Change of venue...

This past week, I interviewed to become principal for a regional elementary school.

Yesterday, I was offered the position.  Pending school board approval and an agreed upon contract, I will be leaving my 15 year career teaching and begin a new path in educational leadership.

There will be less ducks, deer, fish, and outdoor adventures but I'm looking forward to the opportunity to enhance my life and the lives of others.

Have a great Memorial Day weekend!!!

The Check is No Longer in the Mail

After ten years and 120 timely installments, the title to my fishing vessel aka Ducks and Bucks is in the mail.  The 27 foot Osmond Beal design finished by none other than Osmond Beal and his grandson Erick Blackwood (the chairman of the Moosabec World's Fastest Boat Races) became mine on Thursday, May 9, 2013.

Here's a couple neat facts and/or stories about my boat...

The boat was the last to be finished in the former Osmond's Boat Shop on Beal's Island as a newer larger facility was installed next to the aging and now collapsing building.

The first paycheck did not originate from the almighty pursuit of lobsters, but rather a dive job for an ailing yacht that had pulled some 3 inch wide rope into the wheel.

Hit almost 30 knots during the sea trial, and hasn't been that speed since.  

When naming this vessel, a disagreement occurred... Often, men name their boats after their wives.  Since I did NOT have one at the time, I went with a catchy name that exemplified my passions.  I married my wife several weeks after the boat was officially put onto the ocean.

My cousin and the Alley brothers decided to have some fun with me during a haul out.  They put a for sale sign on the boat for a price they determined would be "low enough to move fast".  For about two days, I received calls about selling the boat, several were at 3 a.m. when lobstermen are up and at em during the summer.  Eventually I figured out I had been punked.

Due to the lobster glut and low price last year, I hauled my traps out early and was done before school started.  The D&B only spent 12 weeks on the ocean last season.

Almost all of my sea duck scouting occurs while working on the Ducks and Bucks.  Watching the birds fly by in the early fall is one of my favorite parts of being on the water, hunting them several weeks later is my favorite part of being on the water.

Shifting gears...

My life is family, and my family is my life...

I had a good run, but I do not have the time or the energy to post regularly on my site.  I'm not getting out nearly enough in the great outdoors and I'm posturing for other opportunities down the road.

If the good Lord helps those who help themselves, then my efforts will be of fruition.

If not, then my efforts will be not in vain but rather unfortunate.  I must balance my life, family, health, and career in greater accord which leads to the obvious reduction in writing, photography, and video.

The website will remain up and I will post when the opportunity arises, there will be no forced posts for the sake of keeping things active or maintaining a readership or earning sponsors and that lucrative outdoorsman contract.  This blog will once again become what I intended previously, a record of a part of my life with a literary and visual appeal.

I'm thankful for gaining two fine buddies in Trey Luckie and Kevin Sellers who will be lifelong friends, and for those who've crossed in my adventures with Steve Vose.  We'll still do our thing down the road, and I'm sure there will be posts but my overall zeal and enthusiasm for writing by force is low.

Until my next post, whenever that may be... take care...

The Downeast Duck Hunter

Please Louisville, One more win!!!

The Honey Bradger, Witchy Wheat, my wife, and yours truly...

I love March Madness and am constantly amazed one team will match up against a completely different foe from another part of the country.  The full court pressure of Louisville, the size and speed of Wichita State, the defensive zone of Syracuse, the return of Michigan, the athleticism of Florida Gulf Coast, and the continued curse of Gone-zaga.  It is all relevant and inspiring for me as I take part in several college brackets every spring, but this year I found myself participating in a different type of madness; a drawing.

For twenty bucks, I got four pulls out of the 64 contenders.  My hits were Colorado, Minnesota, Wisconsin, and finally Louisville who is the overall number one seed of the tournament.  I figured I had a good chance as anybody and felt confident with those picks.  After all, Wisconsin had a great run in the Big Ten tournament finally losing the championship to Ohio State and Minnesota had continually competed in the same league.  Louisville, however, was my lynchpin to success.

The Cardinals have mowed their way through the tournament turning the tide quickly against the Duke Blue Devils following the hardest to ever see sports injury I've ever seen, so bad that my wife had to leave the room as we replayed the action to fathom the seriousness of the injury to guard Kevin Ware.

