Ka-tia

At this time last year Beau was finishing up his college run, and I was teaching at Tarpon high, coaching, taking two college courses and driving two hours everyday. Sleep was few and hard, weekends were short and study filled. The surfboard collected dust and the fishing poles rusted.  Life was not existent, it was business.
This year is a bit different with the spawning of the Dukes of Harbor and I being at the mercy of fate losing my teaching position. But, when life gives you lemon's.. yep, you make sweet delicious lemonade. When life gives you waves.. you pick up your board and hit the beach!  Tropical storm Lee lingered in the gulf for many days and gave us a glimmer of hope here on the gulf side. Labor day weekend was filled with mediocre gulf side waves and trip to a new shorter-drive location, Bradenton florida. A perfect location for a sunday trip. Enough to get your stick wet and get a couple short rides. The week that followed was rain filled, and when you have a part-time gig painting, not much gets done. The labor day weekend just kept going and on the other coast Katia kept on pumping. With Beau Duke out fighting to keep the Duke farm going, I took off to cocoa to see if Katia was really this hot little bitch everyone was talking about. I was armed with a 6'8" Jeff Klugel especial. Getting out to the break was harder than getting into a virgins britches. Wave after wave battered surfers like coach fisher on evergreen week.  The Jeff Klugel especial was quick and responsive and the seven foot drop wasn't to be taken lightly. A mid day pizza hut run and it was back to the action.  Jellyfish were everywhere. On the beach and in the water. Big ones, like beach ball big. Was this what the little red itchy bumps were on my body?? who the hell knows. Fish were everywhere. "That was a Tarpon that jumped behind me"?? Who the hell knows.  Just tell yourself it was a Tarpon.  A pelican landed five foot away getting a mouthful of whatever baitfish. What the hell was that black fin I just saw?? Who the hell knows. OK, that's enough surfing for today. When the pelicans, baitfish and fins out number surfers its time to get the hell out.  Exhaustion set in on the truck ride west, and a fiery sunset lit the way. Man, did my bed feel good.

                                                   come and get me, come and get me

                                                        " Hey buddy, want a peanut?"

                                                 "MMMM.. peeeaaanuttt..."

                                                             "Hey, that's my nut, bitch"

                                            Somebody say something about a peanut?

                                                                  Fiery sky at night
                                                                     Sailors delight






                                                               SEE YA NEXT TIME!!

come on irene

Hey there party goers this is Luke Duke comin atcha with another addition of the Dukes of Harbor.  Summertime in florida is soggy and hot. You sweat, you drink, you sweat, you drink. Notice I didn't say urinate. Nope, you just sweat.  The days are long, the days are hot, and just when you think there ain't no cure for the summertime blues", a category 3 hurricane comes up the gulfstream pushing 20ft waves on to shore and so with this it was time for an east coast trip. Cocoa beach is one popular location for florida surfers. No need to consider yourself a surfer at this spot. If you have an appetite for chill'n in the water and get stoked at the thought of riding the ocean you'll do just fine. The call was for a possibility of a surf day of epic proportions. Upon my arrival the waves were peeling beautifully. Irene had made her pass on the gulf stream the day before. The wind had shifted from the east to the west producing smooth, very ridable conditions. I chose a 7ft stick (surfboard) as my compadre for the day. We dipped into the 82 degree atlantic water and enjoyed a day which I deemed "epic". Being out in the water and looking down the line of surfers reminded me of the old days fishing in the maumee river during the spring walleye run. After so many waves I needed a rest, but resting on the beach only lasted momentarily. The sand was blazing hot, and the sun beating from the other direction was just as bad.  The water felt great and the swell was consistent, no need for the beach blanket today. An afternoon storm ended the epic day, and it was back to the west side to grill up a steak, pop a couple brews and of course, relax.

                                          

See ya next time!