This last weekend my fishing pal and I decided to depart from our normal "home" lake and go Southeast to a reservoir called Tappan to do some fishing.
Weather showed a 20% chance of storms and I got off work early, so I took the family down to do some boating before my buddy showed up to fish the evening/overnight/and early Saturday morning.
I asked some questions on my facebook page pertaining to the particular lake I was going to (best place to launch, park, etc), and found out the watershed conservancy just redid some ramps on the main highway.
I pulled into the ramp area (wife and kids following me behind) and found out the ramps looked great but didn't have docks.. Knowing I couldn't get a 20' cabin cruiser in the water with myself, my wife, sister in law, and 2 kids, I went down the road to the other ramps by the marina.. I was greeted by a big "RAMP CLOSED" sign. Ugh
I ended up having to go to the campground 15 minutes away and pay $5/car only to find out that the ramps were "NOT FOR OVERNIGHT PARKING". Double ugh.
We get on the lake, the sky starts to blacken. We decide to go to the marina to get lunch and wait out the storm. Just as we're finishing lunch it hit.. Thunder, lighting, straight line winds, hail, the whole she-bang.
As we're getting ready to pay the check I hear a loud "bang" and see my 50' dock with mine and 8 other boats tied up break loose, swing into the fuel dock, hit a few other docked boats, and float out into the center of the lake. Another loud bang and a whole dock of paid slips breaks loose and slams into the fuel dock.
I start to freak, but am assured by the waitress "we'll take you out to get your boat, this happens all the time".. WHAT???!! I'd be seriously angry if my $40,000 boat docked at a $700/season slip broke loose on a regular basis.
I get my boat back, hit the bilge, everything is good. The wife wants to go, so I pick up my fishing buddy at the "new" ramps then drop the wife and kids off at the campground ramps.
I call the park office and explain that I want to night fish but don't know where to park. They explain that I "MUST" use the renovated ramps on the main highway. "Those are the overnight parking ramps". Ok.
My buddy drives my truck and trailer back to the ramps, I pick him up, and we're finally good to go fish.
Caught some bass and panfish. Waited out a few more storms overnight under a bridge. Wake up and fish for a few more hours. Everything is gravy.
I go back to the renovated ramps to get the boat on the trailer, start my truck, and "BAAAAWAAAAA".. SOMEONE CUT MY CATALYTIC CONVERTER OFF MY TRUCK OVERNIGHT.
I can't win for losin'. My insurance just cut me a check for $1055 (which is less $100 for my deductible) to get the truck fixed.
I won't be going back to that lake anytime soon.
Ugh.
