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Mark Twain writes about the word in a chapter on New Orleans in Life on the Mississippi (1883). He called it "a word worth travelling to New Orleans to get": We picked up one excellent word a word worth travelling to New Orleans to get; a nice limber, expressive, handy word "lagniappe." They pronounce it lanny-yap. It is the equivalent of the thirteenth roll in a "baker's dozen." It is something thrown in, gratis, for good measure. So it is, this blog is intended as a little something extra.
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Captain Charles Crispin – Off to Bimini
Charles and I were keeping in touch on the phone one afternoon last summer. As we were catching up on family, friends and other things personal and professional, Charles mentioned he was taking his son, Wade and some of his friends on a short trip to Bimini. First of all, Charles had to update his geographically challenged cousin as to exactly where Bimini actually was.
As our discussion continued, an idea formed that it might be a good idea if I joined them. I could bring my video camera and shoot a family video that could memorialize the father-son trip.
Bimini, located about 60 miles from Ft. Lauderdale, FL, is said to have in its ocean surrounding the islands to be one of the world’s top big-game fishing spots. For the last 20 years, Charles and his father, Sam, had extensively sailed and fished these waters with much success. This trip would involve Captain Charles, his son, Wade, and their novice crew targeting key fishing areas in both shallow and deep waters.
The first step was towing Charles’ Yellowfin from his Okeechobee ranch to Ft. Lauderdale. The seas had been rough during the earlier part of the week due to a severe weather front, so traveling the extra miles to Ft. Lauderdale rather than his Stuart home port would cut the distance by 2/3.
Cousin Charles is a friendly, outgoing sort. Captain Charles, on the other hand is a very focused, experienced ship captain who’s paramount concern is the safety of his crew and condition of his boat. There is no detail that is overlooked to ensure his boat and crew make the most of their trip. Although, the trip is meant to be fun, Captain Crispin is always all business when either preparing to sail or when sailing. When the boat was in motion, so was Captain Charles, checking charts, preparing fishing rods, securing outriggers, checking bait wells and finally his passengers, all to ensure a safe pleasurable trip.
Finding the bait was first on our priority. The right, fresh bait yields the best catch. We arrived at the perfect spot in the middle of the vast ocean and Charles cast his net. With the first throw, the net was filled. There was a cry of “baits!” and everyone scrambled to grab each squirming fish and throw them in the bait well. With full bait wells, Captain Charles and his merry crew charted a course for deep waters. Finally arriving in the deep, blue water, the captain readied the Yellowfin for deep sea fishing.
The special electric reel with sash weights, multiple hooks and a flashing strobe were cast to the ocean’s bottom. Within minutes multiple strikes guaranteed there would be grouper tonight. Wade cast his line and hooked a 65 pound yellowfin tuna. Mark, too, cast his line and hooked a 200 pound shark. When he yelled to the captain, “What should I do now?” Captain Charles replied, “We’ll cut the line! No one here, will wrestle that shark in this boat, today!”
Previously, as part of the bait catching process, Wade hooked a barracuda. The vicious catch refused to give up even after Captain Charles expertly gaffed it. Still thrashing its supple, powerful body and snapping its razor sharp teeth, he was finally interred in the ship’s iced coffin box. Later, he was the bait that caught Wade’s tuna.
What made the trip and this new experience so memorable for this land bound sailor was the ease in which the ship’s captain sailed and fished Bimini’s ocean waters. The decades of experience of its waters and islands manifested itself in the confidence projected by its captain. This made it seem as though there was nothing we would encounter that we could not either enjoy or overcome.
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