Leftover Items in a Folder

One of the last excursions with Big Green Canoe this summer happened to be the eastern side of Frenchmen’s Bay. Now I’ve lived on the “Million Dollar Island” for the majority of my life. Been up Cadillac Mt. Lord knows how many times and looked out across Frenchman’s. Beautiful. Pictures any tourist would want to take home and scrapbook. However, most, and I’m going to include us coasters as well, unless they’ve taken a tour boat, haven’t seen the other stunning side closeup.

With neighbors from Charleston, SC, we launched BGC from town landing in Gouldsboro where I was interested and pleased to see two Mexican-Americans working on the lobster pier alongside. More fun, they were even speaking “Downeast” with all the “ayuhs” included.

Was one of those amazing days in August. Early morning northwest breeze morphed to a light southwest around two in the afternoon and stayed that way. With BGC’s favorite throttle we worked our way slowly to the east’rd, finding “Summer Harbor,” the location of Sandy Phippen’s book “Kitchen Boy”, a fun read of his summer employment in a “rusticator” hotel. Cameras were clicking as we explored the mainland, then into the bay, locating islands such as Porcupines, Ironbound (awesome), Stave, Turtle, Dad Ledges, Pebble, Jordan, and Calf. We marveled at the small “ledges/islands” where beautiful homes had displaced gulls and one wondered how they weathered winter storms. We slipped into Winter Harbor for lunch after locating Norton Island, a family owned island AJ had read about in the Ellsworth American. Longtime owners were having a struggle keeping two parking spots, used well before the newly created National Park (hiccup) now trying to keep them out.

Trip back was a zigzag course capturing the afternoon sun on yet more islands. More than lucky are we who live on what has to be one of the most beautiful coasts and greatest states in the world and more than many of us don’t realize it. Thanks and hats off to BGC.

Summer season’s winding down. Air’s been drawing vapor for a few weeks now and my good fishing buddy, Austin Mitchell called and allowed we’d better try for a salmon or two in Echo lake that Sunday. Going to be a bit “cool” and maybe damp to boot. For once I finally dressed accordingly and we met at six, launched in a mild “gale”, got out on Echo as the moisture level began to accelerate, set our lines, and Austin immediately hooked up. Now Austin has probably forgotten more about fresh water fishing than I’ll ever know and I surmise after many long conversations, we’re about equal in the “over collected fishing gear department.” However, Austin’s new boat gear consists of one, maybe two “Mooselook” wobblers, and three rods which Columbus surely brought along from Spain. The lead lines first being changed out sometime during the Civil War, and then later years again after his Dad got home from Korea.

He set into a good fish. By his calculation, probably shy of two pounds, perhaps 22", a keeper. So he starts reeling, one hand hitting the tiller every so often as the 25-knot breeze tries to drive us either into the beach or cliffs so close, fending off was an almost option. He’s using the antique trolling rod with, of course, no self leveling device. We’re talking along, of course. I’m trying to unscramble a net, and watch my line, out what must have been a hundred yards, and Austin’s still intent on retrieving. Salmon -type fish decides he’s not really into this operation and breaks loose with a few yards of his prime line. Finally, Austin gets all remaining line onto his reel, ties on the second Mooselook and proceeds to let out about 10 yards before he realizes there’s an oversize backlash worthy of a BDN Lepage article. Works at it for ten minutes or so, says he’s having trouble seeing it (probably due to the hale and frozed fingers), so I pass him my rig—Mooselook, of course—and go to work on the backlash. After a mere hour and a half circumnav of Echo, we finally have two lines in the water again. Then I hook up. Minutes later this one’s headed for greener pads. I reel and freezing numb don’t realize the spin reel isn’t paying attention and I’ve got a tight ball of mono that would be the bragging rights of any local rat.

Figured it was time to give up this foolishness, but Austin wanted to try one more loop and have me use a lead line, mono combo he’d been experimenting with. Okay. Somewhere in my not so distant future there was a hot shower and another hour wouldn’t make a difference now. The enamel gone from my chattering teeth. I’d no more than set out, remarked about what a neat idea this was when I hooked onto a “christer” about the same place Austin had nailed his first. You’ve probably guessed the next chapter. I get this fish some twenty yards from the boat. Austin’s got the net in one hand, tiller in the other, and rod kind of bouncing between his others when mine breaks loose at the reel. I’m staring at the rod in amazement...I could hardly react...the line stays on the rod between ferrules, and slowly...in slow motion...begins to slide up and out. I make a lunge. Fall off the seat. Grab line, yell to Austin. Line slips thru numb forefinger and thumb, starts journey by him. He grabs. Line never slowed and keeps right on a’truckin. Somehow, Dagwood and Bumstead managed to jockey boat onto trailer and travel the two miles to respective camps with no further … ups.

• R E C I P E •

Frizzled Chipped Beef
Breakfast being one of my favorite meals of the day, followed almost in same category as lunch and dinner, this is a great Sunday morning offering.

¼ lb dried beef in bite size pieces
Cup heavy cream with fresh ground black pepper to taste
4 T butter
½ t lemon juice
1 egg
milk
1 egg yolk
Toast triangles or johnnycakes
¼ lb sliced mushrooms
Boiling water

Place beef in small bowl of boiling water, letting stand 2 min. Melt 2T of butter in heavy skillet and cook the mushrooms until liquid has evaporated. Remove and reserve. Melt remaining butter in the skillet. Beat egg and egg yolk, cream, and pour in to skillet. Heat, stirring until thickened, but do not allow to boil. Add beef, reserved mushrooms, pepper and lemon juice. If mixture is too thick, thin with milk. Reheat but do not boil. Serve over triangles or for a real taste treat, the johnnycakes.

Fair Winds and Good Roads
– Lee Wilbur