Today looks like a perfect day for fishing.  If I only had a pole.

Sunrise greeting Fishing Folks

This marina has many fishing boats big and small.  From a small boat that looks like it will only handle 2 people…

Little fishing boat – another one

To a line of boats on both sides of the dock.  Some rather large tall fishing boats.

Line of fishing boats

Sunrise at the docks – smooth waters

The boats start leaving the marina from dawn to mid morning.  I don’t know exactly where these fishing boats go.  Many of these boaters are competitors in the chartering business and their secret places will remain such.  People start arrive with smiles and light steps as they eagerly climb aboard their boat.  Friends of boat owners or paid charter clients.   They have their igloos of ice, cases of beer, and maybe a sandwich.  You can hear laughter as everyone gets ready for a perfect fishing day.

This guy was hanging out at one of the pilings acting like a “Look Out” midmorning patiently waiting.  His eye following us as we walked by trying to see if we had any morsels to offer, I am sure.  We can see his eye ball give us the once over then move away into the distance.  No handouts from us.

Look out Charlie

These two were squawking all morning waiting for the boats to return.

Pair of gulls acting as lookouts as well

Birds stationed around the marina to put the call out to the others.  I saw pelicans stationed at several of the pilings around strategic fish cleaning stations.  Getting ready.

The fish cleaning station is pictured below.  Pretty simple.  A bench with water.  Bring your own fish.  The orange faded sign tries to inform the fishermen put their fish parts in the garbage can and not into the marina water.

Fish cleaning station

At this marina, there are 2 different kinds of boater bins.  Bins or Carts to carry supplies and whatnots.  We use these carts to carry supplies from the parking lot to the boat.   We thought the white carts were kind of cute.  Smaller but easier to handle going down the narrow ramps around here.

Bins or Carts

Then, we saw why these cute carts are so popular.  Fishermen carry their fish from the boats to the cleaning station in them.  Makes us wonder if we should wash one before we use it?  I don’t want to get “fish smell” on my stuff.

Today’s catch – fish in a bin

Good fishing today.  Red Snapper is easy to discern.  The other fish??  No clue.  The charter owner is cleaning fish and throwing some handouts to the pelicans below.  His clients are standing around waiting for their fish to be cleaned and stuffed into a ziplock bag.  All a part of the chartering business, I suppose.

Pelicans gathering

Sometimes the pelicans are patient.

Pelicans all lined up waiting for their handout

Sometimes they nip at each other as they dive and throttle each other for whatever fish remains are thrown in their direction.  Such moochers.

Pelicans Fighting for morsels

Such is life at a marina.  Beautiful weekends means there are lots of distractions for everyone.  At the end of the day you see bedraggled sun-weathered people slowly dragging their igloos with ice, fish, and leftover beer back to their vehicles.  Their fishing poles washed down and stowed in their trucks.  Just glad their day of adventure is over.

Just how many fishing rods do you need?

The one thing we rarely see?  These friends of the boat owners stay around long enough to help wash down and clean the boat they enjoyed all day.

Another day in sunny Florida…

Sunset – St. Augustine, FL