I say we make "GATOR" our SB mascot

Wildbill:cop_2:

 

[simbrooks]

What noise??? I thought we chatted a lot, but the wind was blowing away from the old coots in the condos there - so they wouldnt have been able to hear us. At least one of those old dears must have had super eyesight to see Gator - cos i could hardly when i was only a few feet away he's so small

 

[CBulla]

There was another dog that was out on the beach just south of us. From where we were it wasn't overly visible and I didn't even think about it when the officer was there because the people were hidden by the tent that was set up. Noise.. they must have super hearing to try and complain about that - aside from some bubbling from a fryer and chatter the only other noise was darthvader diving sounds and wind.. lots of wind!

Ah well.. some folks just have nothing better to do.. I can't wait till we bring in the diving clowns and circus wagons up there!!

 

[jeandiver]

My thanks to everbody that I met on Saturday...What a wonderful bunch of people !!!
I enjoyed our "conversations (lol)" a lot...
And to hang out on a beach in Florida , well , for dis ol' Northerner , well I can only say:

It vas just great , don't ya know , you betcha dere !!!!

Jean

 

[dive4funOften]

Hey yawl! Sometimes being a temporarily cripple diver is worth it. I'm glad to have met the new folks who came down (Jeff, Simon and Jean) as well as some of the other familiar faces that I've gotten to know an dive with.

MANY Thanks to Anne and Jim for providing the incredible fried turkey!!

Jenny and my wife provided some outragous pies!!

I can't wait to be able to put on gear and hop in the water again this spring..

FOrget the Turkey the pies were worth the trip. Homemade apple pies! Wow now that is talent!

Thank you ladies!

Jim's family has apple orchards up north (Jenny knows) and I have been reminded that it has been a very long time since I have made any apple pies! Gee I think I may have to bake!

Great time wonderful people.

The guy that found the mask was Rob - he was my Dive Con Instructor. He is fun!

 

[dive4funOften]

I forgot about the dog incident.... Anne brought with her a cute little Chihuahua affectionately know as “GATOR” an excellently behaved doggie it just stayed busy looking up at everyone hoping for some snacks.

Anyway on with the story, I was at my Jeep when I saw a Venice PD pull up. He mentioned to me that I had to move my Jeep ‘cause I couldn’t park there and proceeded to tell me that it was illegal to park in front of reflective signs. I have been in Law Enforcement for over 12 years and have never heard of such a statute. (I am looking that one up). I asked if he was here for a complaint or just cruising? He then proceeds to be a little snotty and stated no he was here for something else but if he had to come back for the noise he would take action. I advised him that I was a fellow brethren and I would keep peace for him. After that he calmed down a little.

He then tells me he is here for a dog complaint. :06: I almost told him that there was no dog here but then remembered “GATOR”. I told him we have something that resembles a dog, (I’m sure “GATOR” does not consider himself a dog.) and that it was a small Chihuahua. He wanted to see the culprit anyway. We walked down to the beach together and I advised Anne that he was here to arrest “GATOR”. When he saw the dog he was almost embarrassed. He said,” I here because of that?” Anne then tried bribing him with some turkey, which he declined and left the beach.

Now that was the first time that I can remember any law enforcement coming to our parties and it was all because of “GATOR”. I sure we would all have pitched in and raised bail for the little guy though.

I say we make "GATOR" our SB mascot

Wildbill:cop_2:

Oh that was pretty funny. Gator who does not realize he is a dog is actually a toy fox terrior, but please don't tell him that. And yes he is very little.

At first when the officer was telling me about it I thought he was joking. So I just sort of ignored him. Did not mean to but I did not realize that dogs were not allowed on that part of the beach. I was sure that he was ther efor the "good eats". He was not really amused with my offer!

Anyway you are correct when he saw Gator he said to just put him in the tent and not to worry.

Funny!

Oh and by the way he said he would be thrilled to be our mascot!

 

[Pelagic]

A quick note of thanks to the whole 'Turkey Fry' group from saturday for being a very welcoming bunch to the stray divers (myself and Jean) that wandered in.

Thanks also for putting up the flag without which we would not have found you!!

Had a very pleasant few hours on the beach. Not so sure about the dive though, finding the bottom by swimming into it is pretty limited visibility by anyones standards, glad I opted out.

Anyway hope that if I make it that far into deepest, darkest florida again I will have a chance to dive with some of you.

thanks,

Simon (no the other one!).

 

[baitedstorm]

WoooHooo!!! Another goodie from the Conch's!! Had a blast, even if I didn't get to dive, it was still worth the 3 hour drive (that took 4 1/2 because Jenny destracted me on the phone and I missed my turn and decided my sense of direction was good enough to figure my way to the spot, lol..... NOT..... See, it was ALL her fault,lol ) I'm going to try and attach some photo for all to see, we had quite the feast going on, a big thanks to all that cooked.