We headed to Kipto on Sat. to fish on Sun. maybe Mon. and then bring her back home into her 20' x 40' storage bin. We had left her there at the motel to save the tow gas and avoid the BS $60 over width limit they charge us to get through the tunnels. As Bob stated the weatherman got it all wrong as usual and we were looking at a 3-4 ft. swell instead of the 1-3 they had called for on Sat. morn when we left SW VA. They even said today was to be worse so when we got to the motel and discovered a 3" thick lock of ice around the bilge pump and auto float lever. I made the call to say screw this and come on home and call it a season on the rockfish. I have a massive volume pump and hose on not only that one but the forward automatic pump as well so she is built right.

On my previous trip maybe I should have left the power on to automatically pump out the bilge. I think that this is done though even with the master switches off. Maybe I should have pulled the plug which I don't do since the ole bass boat days. Maybe I should have fished any way knowing I have another bilge pump up front to rely on and said screw it. Maybe I should have said, "Thanks lord for the 3 citations and great memories of being able to fish with my aging father. It's time to call it a season."

But most importantly what I did was tell my buddy,"It ain't worth it to lose our lives" and we towed her 255 miles home and I'm alive to give you this report. Remember it ain't just the weather the day you fish but rather what the weather may do to the day you fish that matters. Add this to your check list as one of the things can get you killed in inclement weather combined with cold water guys. Thanks for your support on the other MMSI report but this is something else I was thinking we should talk about on this great forum.

Looking forward to May when we will come back to the coast for maximum Tuna destruction, Mahi licking, and Marlin mayhem.

Be safe out tare! Steve.