Shrimp Boatin'

PATRICK TOURS A SHRIMP BOAT AND TAKES A BOAT RIDE
There are lots of shrimp boats in Bayou le Batre [which is a waterfront town very close to Dauphin Island] In the Springtime, there is a "Blessing of the Fleet" Sunday-all the boats are really decorated up, there is a boat parade, and the shrimp boats are blessed by the priest. A good friend of my grandparents took us on a tour of his shrimp boat, and even took us for a boat ride.

Seeing Mr. Perry's boat made us understand why when something is really clean, people say it is "ship-shape"-just look at how everything is so spanking clean that it gleams and shines and is "ship-shape"-! That is me in the door, "helping" a deck hand.

Maybe one day I can be a captain and take a boat out to sea- - - - - - - -


Yes ! Maybe I can!

I talked to one of the deck hands

----while he was taking a break before our boat ride--

Look at all the complicated rigging on a shrimp boat! How do they EVER know what goes where? The lights are in the rigging because shrimpers shrimp at night also. My parents and grandparents say that Alabama wild caught shrimp are the best in the universe! I think so too.

Shrimp boat lit up at night in the Gulf of Mexico, off Dauphin Island
In the daytime, Seagulls follow the shrimp boats hoping for a tidbit or fish.


Mr. Perry let me steer the Wheel, and even let me sit in the Captain's chair and try it out- maybe I CAN be a Captain someday like him!

YES !!!!!!!!!!! Maybe I CAN !!!!!!!!!


After our day on the shrimp boat, Mr. Perry and Ms. Jan took us to eat at the Lighthouse-I had fried crab claws. Later there was a pretty sunset---It was a VERY fun day!

All of us enjoyed that day as much as Patrick did- thanks again Jan and Perry! Perry's boat is no longer shrimping, but is now a biological research vessel- but I am 100% sure that Perry and his crew are still keeping it "ship-shape".

See the sunset- below!!



'Til next time------------Love, DD