Congratulations to Ms. Jessie Lashley, recipient of the 2021-2022 Seadrift Masonic Lodge #1098 Scholarship Fund program.

Service Club Scholarships
The POC Service Club is proud to announce that they are honoring these well-deserving Calhoun High School Graduates by awarding each with a $750.00 Scholarship!! We congratulate them, and wish them the very best in their quest for higher education! Congratulations, Brianna, Madison, Tarah, and John!! We are so very proud of you!!

Brianna Craighead

Madison Hawes

Tarah Munsch

John Rosenboom

Neal Crumley, Green Beret

Neal Crumley loves the small town life. He says, “Enjoying small town life is my passion. The best thing is NO traffic.”

Neal loves fishing and has been a Seadrift fishing guide for fifteen years. His grandfather and his dad used to come to Seadrift to fish since Neal was nine years old. Neal has this to say about being on the bay, “Fish, or no fish, it’s always a wonderful experience on the bay. It’s always exciting and you never know what you are going to catch.”

Coming into Seadrift, Neal has brought with him a wealth of experience in electrical work, and most notably, his time serving our Country as a Green Beret.
The Green Berets was a special operations force of the United States Army. They were not only known for their distinctive service, but also, for their distinctive headgear.

Neal had to go through eighteen months of specialized training (eighteen months, to be exact!). His tour of duty was in the country of Panama where he and other Green Berets trained soldiers in field operations. Neal specialized in demolitions.

Because of his military experience, Neal felt the need to reach out to disabled veterans. When the Combat Marines contacted Butch Hodges about helping some of these disabled veterans some thirteen years ago, Neal Crumley was one of the first persons to help kick it off.

Combat Marines is a non-profit organization that supports our wounded and disabled veterans by hosting groups with cook-offs and fishing or hunting trips. This is no small order since it involves securing housing, arranging fishing trips, planning meals, and fund raising.

Neal says, “The Combat Marines are a wonderful group of people. The people they host are always a wonderful group of guys. It’s fun to see all the pleasure they get from going on these trips. They have a good time.”

Thank you, Neal! And thank you, Combat Marines, and everyone in our area who reach out to our country’s veterans! We salute and honor you!

You can find out more about Combat Marines by going to

Neil Crumley

Editor’s Note: Larry Wegeman began building this 2/3 scale PT Boat in 2004. He has been reporting to us on his progress since 2010. (The previous report can be found in the Dolphin Talk December, 2014 issue.)

Photo by Bill Tigrett

April 18, 2022

I’ve never seen a crane up close, so with no idea what it could do or not do, I was worried. Could the crane reach the boat over the balcony on the house? And what about the concrete driveway? … would it break? And to move the boat would take a professional boat mover. Would he manage the crane, and worst of all….what is all of this going to cost?

The boat mover was Ultimate Boat Movers out of Clear Lake, Texas and he arranged for a 100 ton crane. All I could see were dollar signs. The date was set during the week. Traffic would be light.

It was a Monday and the movers were first to arrive. The caravan included one semi and three pickups. In short order the huge yellow monster arrived. It was a crane named MAXIM from Maxim Crane Works and with more wheels than a locomotive. The driver asked how thick the concrete was and started sizing up the next move. Then another semi appeared. It was with the crane and included no less than 2000 lbs of ballistic for the crane and four 4’x4’ steel frames with 3/4 inch plate steel too and bottom. They had to be heavy. I watched as the crane placed these frames around the crane where the crane’s legs would rest. The legs extended out and onto the frames then the boom started telescoping upward…..80 feet …90…. 100 feet.

The workmen were bustling all the time; getting the trailer in place, attaching lines to the boat, and managing the sling around the center lines of the boat that I thought weighed 25,000 lbs. Most of the time I was holding my breath. Then it happened, almost like magic and quite unbelievable. The boat started to rise. Bill Tigrett was taking photos. The boat rose and swung out into the street and onto the trailer. The workmen were ready with landing stands as the boat came down. Bill Tigrett got into his truck and ahead on the boat trailer. He would guide the trailer around two hairy turns. Remember the boat is 52 feet long and extended out quite a bit from the back of the trailer. On the trailer’s rear the sign read ‘WIDE LOAD’.

Unloading went smoothly. Blocks were already in place. Nevertheless the crew added two metal auger-type stands.

The boat was moved to an area behind Sonny’s Marine.

After two years of just sitting, I will look for water damage, then sand and paint. I’ll fiberglass as needed. When painting, there will be no changes in color.