Last night, Louisville met up with an amazing Wichita State team that had played ever so impressively as well.  The 9th ranked Shockers had mowed over #1 Gone-zaga and La Salle while surviving a second half surge by #2 Ohio State.  Wichita State also happened to be the team that my buddy, the Honey Bradger held with pride.  The stars were aligning on this one.

Our match up took on a whole new life as a variety of pictures were sent to each other along with harassing text messages all building up to our show down at a get together.  This match up promised insane smack talk and potential violence coupled with an overnight invitation which mandated all children being relocated to all available grandparents.  Yes, the Final Four party would provide food, fighting, and fantastic basketball madness for all those who dared to participate.

Wichita State proved capable, illustrating great size, speed, and shooting whilst the Cardinals found themselves in a war of attrition and hung in there.  After several hours of brutal words, a slew of sign language, and one hard fought battle, the Louisville Cardinals survived and will face the Michigan Wolverines tomorrow.  Due to same crap as Monday night football, the game will start around 9:30 EST so I must stay up until 2 a.m. in order to accommodate the west coast but that's okay especially if I (Louisville) win.  For a couple hundred bills, I'll be a slug Tuesday morning.

Have a great one!!!

The Downeast Duck Hunter

Maine Basketball Gatorade Player of the Year

Every state has those who find themselves at the very pinnacle of a particular sport.

I'm very fortunate to have been part of the life and times of a very special, talented, and promising student athlete who can be listed as one of Maine's greatest basketball players.  Ever.  Simple as that, ever.  Let me introduce you to Garet Beal, a two time Maine Gatorade Player of the Year and Mr. Basketball.

He's also my neighbor, student, and newest duck hunting partner...

During his senior season at Jonesport-Beals High School, Garet averaged 34 points, 11 rebounds, and 6 assists per game while leading the Royals to an undefeated regular season record.  I must also share that his statistics are even more staggering for the amount of time Garet averaged per game, just 24 minutes per contest.

In addition to these incredible achievements, Garet broke his father's single game scoring record with a 55 point explosion in three quarters this winter and set the all-time scoring mark at JBHS with a total of 1686 points.  The four year varsity starter averaged over 20 points per game for his entire career and is considered to be one of Maine's best Division 1 basketball prospects.

The 225 pound 6'5" guard has accepted a full scholarship to the University of Maine.

However, I can't just let this post completely praise my good man G without inserting some interesting story about me...

Just last weekend, I brought forward a unique team of former Royals for what I will refer to as "The Match Up".

I'm not sure when exactly I played last, but it's been some time.  Needless to say, there existed an abundance of smack talk on Tweeter between G and myself whilst the banter around town was focused on my demise.  It even got so bad that Garet put on Twitter and Facebook that he "was going to shut me down".  I retorted that he may do that, but he'd never "shut me up" so I even opted to dress the part acquiring black headband and socks to make sure he'd find me on the court.

I had informed my students that there existed a list of unique achievements that wouldn't be brought up until I had met the criteria of performance.  They would find out as I progressed up and down the hard court.  Here's a couple (well as least all of them):

First shot- a called 3 pointer as soon as I let fly which sunk like a desperate boys heart when a girl said she wouldn't dance with him.  3 points for the cause.

Fast break lay up breaking through a feint defense.  2 points for the cause.

Vertical finger roll of a bounce pass.  Another 2 points for the cause.

Jump shot on the baseline before Mr. Basketball could make his way over.  2 points for the cause.

A steal from Mr. Basketball that not only surprised Garet, but the entire crowd especially after I laid in another basket.  My last two points for the cause. 

Survived 18 minutes of running (thank god for the treadmill and a few 3 milers outside this spring)

Dunked a couple lame one handed runners during warm ups

Earned a double technical, got kicked out, returned incognito and was kicked out again.

Enjoyed one fine evening with a bunch of fine young gentlemen and the older legends. 

Mr. Gatorade Player of the Year finding himself in a bind, I'm the awesome dude with the head band!

When it was all said and done, the smiles skunked the frowns.  For that, I'm fortunate to be right where I live.  I'd like to wish our outgoing seniors the best of luck and thanks for being a positive element in my life, you all are legends in the making.

Have a great day,

The Downeast Duck Hunter