skiff school/vessel of lessons

When Josh was 12 Scott took him to buy a 16’ Carolina Skiff. We had just moved to Crystal River and Josh had basically no boating skills. Scott showed him what to do, asked him if he had any questions and then told him to drive the boat home. Scott told Josh he could do it and so…he did. Two things happened that day.

1. Josh learned that his step dad believed in him and was going to push him to do big things.
2. Josh fell in love with boating

Over the years Josh and his friends learned a lot about life on that skiff. He spent countless days with his buddies exploring the waters, fishing, and breaking about everything that could be broken on a boat. If that skiff could talk, it would tell some big tales.

One time Josh called me after dark and said they lost the prop, that it literally just fell off. They were a considerable distance out from the bay. I asked Josh how he would get the boat home and he told me he didn’t know and that’s why he called. We decided that he and Blaine, his buddy that was with him, were going to have a long night and I told him not to worry about being home for curfew but to make sure that boat was back at the house by morning. After failed attempts to swim the boat in, the boys ended up using a Tupperware container and something like a lid to a five gallon bucket to paddle themselves in. Once they neared the bay, they got out wherever there was a sea wall and walked the boat. I think they managed to get that boat home just before daylight. When I recall this story, it pains me, I wish I could go back and rush to their rescue, but that would have negated the lessons they learned that night. Without doubt, those boys worked together, they kept going when they were tired, they found out the value of resourcefulness. I am also very confident that every single time they have changed a prop since then, they have made sure the cotter pin was right.

There was another time when Josh loaded the boat down with his buddies to go camp for the night at Shell Island. It was a camping trip they had talked about for years and the day finally came when they were doing it. Josh pulled two packs of his venison sausage from the freezer and we talked about weather or not he should pack more food but no, he said everyone would bring something to share for food. I was concerned and made a list of things they would need like sunscreen, lighter fluid, water, bug repellent, etc. I think he sent a text out to the group of what to grab on the way over. I talked to Josh about anchoring the boat to be sure they didn’t misjudge the tides but he assured me he knew more than I about anchoring boats, and he was absolutely right about that. I still remember telling his friends Adam and Chris the same caution of anchoring properly. One friend, I think it was Julian, had begged his parents to let him go and after a full day of chores and convincing they allowed it. The boys were so excited and as quickly as they pulled up to our house, they pushed off in the boat with much anticipation. A boat load of boys headed out to be islanders for a night, the thrill of it made me giggle. Scott handed out solid advice about food, water, fire and most importantly the anchoring of the boat. They were all very appreciative of the advice and acknowledged respectfully with yes sirs and thank you’s and off they went just grinning. As I understand, the night started off great, sunset by the fire cooking up Josh’s hunted venison with great company. Until, they realized the two little packs of sausage was the only food that made it on the boat. They went to bed hungry. When the sun woke the boys up, they realized that the boat was along for the islander adventure too, as it was completely beached, a product of miscalculated anchoring. And, the hunger from the night before was only growing. Julian had to be home for work that afternoon and I think his parents had been stern on him being responsible and getting back for his obligation. He was not going to make that shift as the boat was beached completely but the tide was still going out. Eventually, Josh told me he and another boy decided to start popping open oysters and eating them. He said they were delicious and he told me there’s only one thing better than eating an oyster opened while wading in the water and that was a specific trout. I think his friend Chris refused the raw, slimy protein but as he was standing out in the water looking for oysters for the boys an osprey flew over and dropped a trout right down to Chris! That was the particular trout Josh talked of. I know the sheer excitement over that fish that was dropped from the sky was perhaps the best, ever. Those boys cooked that trout and ate it and of course, they were still starving, but it was likely the best fish they’ll ever eat in their lives. When the boys made it home that evening, they were spent! Sunburned, pocked from bug bites, starving and exhausted. The first thing Josh said to me was “mom, what’s that bread God sprinkled down from heaven?” I answered “Mana”. He said yea, we had a Mana experience. The trout reminded him of a bible story. They never did camp on that island again, but if they would have they absolutely would have brought some much needed and hard earned wisdom.

That skiff helped raise Josh and his buds. They set out to have a good time on that boat when they were middle school boys and wouldn’t you know they grew into men and I give that old skiff plenty of credit for being a vessel of lessons. That boat also was the home to countless good times shared between great friends.

Scott Redrick, thanks for always believing in him and for putting him on a boat. He loved it and he loved you!