Photos of the Swiss Alps taken September, 2011.

FOR SALE: 1969 33’ Nauticat Sailboat/ MotorSailer

Located in the Florida Keys, Marathon (Key Colony Beach Marina)

Built by legendary Danish sailor and boat builder Klauss Baess, this classic 33’ 1969 Nauticat MotorSailer has a rich history sailing around the world, and remains as structurally sound today as when she was crafted in Copenhagen.

Fans of Baess will appreciate her stately design, complete with teak decks and mahogany superstructure and interior. The interior has been meticulously maintained, with the additions of new electronics and flat panel televisions.

This boat has played a big role in my life and I hate to see her go. However, I must sell and I can only hope someone who truly appreciates this craftsmanship of this boat will give take her in and give her the attention she deserves.

Boat comes with 8’ sailing dinghy, complete with outboard engine and oars.

SPECS

• Engine: 4236 Perkins Diesel
• 120 Gallon Fuel Tank: 700 mile cruising range
• Sails upgraded in 1996, good condition (extra sails included)
• 1800 watt inverter/batter charger
• 80 Gallon Water Tank/on demand hot water
• Garmin GPS Map 180, Si-Tex CVS 106
• Autohelm Autopilot
• 2 Burner Stove
• Refrigerator, Microwave, Toaster Oven
• Double stainless steel sinks
• Stereo System, 2 Flat Panel TVs, DVD Player
• 2 A/C units, 110v (in hatch mount)

ACCOMMODATIONS

• Fore-cabin with single berth and lots of storage
• Main Salon dinette converts to double berth.
• Aft Cabin with double berth, lockers and wardrobe table
• Bathroom with shower and tub

HISTORY

I purchased the boat is 1989, cruising the Eastern Seaboard before settling down in the Florida Keys. Named “Zauberer” (formerly “Danica Joy”) she was custom built by Klaus Baess at Copenhagen on Nauticat 33’ hull in 1969. Before I owner her she sailed around the world, including from Africa to New York, where I purchased her.

PRICE

$45,000 OBO

CONTACT

John Dixon: 305-731-5312

Email: ddd@lonestaroh.com

Photos taken from Pigeon Key…

Video I shot today of porpoises playing in the Florida Keys offshore of Key Colony Beach…

Florida Keys Dolphins

With the end of deep-dropping right around the corner*, Captain Chris Morrison, angler Frank White, and me journeyed offshore for one last chance to bring home a monster of the deep. We weren’t disappointed. Frank hand-cranked this slob snowy in from 700-feet below.

*The Florida Keys deep water grouper fishery will be closed indefinitely beginning January 31, 2011.

Captain Chris Morrison (left) with Frank White. Image courtesy of TryCharterFishing.com

The day before Christmas I received quite a shock, when Santa and his reindeer showed up at the dock. Rudolph and Prancer, Dancer and Blitzen, looking for a captain to take them deep sea fishin.

“Come aboard!” I told Santa, “The boat she is steady. I’ve a well full of livies and the crew they are ready. We’ll start at the reef, for groupers and tails’, then catch ballyhoo and go chase down some sails. We’ll drop on the wrecks; troll for tunas offshore, a great day of fishing indeed lies in store.”

“Ho ho ho,” said Saint Nick, “that sounds like a plan,” and with that we shoved off, and waved goodbye to dry land. We began on the patches, in twenty-five feet; a good lively bottom can be tough to beat. Fishing pilchards on jig heads the bite was red hot, for mangroves and mackerel, even muttons we caught. A black grouper here, a red grouper there, rods bent like candy canes, Santa declared.

With plenty of hoos feeding back in the chum, Rudolph tossed the cast net and netted us some. Up and down the reef we searched for frigate birds; bait sprays and free jumpers pushed us onwards. Spinning rod in hand, Santa was at his best, catching sail after sail on fifteen-pound test. All the reindeer took turns, catching two sailfish each*.

*No sailfish were harmed, they were caught and released.

Next we headed offshore, way out to the Hump, for big blackfin tunas so round and so plump. Up on the surface bright feathers we trolled, but the sharks they were thick, and the sharks they were bold. Vertical jigs? Well, right now they won’t do. The sharks will eat them, and your tunas too!

After breaking for eggnog and a sushi dish, Santa decided to go catch a swordfish. A large squid we dropped, rigged with bright Christmas lights, and in a matter of seconds we had our first bite. No electric was used, Santa’s old school, inch after inch he cranked line on the spool.Blitzen grabbed the harpoon, and with the perfect shot, a three-hundred-pounder on the deck we had caught.

As the sun started setting we turned back towards shore, but Santa and the reindeer they wanted one more. A tailing blue marlin swimming out in the Stream, a hookup, a release, this must be a dream! A billfish grand slam, for Santa and the crew, a cooler full of tunas, snapper and grouper too. The perfect day of fishing here in the Florida Keys, may 2011 bring us more trips like these!

Merry Christmas!

