SHOTGUNS AND COFFEE

Instantly hooked. Everything about duck hunting appeals to me. The day starts at 4 AM. loading up on a good breakfast and brewing a thermos full of coffee. Coffee tastes good at home but that first sip you have waiting for the sun to come up in the blind is ridiculous. You gear up in the dark and head out with your buds talking smack and just getting primed for the adrenaline that comes when that first group of ducks comes into view. A walk through the salt marsh follows as you make your way out to the blind that sits on an elevated point looking out at the ocean.  If you've never tried it the day mostly breaks down to hours of BSing  and anticipation punctuated by a few  seconds of shooting and excitement. If nothing else it's a good excuse to get outside, enjoy nature  and have a coffee that you won't forget anytime soon.

What is That Dang Thing?

So this is where the idea for the company originated. I recently got back into fishing in a big way after part timin' it for the last 15 years or so. A buddy of mine (thanks Chris) had a pair of sit on top kayaks. We went out and had a killer time hunting the lily pads for large mouth bass. Now, I'm 6'5", up until trying a sit on top, I thought kayaks were a form of torture and didn't want anything to do with them. This new boat (to me) provided such a great fishing platform and freedom of movement that it got me addicted to fishing all over again. Long story short, I became obsessed and started hitting all the kayak bass fishing sites and checking out how people were setting up their boats. This end of the sport is almost as, if not more, fun than the fishing itself. I started making modified milk crates to carry  poles and tackle and adding dashboards and bungee cords to my boat to efficiently stow my gear. What I had noticed on a lot of boats were adhesive rulers for measuring the fish you'd caught. I thought it was a good idea but could be better with a few tweaks. So after a post-fishing tailgate conversation with my brother-in-law, Paul,  we came up with the idea for making these rulers customizable with your pictures and experiences. It's not reinventing the wheel but what I think is cool about it is when you're out on the water you've got a picture with you of a past session that was a lot of fun. I have a picture of one of my boys on my kayak with the first fish he caught on the river. So now every time I paddle out he's with me. The company's just getting going and the web site is currently under construction. The blog is for generating some interest and giving people  a place to go but also just a forum for people with interesting experiences they want to share. Fishing, surfing, skydiving, whatever you've got, let me know.

Seasonal limbo

We're in that fuzzy grey area here in the Northeast right now. The fishing is slow, and the temps are down. The upside is the surf has been fairly consistent with some fun swells hitting the shores just about every weekend. Being out in the lineup this time of year when the sun is lower in the sky keeps that dawn patrol feel for the better part of the morning. I'll explain for you non surfers out there. When the sun is low in the sky the waves are back lit , giving the wave what appears to be a lava lampish internal glow. The feeling of dropping down the face of a wave, making your bottom turn and having tons of moving water glowing emerald green while you're zipping down the line is indescribable. It's an amazing combination of elements that we get to play in. Waves that were potentially generated from storms thousands of miles out to sea, lit up by this ball of energy millions of miles away. All coming together for a ride that usually  lasts for maybe 5-10 seconds.

The first dang post

The first post of many for my companies blog. thatdanthing.com is a custom decal company centered around personal achievement and memorable experiences. Reading this blog probably not being one of them. Once I figure this whole thing out, I'll be posting  pics, videos and stories somewhat related to what the idea of the company is all about.