AKUA Boat Fenders

With corona virus shutting down normal, everyday life, fishing and boating make for the perfect outing to get away and still adhere to the virus restrictions. These activities are safe to enjoy without potentially spreading the virus further. They allow you to savor the great outdoors, whether it is crappie fishing on an inviting farm pond, canoeing down one of the many rivers / streams of Missouri, or boating on your state's lakes. Relive the joy of catching a crappie,feeling the sun on your face, and the pleasure as your boat idles along. Keep our country safe, protect your loved ones, and together we will get through this.

One of the great perks of fall is deer hunting, and more specifically, youth deer hunting. My grandson, Willie, went deer hunting for his first time. He was invited to hunt on a very inviting piece of land overlooking the Missouri River Valley. The beautiful fall day transitioned into late afternoon with the temperature hovering around 50 degrees, as he and his hunting partner ventured off to a perfectly placed deer stand. After waiting patiently for at least 90 minutes without seeing anything and with the sun fading fast, the duo spotted a deer. Immediately, Willie’s gun and scope had the deer in the cross hairs. Without hesitation, shaking, or procrastination (buck fever!), Willie pulled the trigger, and the deer collapsed right on the spot, having received a direct blow to the heart. A 105 yard shot leading to a hunter’s first kill makes for an exciting inaugural deer hunting trip. When I asked Willie what my take was, he grinned and said,”A stick of deer sausage to go with your cold beer.” Way to go, Willie!

A few weeks ago I headed out to Rocky Mountain National Park. I enjoyed a week of camping, hiking, and trout fishing. Although quite rainy, it was a refreshing getaway from Boone County’s August heat. One memorable hike was to Odessa Lake - an alpine lake tucked deep into the valley. I made my around the scenic lake fishing for greenback trout. I didn’t catch much, but as the adage says... a bad day fishing is better than a good day at the office.

Last week my granddaughter was talking to me about how she doesn’t like to fish. This was not a surprise to me, but I wanted to know why. The first answer I received was that fishing is boring. She instead prefers high energy activities, such as tennis or soccer, opposed to the unhurried nature of fishing. An additional reason she gave me was that she didn’t like to catch and release the fish, as she never learned how to take the hook out without getting her hands dirty. I told her that the thing about fishing is patience and freeing your mind. Fishing is an art that takes time to master. Go out, enjoy nature, the quiet, don’t worry about the fish, and then you will start to appreciate all that fishing has to offer.

One of the best things about running my own business is getting to talk to happy customers. Recently I was talking to Bud from South Carolina about AKUA's fenders; he placed an order; tried them out and called to tell me how pleased he was. Thought I would share his writing about our product with you. Click on the link below.

New Boat Fenders New Boat Fenders

I got my first boat show invitation today...and did I ever need it. After 15 inches of snow, many over-cast days, and bone-chilling temperatures, the thought of a boat in the water and the sun on my back is keeping me going. Boat shows let me know that warmer weather is on its way.

You can tell that spring is just around the corner. AKUA Boat Fenders is going around the clock and on week-ends too. Hopefully, boat owners will soon be able to jump in their boats and enjoy a day on the water. We've had several friends send us fishing success photos. Congratulations to Jeff-after several back surgeries, he is back to catching his limit. A special congratulations to Mitch for his 5.9 pound prize-winning bass caught at Lake of the Ozarks. Warm weather is coming!

Wanted to post some pictures that go with the last post. Thanks again to everyone for the memorial dedication at Centralia High School.

A special thanks goes to Greg Wilson and Centralia High School for the memorial dedication held Monday, Nov. 6. Two memorials, one honoring Centralia graduates killed in action in the View Nam era and one honoring “All past, present, and future military veterans who fought for their country with honor, dignity, and grace.”, were dedicated. The Centralia High School student body was in attendance as well as alumni, families of the victims, and members of the Centralia VFW. From the trumpet playing The Star-Spangled Banner, the raising of the American flag, and the saying of the Pledge of Allegiance to the final playing of Taps, the ceremony reminded us of the sacrifices made so we could have the freedoms we enjoy today. A good way to start off the week of Veterans Day.

Yesterday was a perfect day in mid-Missouri. Sunny, 75 degrees, a light breeze. It was a gorgeous day for boating; but, today, something took precedence--my grandson's first dove hunt. First task-putting the plug in his new 12 gauge. Having the spring almost hit the ceiling just made the day more exciting. Having our golden retriever, Happy, grab the cap that kept the barrel in made for a lively chase. Then it was time to go. Encouraged by a previous weekend of s***t shooting, Willie was pumped. His eyes got big when I told him that all the birds he saw flying were doves. The hunt was on. Willie shot his first dove and a dove hunter emerged. What an unforgettable experience for grandpa and grandson.

Happy was mad; he wouldn't keep his cap on so he couldn't go. Rileigh got to go and retrieve the birds; she was a well-behaved dog.

Our hearts are aching for the people of the Hurricane Harvey area. Watching the devastation reminds us that our troubles are truly small compared to what they are facing. But…when we see heroic people in action we are reminded that there is indeed goodness in this world. Kudos to Bass Pro for loaning 80 boats to help with rescue; to Missouri Task Force 1 and our friend Adam for being part of a rescue team; to the many people who have donated their time, money, and muscle. A special thanks goes to the 5th grader who gave her collector American Girl doll, Emily, to a 6-year-old who had lost her Emily and everything else to the flood. As the hurricane victims work through this disaster, may we be encouraged by the stories of neighbor helping neighbor no matter how far away they may be.