We had a grand time on the island the last four days! Beautiful sunsets! Great food! Chillin and relaxing! Started out literally with a bang! The cannon sounded bright and early Friday morning signaling the beginning of the 2011 Alabama Deep Sea Fishing Rodeo on the Dauphin Island.
Tony loaded up the grill Thursday evening and we visited with friends at The Dock while the Liars' Contest was held next door at the Rodeo site.
Friday found us continuing my week-long birthday celebration with Jaron Kucera entertaining the crowded dock with his talented guitar and vocals! Lots of friends dropped by and together we thoroughly enjoyed the evening! Ribs from the grill. Walter manned the fish fryer! Todd dropped by with prime rib and monster shrimp! An over-abundance of food, beverage, laughter and sing-alongs!
Saturday started off wet but the overcast clouds kept things cooled down and some blue sky peeked thru by late afternoon while we sat on the dock watching boats of all sizes come into the rodeo site to weigh in, having their catch lifted off by the crane. Another afternoon of long-time friends dropping by for a visit! I love Rodeo weekend ..... more so for the reunion of friends than anything else!
We awoke Sunday to massive rain. All day (give or take twenty minutes here and there). The parking lot flooded and the crowds were thin until the end of day when all the big boats came in with tired, wet anglers who had weathered the storms. We finally made it to the rodeo site after 6pm! I caught up with Larry Rackley for a hug and an autographed rodeo poster! Larry's art was featured on the tee-shirts and rodeo memorabilia this year!
We had just returned to the condos and were visiting with some friends when our youngest daughter, Lindsay came back from the rodeo site visiting with friends telling us the Jaycees were only 12 tickets away from breaking the Guiness Book of World Records for the largest saltwater fishing tournament. With only 15 minutes left til the deadline, we all scrambled. Lindsay took off down the boardwalk shouting at everyone to bring out their rodeo tickets. Since many anglers didn't fish Sunday because of the torrential rains, many tickets didn't get turn up during weigh-ins. She returned with a friend of ours to the rodeo site with only a couple of minutes to spare waving the tickets in her hand. She was ushered right to the official tent where they checked and counted them and reached the total needed to break the record! Rodeo officials took her picture and gave her an armload of tee-shirts! It was an exhilarating end to a long four days of fun!!
I have to give a shout out to Team Byrd Dog for winning (again!) #1 place in the King Mackeral Division!! Congrats Ritchie!!! Way to go!!
We were so tired we decided to stay the night! I was ready to be home and was shortly greeted at the front door by my two year old grandbaby (we almost share a birthday - both were this past week)! It's good to be home!!!
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