Wow. What an incredible weekend!
I am so overwhelmed with how things turned out. I can not believe all our friends and family drove up, after work, (some with kids and from MA, RI and CT!) and came to support Chase and I at the Captain's Party. It was a huge success, we raised over $6,000 for the Back Pack Food Program and everyone is already talking about the tournament for next year. I can not thank you all enough, it was such a special weekend, and I truly felt Alec with us every step of the way.
As far as fishing went...Alec certainly did not make it easy for us. Friday morning we met up at Marston's Marina around 8:45. As we were getting the boat ready, we looked up and saw the most beautiful bald eagle fly right in front of us and perch itself on a tree branch across the river. If that wasn't an "Alec Wink" I dont know what is! Our first trip out was not a successful one, but we still managed to have a great time. We fished for mackerel, stripers, blues...and by the end of the day we were desperate to catch anything but all we could bring in were a couple of balls of seaweed and a lobster line or two.
Saturday it was time to catch some serious fish. No late mornings for us, we met at the boat at 5:30 am and figured we would have the timing right in the morning. Once I caught my fish, I was planning on taking a break and heading to the beach. Well, the fish had other plans. After fishing the entire morning, we got skunked once again. No macks, stripers or blues by 1:00 pm. Looks like it was going to be another long day. We finally ran into some blues later that afternoon, my Dad 2...Mike...10....Me...0. That is when I became obsessed and crazy and I was not getting off the damn boat until I had at least one fish! So we picked up Charlotte, got some more fuel and headed back out for the rest of the night. While my family and friends were back at my house, enjoying a lobster bake, I was praying to the fish Gods (and Alec) for just one...just one fish! And, finally, after 13 hours on the boat that day I caught a striper. It was the smallest striper I had ever caught, (19 inches) but it was a striper! A few hours later, we headed in (we got a little greedy and tried to catch a few more, Cha had 2 on, but lost them and Mike caught a big blue). It was such a calm beautiful night, I was tempted to just pull an all nighter and stay out, and I probably should have because I didnt sleep that night anyways.
I thought my Mom was going to call DHS on me, for leaving Chase all day on Saturday, and not getting in until 10 at night. I was exhausted, hungry, dirty (I had a dried worm stuck to my knee and fish guts in my hair) but proud...and a little bit closer to getting my name on that trophy!
Day three was not as much pressure, but I still needed to make sure I would win the biggest fish in the women's division. So we headed back out and I eventually caught a blue fish, Chase was with us so I think he was my lucky charm.
Fishing is easy to get addicted to. I compare it to gambling. "One more hour, that's when they will come, I can feel it" or "Lets move over towards the island, they are there, I just know it!" and "Lets try different bait, I think they want worms, not clams!" And, when it comes down to it, it is pure luck. Sometimes you hit the jackpot and the fish are practically jumping into your boat, sometimes not.
So after almost 30 hours on the boat in 2 and a half days, our boat had a total of 14 fish. One striper and 13 blues. John Moguls boat had one blue, Pete and the UCONN crew had a few mackral and Peter, and his son also only had mackerel. And these are all really good, knowledgeable fishermen who know how to catch fish. The other guys in the tournament whom I did not know had even worse luck, but as Alec use to tell me when I would start to complain or come up with excuses as to why the fish weren't biting..."its why its called fishing and not catching Heath!" True.
Sunday at the awards ceremony, we got the trophy, the team with the biggest average wins, and that was "Team Cyr" which was essentially me, my Dad and Mike, because we were the only three who caught anything on our boat (there were 6 other teams). We WON! And that's all that mattered to me...I kept saying, "I have a reputation to keep, my last name is Cyr...I have a husband who is watching me and I must make him proud!" And I think I succeeded.
John Mogul one the largest blue fish in the mens division, Mike came in second. Some old guy won the biggest striper and I won the largest fish in the women's division (thank God I beat the 15 year old girl who came in second...I swear I was about to push her in the river if she won). And then Team Cyr won the overall tournament. I know Alec is very proud of all of us and I am sure he is so happy we all got to be together, enjoying the one thing he loved to do most in the place that he loved most.
I am glad for one thing...that Alec never got into "tournaments" because I am pretty sure if I was this bad, he would have been worse and he would have probably never gotten off that boat.
It was a fantastic weekend. I am overjoyed in all that took place and all the fun we had. And our (or my) determination and persistence paid off, because we won and the trophy, which will be displayed at the Saco Bay Tackle Shop and then at the Rotary Club and will forever have "Team Cyr 2012" etched in the first plaque. And, special thank you's to my buddies...Leo, Dennis and all those at the Saco Bay Rotary Club, Marstons Marina and Saco Bay Tackle. They did such an awesome job and I am so grateful that Alec could be the face of this tournament. And thank you to all who donated to such a good cause!
Thank you all again, it was a very special weekend and we are truly blessed, Alec lives on through each of us and did so especially last weekend. Being out on his boat, fishing the way he use to, it brought me so close to him, I haven't been that happy in so, so long and it felt so, so good!
Love and Tight Lines!
Heather, Chase and Millie
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