5/26/2012 Add Ramp Masters to our Resume

Bob and I decided that we would both work for the entire day even though it was only required that one work each shift. We figured since it was Memorial Day Weekend which usually proves to be a huge weekend at Delaware beaches and waterways, that it would be a good idea so we could help each other this first day.

We picked up our radios and keys to our golf carts and to the docks we went. Actually I went to the boat ramps and Bob covered the parking lot where the larger truck/trailer combos are parked. This lot is in the area of where the head boats and chartered fishing boats go out of and some people don’t pay attention that they are parking in very long parking lanes, or they just don’t care and they figure they’ll park there because it is 10 feet closer to the boats. Bob kept those people moving to regular sized parking spaces.

When I got to the boat ramp there were already a half dozen truck/trailer combos parked in my lot and we got there at seven! I didn’t have a huge rush of people wanting to launch their boats but rather a comfortable stream of boaters. The drivers of the larger truck/trailer combos were sent to Bob’s lot to park and he would drive them back to my area in the golf cart.

This is my view while I tend the boat ramps.

Just to my left is the marina.

The ramps we oversee.

It seems the boaters are well versed in where to stage their boats and I really don’t have anything more to do than check for their ramp stickers, and if they don’t have them. then to direct them to Hook ‘Em and Cook ‘Em, a marina store, to get their permits/stickers. I also direct where they park in my lot and determine who has to go to the remote lot, because believe me. it doesn’t seem to bother them if they hang four feet over the end of the parking lane.

I also get asked questions like what’s biting, what’s the legal for size for a sea bass, are Fish &Wildlife patrolling the Inlet and when is the next high tide. The answers? Nothing. Twelve and a half inches. Sure they are. Mid-afternoon around two I think.

Since we are not busy every single minute of our shift I bring a book with me. Bob manages to find someone to talk rods, reels, bait, jigs and who knows what else with.

At noon, we had lunch on one of the picnic tables near Bob’s parking lot so that we could keep an eye on it. Not knowing how busy the afternoon would be we thought it best to keep that lot cleared of stray cars.

All day long boats are being taken out of the dry stack building.

I met this couple, John & Vicky from the Philly area, in the parking lot where their boat is still in dry dock because its being worked on. Poor John is so frustrated, it seems like its one thing after another with this boat. He made appointments with a boat mechanic two weekends ago but then the mechanic got tied up elsewhere and couldn’t get there and then when he did show parts were needed that had to be ordered, this guy just can’t get a break. Well, it finally got fixed this weekend. Unfortunately, by the time it did a lot of cars parked in the parking lot and the boat lift wouldn’t fit in to get to the boat. Next weekend, it will get put in next weekend. The boat is named Slip Away, I hope it just gets away from the slip once its put in the water.

Just as I predicted, it was a beautiful sunny day today and guess who forgot the sunblock? Guess who didn’t bring anything to prevent sunburned lips? Guess who brought a floppy hat and it never got out of the truck? Guess whose ears are sunburned, (new haircut), guess whose peeling face was in the sun all day, guess whose lips are sunburned again? I don’t have to guess, I’m living it! Someday I’ll learn! I hope.

Because the fish aren’t biting, BBQ’s are taking place, whatever the reason most of the boaters were back and out of the water by 3:30. The marina manager came by a little bit later and said that we could go, that there was no need for us to hang around for so few boats. Well, if you insist!

So we have our first day under our belts and tomorrow we’ll start our split shifts.

I was able to get a picture of the bridge. I’m not real pleased with it and I need to play with the settings on my camera more and change locations to get the picture I want. All of the cables are lit when its dark. This angle just doesn’t show it like I thought it was going to. I’ll work on getting the picture.

When I got home from picture taking Bob asked if I would work the morning shift. It seems he’s just not sleeping well and would like to try to sleep in tomorrow morning. It doesn’t matter to me one way or the other so it looks like I’m on first tomorrow.