The big job will be lining up the engine to the drive shaft through three bearings, two outside the boat. When the engine is in neutral, the propeller should turn freely.

Next to enclose the driveshaft so seawater cannot enter. I need to install a driveshaft and rudder.

I have a three year lease with Sonny’s Marine and hope to finish by then. My goal is to live on the boat.

Kids Fishing Tournament & Kite Flying Contest
Sat., May 28 – King Fisher Beach

May is associated with graduations and Memorial Day. We are very proud that we could provide Tarah Munsch with a $1000 scholarship. Tarah is a senior at Calhoun High School and resides with her family here in Port O’ Connor. She plans on attending Tarleton State University in the Fall.

Memorial Day is quickly approaching, and we are excited to once again host the Kids Fishing Tournament and Kite Flying contest on May 28th from 8:30-3:00. Visit our website to register for the fishing tournament at kidsfish@portoconnorchamber.com or in person beginning at 7:30 a.m. on the day of. Age categories are 3-6, 7-10, and 11-12. Trophies are given for each age group for Biggest Fish / Smallest Fish / Most Fish. There will be drinks and snacks again this year for all the participants and parents. So, bring the kids, the rods and reels, and tackle. Free registration begins at 7:30 am. Bait will be provided.

Since 2010, the Port O’Connor Chamber of Commerce has been sponsoring the Annual Kite Flying Contest at Kingfisher Beach. With the wind, in all its glory, it should be a great day to come out to the beach and fly your kite. All ages are welcome, all varieties of kites are welcome, and most of all let’s have some fun and enjoy the great outdoors. Registration begins at 12:30 and we will start at 1pm. Prizes are awarded for participants and winners!!

We welcome our new and renewing members for this month, Rafter J Construction, First Mate Vacation Rentals, Kim Goulden Fishing, Scully’s Sports Bar & Grill, Sign Crafters, Urban Surveying, Josie’s Mexican Food & Cantina, Robert and Patricia Strong.

Remember to visit the calendar to stay up to date on all the local events. https://business.portoconnorchamber.com/events/calendar

Ready For Rain and Lighter Winds

Greetings from the island everyone.  I hope that everyone is doing well, and getting acclimated to these rising pre-Summer temps that we have been having.
I certainly know that every late Spring and into Summer, the temps are gonna rise and the four month cycle of hellish south Texas heat is gonna be with us. . . and every year those temps seem to be getting hotter.  Without researching it, I’m certain the temperatures might only rise a negligible amount, if any at all, so I‘ve  gotta think that it’s my rising age that simply cannot handle the heat as well as my younger years.  I’m telling you right now, from June-October, during the heat of the day, my rotund (notably plump) body is finding shade and a Yeti mug, full to the brim, of cold sweet iced tea!  Would it be more bearable for me if a few pounds were shed?. . probably, but I’m in a current state of denial about that.
The one blessing that I have out here with the heat lately, is that the three week sustained SE 20-30 mph winds are making it a tad more bearable than calm winds would.  I honestly cannot recall the south and southeast winds blowing this hard for this extended amount of time.  It makes for a very rough bay, and tons of sand blowing across the island from the beach side.  Some good friends have a little place near the dunes, and the loose flour-like sand is basically trying to accumulate and cover their place up!   Hang in there, Dune Dog Key group, the winds will eventually subside and hopefully some very much needed rain will arrive and pack everything down.

Speaking of rain, or lack thereof, it’s beginning to get dire out here.  For only the third time in my 16+ years full time island residing, I’m having to run a hose and slowly pump well water into my rain tanks, in order to maintain a fresh water supply inside the cabin.  And I know it’s only a matter of time, if the drought continues, that the underground fresh water table, which is kept high by rainfall, will also begin dropping to a critical level.  Just have to keep the faith that the heavens will eventually open up and the rains will fall.  I will graciously wait, and will certainly be thankful to Him for providing.  Thank you, Bruce, for the reminder.

Without rain, I’m having to keep my tomato plants watered every few days in an effort to keep them healthy and growing.  I got a square bale of hay last week from Stanley at Melstans, and I am using it to mulch around all of my plants to help keep the moisture in the soil. . .whatever it takes during this very dry period.  For the most part the tomato plants are doing well, and I’m looking forward to delicious sandwiches and large fried green tomatoes in a few months.

Well that’s it from the island for now.  Everyone take care, have a great day,  stay cool and please say a little prayer for rain in our area.