What was your worst day offshore!!!

[FASTWATER]

I would have to say I have had way to many but last summer I had a good reminder that the man upstairs watches out over us always! I was about 70 miles out one day last summer enjoying a normal day of bloody carnage when all of a sudden I heard a small noise that raises the hair on my neck coming form inside the engine cover. So I pull the cover look inside and can hear a faint tic, tic, tic, so I pull the valve cover cap to have a peak inside and what do I see but the dreaded gummy yellow sludge working away on my valves, now mind you the oil pressure is OK and Temperature Gauge is holding normal but I am all ready in panic mode, get everything in and haul ass for the beach at about 20 miles I'm thinking I will never make it!
so I call my buddy on the VHF and tell him I am on my way in but to hold tight as I got problems, he was running a Salmon charter on the inside and tells me not to worry he's got my back, so I calm down a little but I was guessing I wasn't going to get far. To make a long story short I did make it, clunking my way to the dock I get that sigh of relief as I tie the boat up and think I hope this isn't to serious, right, locked up tight shut her down and just for curiosity try to start her up again and you know how that went, one new mercruiser later I just look back and think devine intervention, how about you!!!PEACE

[hotrodmarlin]

Left Wrightsville beach NC @ 3:00am in a 26' Prosports catamaran fishing the Masonboro inlet tournament. I can't remember the year but I think it was 1997 or 1998. Ran 60 miles and ended up in 40+kt winds and honest 12' to 14' seas. Lost all electronics and broke many many things. Waves too big and breaking to make it back to Wrightsville so we guestimated the compass heading and rode the trough. When we began to see the Myrtle Beach lights, we ran out of oil and one of the brand new outboards locked up. We limped into Little River inlet around 4:30am (the next morning) and managed to get a call to the coast guard who had been alerting all vessels to be on the lookout for us. We actually managed to catch some mahi and a couple of tunas that we traded for french fries and dry t-shirts to some resturant employees on the dock. The absolute scariest, coldest, and most miserable, day of my life.

The funniest thing about the trip is when my buddy (sfc - Top Heavy) finally called his wife, she was cussing and yelling at him and accused him of staying out all night drinking!!

[TROPHY SPORTFISHING]

Hell that's about every other year in the masonboro tournament.

[28 Topaz]

Several years back a close friend Robert had a heart attack in the shower and died. He was only 37 years old with a wife and 2 year old. He loved offshore fishing. His wife wanted his ashes buried at sea in the Hdson Canyon. Off we went got to the edge about 8:00 am. The service was to start at noon on land. We trolled until noon and buried Robert at 12 noon. There were 2 of Roberts biker buddies on the trip that had never been offshore before. Big burley dudes. Not a bite this day we started west for Shark River. The weather forcast was for 10-15 NE. It was a beautiful day until about 50 miles from the inlet. The nor east built to 20-30 knts and 15' following seas. About 30 miles to go our port engine dies. Were talking big seas in a top heavy 32' Ocean yacht. We called the coast guard and they could not get out of Shark River they deployed out of Sandy hook.
Needles to say we were not going int Shark River inlet. We start to head a little north to Sandy Hook. Talk about an ass kickin. Both bikers on there knees praying me too. 12 hours later we come around the tip and into port.
Robert played a hell of a joke on us

[hotrodmarlin]

Hell that's about every other year in the masonboro tournament.

Yeah no kidding. After 2 times I said NO More!

[Dylan]

While working down in Puerto Vallarta last summer we were 40 miles offshore, 100 miles west of us was the eye of Hurricane John, headed towards Cabo San Lucas. This was sept of 06.
All morning it was greasey flat, at noon a very dark cloud front rolled in, literally went from clear blue skies to thunderous dark clouds. We hooked up into a 220 Yellowfin, landed the fish in 10-15' seas a hour later. Tried plowing our way back to the Rock to make more skippies, 5 of our clients onboard were yakking all over the carpet in the helm of our 35' Cabo Express. I tried to get them to yak on the deck, as its much easier to hose down.
30' Seas, Waves were flying over the tuna tower, and breaking before we were able to clear a swell. Were doing 8kts, descending from the peak of a swell was like skiing down a black diamond. Throw in 80kt winds,stinging rain, cant even stand outside.
"Boilermaker" a 35' Wellcraft TE Center Console with triples was 50 miles out, cant imagine what it was like for them running in. Another local built 38' Sportfisher was running with Boilermaker, its only operable control station was from the tuna tower, can you imagine that ride.

[shane reilly]

ummm i went 50 miles offshore the day after hurricane ernesto came through to chunk for tuna got 1 fish thankfully but there were 19ft swells we followed a charter boat through the inlet we saw it go over a wave then disapear and it was our first offshore trip it was scary to say the least

[FINRAZOR RODS]

Broke down 55 miles offshore (Fingers off VB), came in on one engine, had limit of tunas, no ice, ran outta gas TWICE (never had before moved along on one engine w/heavy chine wake: GAS GUZZLING), had a crew of 5, ran out of food, YES, it sucked!! Actually got back to the dock the same time we had left the day before!! Wife walked up to me and literally kicked me on my shin cause we didn't have enough ice....

AND, it cost me over $8k for a new motor!!

[Deep C]

Any trip I don't score well on for good people is a "worst trip".

Years back in Islamorada though I had a really bad day. Bartenders Open tournament. Had only a couple hours of sleep after a night of heavy partying. Got to boat. Started one just fine. The other battery was dead. Went home for new, installed and lit second. First sucked in ballyhoo bag from marina and over heated.
Jumped in car, drove with passenegers to skiff in Key Largo. Battery was also dead. Pull started. Got to bait patch and had em chumed up quick. Forgot cast net. Opened box of hair hooks and the lid was tight. They went flying and all but one went over. Used the one to catch baits.
Pasengers whiffed a quad. Then kings cut us off for twelve baits. A waterspout forced us to move. Not just once but twice. Birds kept attacking our baits. Whiffed another tripple. Caught a triggerfish is all.
At awards I was feeling bad. Had a bad fever. Fell asleep on a picnic table bench. Rolled off and smacked my nose. At least I won the hardluck trophy.

[Capt. Michael Mata]

This year Labor Day weekend went to the Toms on a 33' Rampage. Ride out was a little bumpy until we set up on the hook for the night. Chunked all night pulling big yellowfin in the 80lb class over the rail.

Wind picked up throughout the night. We left at first light for a long miserable ride home. Little did we know how miserable it was goin be. Honest 8-10ft so bad one of our crew fell off the berth and split his head on the fridge. Made 9 knts the entire ride home, 10 hours!! NO food or beer left!! I was lying in the cockpit on top of a tuna bag most of the ride home.

Needless to say we all got good nights sleep. Ended the trip w/ 15 Yellow 6 longfin and a sword!