An Update On Our Lives~We Love You All

Hi Everybody, I missed you guys. I am really busy right now, and I know I haven't been here like I should, but I'm really trying. Let me explain: As of this past Monday morning at 6am, our boat and Our Captain were hired by BP. Through the Vessels of Opportunity Program, a way they are compensating the Captains for lack of fishing, and it took them awhile, to finally get it that no one will fight this battle harder than our local Captains. Out of towners have been sent back to wherever they came from, and Our Captain, and all his buddies, are fighting it tooth and nail.
Assignment name? Are you ready? Are you sure your ready?
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okay here it comes
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TURTLEBOAT! You got tears in those eyes yet?

That's right BP hired our Captain for animal rescue.
There's a reason we haven't told you yet though....nothing yet, just recoveries ( you understand the difference right, I'm sorry, ya'll but we tell the truth here remember). He's really trying, he wanted me to wait to tell you until we have saved at least one, but I can't hold it in anymore.
Our small vessel is camouflage think (Marine Corps to the max), and the sea turtles, as I have mentioned many times, come right up to it. They think it's a bed of seaweed floating, that contains food. Our hopes are way up there that this will work.
Today is day 5, nothing yet, but you can bet your bottom dollar, there is not a soul on this earth that would try harder than he is.
Long hours, before dawn, till after dark. Here's how it will work. John sees a turtle, bird, dolphin, otter, anything, and he contains it, rounds it up, you follow me, and IMMS comes and gets it, rehabilitates it, and then moves it to a choice of lots of aquariums in the nation. Pulling them out, yep! Say a prayer for Strike force 3 and the Turtleboat tonight.
Swim, swim, swim, fly, fly, fly.....to Captain John, to Captain John...
They are a lot of rules to this: I have to make adequate food to have on board for a full day for the crew, shade, sunscreen, first aid, lots of id badges, light clothing in color and weight. This is a small boat, with no ac, and the heat index today on the water is 110+. They check this all too, for example if they catch sunburn men on the boat, or no Gatorade, water, sugar, food, we are done, and The Captain is responsible. It's a lot of work for me too. Sometimes from 5am till 1 or 2 in the morning, because I work, and I can't do my stuff until the guys are in. I can do this, if we can just save one or two, or maybe three, or if we could find that pod of 200 could you imagine? The grocery shopping and toting alone can be tough, I mean I only have so much refrigator, so I have to go about every other day or so.

Rewards are plentiful, though My Captain is spoiling me rotten.

They also went around, our Captains, who know what they are doing here in these waters, and fixed all the booms, but ain't no tar balls anymore, it's rolling in again. I can hear the helicopters right now, must be close. Did you see the waves in Pensacola? That area, and Gulf Shores/Orange Beach/Perdido has taken a hard hit. Jimmy, Kenny, and Zac (Buffett, Chesney and Brown) are holding a Relief benefit concert there next week. Will you please dial in for those folks, their lives are devastated.

I also want to take a moment to remember Captain Rookie Kruse. There was no depression, drugs, alcohol, financial problems (yet), regardless of what the article I am about to link you to says about demons. The only demon was that our Gulf is dead. No kidding, dead.
Captain Rookie, was the one of the best Captains, and Fisherman, to ever walk the docks of Orange Beach, AL. He will truly live on forever in the memories of every passenger of his boat. Captain John and I are heartbroken, and I just want you guys to understand how real it is to these men. Due South, Captain Rookie, Due South! If you don't know it click HERE to read the story.

You know there's one thing about luck, good or bad, when it rains it pours.

Thankfully, our rain is a run of good right now. Guess what ya'll?

They called 7:30am this morning, and they offered him a permanent Captain's position on the boat he worked on a couple of weeks ago. Our lives have changed in a moment, from despair to elation. I am so proud, they gave the crew aboard the boat the option of who would be the new Captain, and they picked ours. So, I will officially say it.. I support the Oil Field, because it supports me now. Naysayers, save it, don't even waste your time. What would you do? We have two weeks to get a Captain trained for the Turtleboat, and we already have a few in mind, men that haven't gotten work yet? Guaranteed he will be from our waters.

I love you all, and I will squeeze time in to visit you all really soon, I miss being a part of your everyday lives, every single one of you!

This is suppose to be a really positive post, but there's just one little thing sticking in the back of my mind that I am worried about.

Not now, please not now? Next year, we will deal with it, but this year, we are a little busy. Okay, Thanks!

We love you all,

Captain John and his Bumpkin On A Swing