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Who says you need a high-end offshore boat of flats skiff to catch fish in the Keys? You can do a lot with a little- especially if fishing from Boston Whalers…

Saturday solo dropping pics (THANKS for letting me use the boat STEVE!):

17, 12, 6 # Muttons

Sunday Flats fishing with Jeff Reilly- Jeff’s first two bonefish!

Monday Swordfishing with Billy Turnbull:

The pic that looks like the 400-pounder… ha ha- I wish:

And one porpoise shot…

Photos of the Canadian Rockies- Banff, Jasper, Lake Louise…

For those of you who don’t know I often help Captain Jason Long of Best Bet Sportfishing write his weekly fishing report for the Florida Keys Weekly Newspapers. This is the report for this week- I had a little fun with it.

“The Perfect Bite”

Let’s mix things up a bit, instead of writing this week’s fishing report why don’t we go out and shoot a feature film (based on a true story) about the past week of fishing in the Florida Keys. We could call it “The Perfect Bite,” a seafaring action movie about ideal weather and water conditions converging on a small island chain, which triggers fish into a feeding frenzy of astronomical proportions.

It’d star myself of course, as Captain Jason Long of the Best Bet, renowned for reeling in trophy species of the deep and well-liked around town for my wit and unquestionable good looks. A supporting role would be played by the gritty Captain Bobby Manski; his harrowing battle with a great white shark sure to keep you on the edge of your seat. And the romantic lead would no doubt feature Captain Josh Gilmartin, who journeys out to sea under the glistening moonlight to catch spawning mangrove snappers with his new wife Krista.

We start filming in the backcountry, on location in the fishy waters of Everglades National Park. Captain Pablo Rodriguez of Slamtime Charters making a cameo as himself as he reels in snook, redfish, tarpon and speckled trout- just a few of the species being caught “out back.”

Then we pan over to Florida Bay for one of the film’s two scenes that could be straight from “Jaws.” The Best Bet comes into view and we zoom in on a heavy conventional reel. Slowly, the sea starts taking line from the spool. All of a sudden the drag screams and an angler grabs the rod. An intense battle unfolds as the shark is fought to the boat. It’s one of three dozen sharks hooked aboard the Best Bet this trip alone!

Our next shot takes us inshore amidst a beautiful backdrop of the Bahia Honda Bridge. A fisherman bows to a 100-pound silver king as the fish soars high from the turquoise water. A voice-over announces that tarpon fishing is still red hot and should remain that way over the next few weeks. “Book your tarpon trip now,” the convincing voice says.

We move out to the reef for an underwater shot of 18 to 22-inch yellowtail snapper stacked up in a chum line. It’s a feel good shot, no dialogue or action here. Just a picturesque reminder of how great the yellowtail snapper fishing has been.

As the sun begins to set we stay at the reef. The young lovers Josh and Krista are enjoying the start of an excellent nighttime mangrove snapper bite. Josh reaches down to bait Krista’s hook with a small pinfish. She pulls away. “Stop, I can bait it myself,” she demands. The lovers laugh and share a kiss as the sun disappears behind the Seven-Mile Bridge. We fade into the final scene, the climax.

It’s morning and we’re out on the blue water aboard the Best Bet II. Captain Bobby Manski and his anglers have a box full of schoolie-sized dolphin with a few gaffers mixed in. Despite heading several miles offshore they haven’t been able to locate the big slammers, they’re just not around.

The anglers decide they’d like to venture further out for some tuna action at the Marathon Hump. Immediately they begin catching big blackfins on live baits. We can see other boats in the background catching tunas in the 10 to12-pound class on vertical jigs, and smaller fish while trolling.

One of the anglers dares his friend to drop a vertical jig down to the bottom. The friend takes the dare. We time-lapse ahead one hour and see the exhausted angler posing for a photo with a 60-pound amberjack. His arms ache, but his proud smile says it all.

It’s time to head home and Manksi spins the Cabo and sets course for Key Colony Beach Marina. It’s been a phenomenal day of deep sea fishing in the Florida Keys and the veteran captain is pleased. Suddenly, he sees a disturbance in the water. “Swordfish,” someone yells! “Shark,” screams another!

Manksi steers the vessel towards the commotion and is amazed by what he sees. A massive great white shark is chomping on the tail of a swordfish. The swordfish, still alive, thrashes on the surface. Manski free-gaffs what’s left of the tasty sword and the crew slides it through the tuna door. Blood trickles from the deck and stains the water.

The scent is too much for the white shark to resist and he swims towards the boat. Manksi grabs a tuna from the fish box and rigs it on a heavy wire. He pitches it at the big fish and the big fish eats. An intense, Oscar-worthy scene unfolds and for the next five minutes the men battle the shark on hook and line. Finally, the great white’s sharp teeth pierce the wire and the line goes slack. The fish is gone, but the memories will last a lifetime.

Credits role…

Your Best Bet for the Week ahead: Enjoy the phenomenal fishing! We can’t scrip it any better!

It’s called ThePokerSource.com and it’s a great place to go if you’re into online poker or playing Texas Hold’em at home. There are tons of great articles to help you improve your poker game!

Now back to fishing…