# Fair Warning!



## LopeAlong (May 23, 2011)

Ship wakes will wreck your rig!! In Ft Morgan for a few hours last night. Heard it coming but by then it was too late. Thankfully had time to get off the bow, motor down and started and the genny off. Just some water in the boat. Nothing tore up. Went and checked on the other giggers in the area. They all saw the ship leave so they were fine. Coulda been bad so if you ever go down there


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## bamafan611 (Mar 1, 2010)

*Ft Morgan*

Lope I posted the same warning last Fall.Watched a ship go by a couple of miles away and next thing you know 4 footers breaking on the flat I was on. Put the jenny on the seat and now you're in the dark getting hammered. To shallow to drop the motor and you're trolling motor is airborne. Finally get her in deeper water and she is about 6 inches from the rail of being full of water. Fire drill at that point. Luckily I had a heavy duty automatic bilge pump installed and had her pumped out in about 20 minutes. Got back to the landing and a young man runs up and said they had sunk on the point. Loaded him up and ran to the point and they were in bad shape. They were in a jon boat and it was under water. Towed it as close to the beach as we could and started bailing. Their motor was toast, but got them back to the landing. If you see any ship in the distance, get to deeper water period immediately. I've seen this happen several times since and was ready, but if you are shallow it's a bad deal. If you're on a flat there is no where to run and the waves actually suck the water out from under your boat and makes it even worse. If you can get deeper, it's still a rollercoaster, but managable. BE CAREFUL OUT THERE, completely different than the back bayous.


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## flounderslayerman (Jun 3, 2011)

Glad you're alright Lope. I've heard the ship wake horror stories for years.


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## sail7seas (Oct 2, 2007)

Glad you made it through it ok. Could have been a bad night. I have never gigged at fort morgan but about 10 years ago a buddy and i were surf fishing at night on the the gulf side of the fort. We watched a ship coming in and thought nothing of it. 10 minutes later 3 of our 4 poles and pvc holders get sucked out from the ship waves. We went swimming and managed to get them back. I cant imagine being on a flounder rig in shallow water with that mess coming at you.


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## Flounder9.75 (Sep 28, 2007)

The Late Armand Annan Charter Boat Capt. Called those the "Silent Service" 
And if you Flounder the bay much your going to get it. I've had a few close calls and one bad one that caught me kinda sideways and took my boat out from under me. Luckily I was able to jump and land on my feet in about crotch deep water. The bad part was I was right on the beach and it washed the back of the boat up on the beach good thing it was low tide and the bank was kinda steep. I was steppin and fetchin trying ot get to the back of the boat and use the next set of 3-4 waves to get my boat back in the water. 
On this side we can't see the ships coming or going so you just got to be on guard all the the time. 
Also over here we have 3 big supply boat that run in and out of Island and I think they push a bigger wave than the ship do some time.


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## LopeAlong (May 23, 2011)

That was my first time down there. In retrospect there was 2 old timers that just suddenly left. That obviously wasnt their first rodeo. I spend a lot of time on tve water and it still freaked me out. Can not imagine someone truly green and being in there with those rolling in. Boogered up the water so after checking on everyone in was nice to met/greet those guys.


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## jspooney (Oct 2, 2007)

thanks, didn't ever think of this!


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## Catchin Hell (Oct 9, 2007)

Sounds like you guys need a bell buoy installed for safety. Glad to hear no one was hurt.


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## jspooney (Oct 2, 2007)

I have a feeling it won't happen again


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## Flounder9.75 (Sep 28, 2007)

http://www.panoramio.com/photo/48672799?source=wapi&referrer=kh.google.com

Supply Boat on the move


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## LopeAlong (May 23, 2011)

So you you all know, even big ships are responsible for their wake. Just note the time it happens and you'll find the ship responsible.


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## LopeAlong (May 23, 2011)

Flounder9.75 said:


> http://www.panoramio.com/photo/48672799?source=wapi&referrer=kh.google.com
> 
> Supply Boat on the move


That's one of those hybrid crew/utility boats. Those things throw some water!


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