don't remember what i sent ya, but i haven't thought of that one in a while. i'll have to go back and re-read it.

fiddler key, right?

Correct, finished it today. It's one of his longer books, but reads really fast.

Puts a lot of things in perspective.

Love John D McDonald. His last book, Barrier Island, was about forming Gulf Islands National Seashore, very interesting.

haven't read that one yet, i think. best thing about getting old, re-reading favorite books ovar again

LOL That's the one I'm reading now. Sniped a hard cover first edition off ebay for cheap.

Sorry to high-jack the scallop thread Phat. I feel that if one likes scalloping though, they would also dig John D.

no problem, think the scallop thread is about dead anyway

i love to talk jd

are u still reading t mcgee in order

A couple of years ago you mentioned John D. MacDonald in a post.

I have read all but one of James W. Hall's books and identify with his character Thorn quite a bit. In one of the later books in the series Hall gives MacDonald a mention that Thorn had the entire Travis McGee series.

Started off with Darker than Amber that I found at a garage sale. Was hooked on John D after reading the first page. Have accumulated probably 75% of the Travis McGee series through ebay, you, and hit the mother lode of 23 John D. books at Goodwill in St Augustine while on a 3 day vacation last year. It was cool to find them all, but kinda felt bad at the same time, because I'll bet some old dude who thinks and appreciates things like us here probably kicked the bucket and his family cleaned out the house and donated them. Have read Darker than Amber, The Last One Left (which features a 20' T-Craft prominantly, John D's personal boat in real life. Chapter 3 especially talks about the boat and mentions the hull's attributes and offshore racing lineage, much like a 20 footer we all appreciate), Condominium, A Man of Affairs, The Deep Blue Goodby, The Lonely Silver Rain, and currently Barrier Island. Gonna amass the entire McGee series completly before continuing it so I can go in order. Only need a few more.

A few years back I was surfing ebay and ran across a black and white photograph of MacDonald running his 20' T-Craft that was selling for cheap, something like 6 or 7 bucks. Didn't really know much about him at the time, but wished I had because it would be sweet to have that picture hanging in the office or garage.

i started to read them after i heard the buffett song "incommunicado" around 1981. has a line "Travis McGee stil in Cedar Key, that's what ol Jonh McDonald has said". had a friend who was working in a book store, so i asked her about it. she brought me a copy of "The Empty Copper Sea". i was hooked.

i also went to University of South Florida in 74 & graduated in 76. while there i worked at the campus radio station. he would come and lecture every now and then. never went and saw him or gave him any notice. always regetted that. also dated a girl who lived on siesta key in sarasota where he had a home. her parents knew him. probably could have met him that way

hind sight is 20-20...

I hear they're killing it in Steinhatchee this year and the nearby areas. Nice scallop! That is huge.

I wore my go pro rafting this year and put it on a ball cap fit very tight. When I dive, I always pull a hood over it. I've nearly lost it before.

I want to go so bad, but can't find a babysitter to help the wife watching our 2 boys for me to break away and go. With a colicky 2 month old, and a 2 year old with a SERIOUS attitude problem(who gets MANY attitude adjustements daily), it's more than I want to stick her with for a day. Maybe next year I'll be able to go. That and with my hip the last thing I want to happen is get in the water and my hip go out and be stuck trying to fight the current back to the boat. I'm waiting for the mackeral run to come back in full force as I think my 2 year old will ride in the boat for that one.