It was during the summer of 2000 when my dad told me that he wanted to take me deep sea fishing again. I had gone before on 1995. Then, I was probably about 8 or 9 years old and my brother still lived with us. I remember that trip but not that well. We went on a Party Boat called the New Buccaneer, which could hold a capacity of about 100 people. It departed from pier 19 in Galveston, Texas. I believe I fished the right side of the vessel. Bait and tackle were already provided. we caught many fish...mainly angelfish and red snapper. Other people caught sharks and about 5 different variety of fish. As for me I only caught angelfish, but their were an abundant supply of red snapper. So many that people had to hand them down to the deck hands, then from the deck hands to the little kids, which they proudly didn't even reach to the bottom where the big game were. that's what happened to me. The sinker alone weighed proudly about 2 pounds. You can't really tell if you got something or if its just the drag. in the end everybody maxed out on red snapper, which was our goal. My brother caught and released some big fish which I guess was undersized.

My dad had told me of a friend that owned a beach house on Crystal Beach which is right in Galveston. All you got to do is cross on the ferry boat to the island and drive a little further north and you're there is called the Bolivar Peninsula. We usually go to Freeport, just 30 miles north west, but we were still familiar with Galveston. Anyway we still had the brochure from the last trip, and it gave up a detailed map on how to get there.

The day had finally come. Were going to stay for three days. The first for an early start the next morning. The second day will be the 12 hour fishing trip on the New Buccaneer. My sisters on the other hand would go swimming and ride around the island. We all would stay the night and leave the next morning.

The first day we pack up and drove Down to the beach house. We arrived at around 3:00 P.M. The beach house was perfect. It was two stories but the first was a garage and storage area. The 2nd floor had a TV, VCR 2 bedrooms, 2 air conditioning units (one had to be manually installed), a recliner, fold out couch, and everything you need to cook. Out side was a beautiful patio which had a clear view of the ocean for if was only 3 or so houses from the beach. I didn't like going in the water at the time because I saw many pointy needles like that of a catfish spine, which I will soon find out to be true.

After we unpacked, we all decided that it was too hot and we were to hungry to stay there. So we left the air conditioning on to cool the house while we were gone. We traveled back and forth looking for Panchos, a Mexican Restaurant, but we never did find it. So instead we stopped in at some restaurant that had a buffet of sea food and many other food. chicken, salad and steak. My sisters had nachos and maybe a little bit of chicken. My mom and dad ate well, but mom was disappointed we didn't wait another hour for the shrimp buffet to start. But I don't think she really minded afterwards for they already had some shrimp going. I was about 2 hours till dusk when we decided it was time to leave.

On every ferry boat trip, we love to stand on the side or front and watch the waves go by see an occasional jellyfish or dolphin. I fells so nice to have the wind blowing in the wind. Watch other ship drive by is cool cause it make waves and when our boat collides with them, everyone on the front gets wet.

When we arrive back at the beach house, I took a short walk for about 10 minutes. I walked right along the water line, their are little rivers of water that are off set like a splinter sticking out of a board. Before you know it your surrounded by water. Although it is only just 3 feet across, its murky water and I had seen a couple of crabs just a second ago. I started back, but the rising tide don't help. On my way back to the beach house I can see my family walking down the street. They have finally decided to join me. I meet up with them and got the key from my dad and went back to the beach house. The sand in between my toes and under my foot was really gravating. I just washed it off downstairs on the fauset just before the flight of stairs to the second floor.

I spent a few minuets taping with our video recorder just before going to bed on the fold out couch. We watched most of Forest Gump but decided it was late and we had to wake up early the next morning...

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