We all have dreams- Big Rock Blue Marlin Tournament

Some folks just dream bigger than others. Then there are some of us who are happy with something less than a 400 lb Blue Marlin.

These boats are docked in Beaufort, NC after a day's fishing in the Big Rock Blue Marlin Tournament.

The boats in the tournament are not exactly what most anglers use to chase fish.  These are expensive boats chasing a big prize.

The flying bridge would be a pretty spot to watch for big fish assuming the seas are calm like they were Tuesday.

So far the biggest fish landed in this year's tournament is around 475 lbs.

My dreams are considerably smaller.  I have always wanted to have a boat and spend some time enjoying North Carolina's wonderful coastal waters.

This dream has taken a while to achieve.

Last year I took the US Coast Guard Auxiliary's Boating course.  I spent lot of the winter checking out boat dealers. 

Mostly I tracked down locals around Cape Carteret and solicited their advice on what boat would be right for wandering around Bogue Sound and the White Oak River.

We ended up settling on a Sundance 20 ft. Skiff.  My partner and I are convinced that you really can't enjoy the Crystal Coast without a boat.

Tuesday we picked up the boat.  We had a nice orientation trip around Morehead City, then trailered the boat back to Cape Carteret.

Wednesday morning I spent three hours with a boating instructor.  We launched the boat at our ramp in Bluewater Cove and followed the buoys down to Swansboro.

Then we head over to the Point at Emerald Isle for a short ride in the ocean and then came back to the Intracoast Waterway and turned around just before the Emerald Isle Bridge.

It was a great trip in a beautiful area.

Today I took my wife and oldest daughter on my first trip without a really experienced boater to help out if problems arose.  I managed to take us down to Swansboro and then I noticed the wind picking up.

I decided we should head back up the White Oak. It got pretty cool on the way hoem, but  I managed to get us back home and tied up at the dock without any difficulty.

While my dream wasn't catching a huge Blue Marlin in the Big Rock Tournament, it was an important one for me.

I think my partner and I are going to have a lot of fun chasing some flounder and some other coastal fish.  I would like to make it up to Cape Lookout one of these days, but I have to build up my skill level before I attempt a trip like that.

Right now I am just looking forward to finding a couple of good fishing holes in the White Oak and maybe over in Bogue Sound.  Some  pan fried flounder will be prize enough for me.