I got in touch with a few of my boat drivin' friends, trolling for for a little side job (I'm on vacation this week). The news they had was not good. Thanks to Lord Obammy's drilling ban in the Gulf, one skipper is laid off. Another one might be laid off soon. A third is hanging on to his job, but high fuel prices keep his boat down to running only 5 days a week. Another one is running fishing charters, but it's hit or miss.
Not a good time to be looking for a boat ride... I could possibly get called to deck hand on the crew boat my friend runs (the 5 day a week boat), and he said he's keep his ears open for me. But it's not looking good for me this week, especially with the weather. It's full bore spring time down here, which translates to "windy as hell". Probably not too many boats headed offshore.
The buoy is showing five foot seas at six second intervals. Which means it's really snotty out there. Not much fun. I don't mind it myself, but I've watched many a 40 foot sport fisherman turn around at the end of the jetties when the seas are like that.
Anyhoo, the wonderful, glorious economic non-recovery is rolling right along. Guess I'll have to sniff around elsewhere for a little "side money"...
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7 comments:
I am not an expert on maritime economics, but it sounds a lot like what you here about rural America. Even for people who would love to stay in the country, they cannot find work, so they head into town. And the bigger towns are slowly squeezing out the smaller ones.
Many are getting desperate for the
"side money" which NOW means survival. It use to mean saving a bit for something special for one. Fewer and fewer aluminum cans are being seen on the side of the road anymore.
Less kids (could be due their laziness) and more adults offering to mow yards, clean up yards, etc.
The kids that DO do these things, end up giving the money to the parent/s.
Adult kids and their kids are moving in with their parents to help make it.
It is truly sad to see the state of this country. funny "enthwar" was my word verification for this post... I found it ironic.
Russell, pretty much... Fuel prices and regulatory nightmares have made commercial fishing impossible. The numbers aren't too pretty for charter trips either. The HEB grocery chain has bought up most of the Texas Gulf shrimping fleet and snuffed out the private boats. And in spite of the fact that we have a very healthy red snapper population here, commercial fishing for snapper, or any other Gulf species is virtually non-existent. Toss in the offshore drilling ban, and you've killed the crew boat industry. Not a good time to be a mariner...
Kellie, that's a big part of it too. I just talked to Capt. Donnie who I've known for years about a deck hand gig on the sport fishing boat he runs, and he said he'd add me to "the list" of potential hands. IF he gets a charter... That is an ironic WV!
well just keep plugging away at it, take the odd jobs as can be, collect the cans, or barter trade.
if you could; make wood stoves out of scrap metal or cast out of masonary clay same, you might have a good barter/cash cow there.
grind fish, seaweed, and seashells and barter as a true organic fertilizer.
just don't despair....
Wildflower
I work out there on the oil patch. Captain, in fact, and your buddies told you right, it is rough out there right now. Things picked up a bit over last summer for the BP clean up work, but we had massive lay-offs again right after. Back to pretty much licensed personnel, plus some good engineers. Two Captains per boat and Mates working in the engine room again. Our good engineers are sweeping, mopping and cleaning heads. We're all just trying to hang on and blessed we haven't joined those in the welfare lines.
Wildflower, I'll figger somethin' out...
Cap, don't sound too good for an occasional tag-along, that's for sure. Thanks for the intel. Fair winds and following seas!
Although, following seas kinda suck on a square assed power boat : )
Funny,
Obummer won't give an American company permits to drill in the Gulf, but he will give them to Brazil's company Petrobas.
http://www.upi.com/Science_News/Resource-Wars/2011/03/18/Petrobras-gets-permit-for-US-deep-waters/UPI-87891300453143/
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