Capt. Jim Kalvin
I ran into an old friend a few weeks ago and he said, “Hey – I enjoyed your column last month!” My response was, “oh….so YOU’RE the one who reads it!” We shared a laugh, and talked a bit about the old days on the Naples waterfront. One thing we both acknowledged is that no matter what changes might have taken place on dry land, Gordon’s Pass, Keewaydin Island, and the Ten Thousand Islands have remained pretty much the same over the years. We agreed that we were lucky to have grown up here and been able to enjoy this resource for what amounts to half a century.
Easter is behind us, and it’s “that time of year” – the time of year that I write about during all of the other times of the year. Summer-time – clear water, calm seas, lots of bait, deserted wrecks and dive spots, and time to enjoy it. With that, however, comes those predictably unpredictable afternoon thunderstorms. A lot of us will get caught out in one, only then to remember that we need to keep a rain slicker or wind-breaker in the console until next Fall. From the standpoint of your vessel, make sure that your scheduled maintenance has been done. If you’re overdue for service, have it done now. With water temperatures warming up, your old water pump impellor is going to change. It’ll become more pliable and will not feed the water pressure that it did when the water was cooler. This can lead to over-heating or at the very least, running your engine at a higher temperature than designed. Symptoms of that may include shortening the life of your engine. Remember that “maintenance” and “repairs” are two separate words. Maintenance is what we do to avoid the high cost of repairs.
One other thing that crossed my mind the other day, as I was sitting in the waiting room of my dermatologist’s office, was that I have to be more aware of the summer sun. My bi-annual visits to Dr. Buck have become a guessing game of “how many spots are we going to remove this trip?” Those “50 years on the Naples waterfront” have taken their toll on my outer layers and I’m paying the price for all of those great tans that I sported as a teenager. Make sure you have adequate shade, and sunscreen. There is a plethora of sporty and durable wide-brimmed hats that’ll protect your face, ears, and neck. And there are also a lot of light styled long-sleeved dry-fit shirts that will offer protection without being too hot. Make sure the sunscreen that you choose is water-proof and that it won’t roll down into your eyes if you break a sweat (I hate that!). It stings like crazy.
So…get your boat ready for the summer, re-string those reels, and get your dive gear checked out. The bait is brimming, the kingfish are moving in and the water is getting clearer by the day. Traffic in and on the waterways will be diminishing by the day as seasonal folks return home for the summer. I tell my clients all the time that they’ve got it backwards – they come down as soon as the water gets cold & choppy and they leave just as it starts to get nice again! With the events of the past few months, it’ll be good to get out on the water and relax a little.
Remember to support your local businesses. Give the internet shopping a rest, and go and see your local marine retailers. Check the advertisers in this issue and let them know that you are here to support them – as they are here to serve you.
Jim Kalvin is a local Florida native, a licensed U.S. Coast Guard 100 Ton Master, and a local Marine Contractor. He can be reached through kcmcfl.com , e-mailed at james.kalvin61@gmail.com, or by phone at 239-280-6054.
