Sedge Field Experience, Not......By Alexi

The Children and Parents are ready

     What a complete letdown for a great group of kids.  Haley was going to participate in Sedge Island Field Experience, she's been amped for weeks. Months, really... since she applied, and got the recommendation of a teacher, and wrote an entrance essay, and got chosen to be one of the twelve participants. They were all ready to go on the dock.  Luggage on the pontoon boat.  Fishing rods in the rod holders. Prepared for a five day overnight camp at the Sedge House!  When last minute, and I mean very last minute, it was cancelled.   Apparently there was a small fire at the Sedge House (WE don't know when) and there was some cosmetic damage that hadn't been fixed, and so word from above (I'm guessing the N.J. Department of Environmental Protection) was that the kids couldn't stay there.  

     Wendy I were paddling around waiting for the pontoon boat to launch.  After about an hour I got several unknown phone calls.  I kind of thought it might have been Haley, so I answered, and she was obviously upset.   Wendy and I paddled over to the boat and got a little bit of the story.  Propane tank, fridge, bla bla bla.......

Alexi and Haley paddle back to the launch

     I tried to rescue the day by having Haley at least catch some bluefish, but the wind and current were against us, and for good reason her heart wasn't in it.  While Haley and Wendy went to the sit on the beach and contemplate life and all of its complications, I went to Snake Ditch and caught a 20" Fluke (second cast, BT gulp combo.) 

   Now we are awaiting an e-mail explanation with rescheduling options.  No matter what, it will be a letdown of sorts. Even though she's only twelve, we were all rooting for Haley to come back from SIFA with some pertinent information in respect to our fishing blog.  Also...I was very interested in seeing what the inside of the Sedge House looked like. Some day we may find out...