October 5, 2024 • 48 mins
This is the Big Bend Outdoors Show with Joel Baldree
Original Airdate 10.05.24
Today's guests include: Captain Kenny Mullins, Dale Bessey, and special guest host Captain Paul Tyre
Tune in to new episodes every Saturday at 8am on 96.5 The Spear in Tallahassee and on demand with the free iHeartRadio app
Original Airdate 10.05.24
Today's guests include: Captain Kenny Mullins, Dale Bessey, and special guest host Captain Paul Tyre
Tune in to new episodes every Saturday at 8am on 96.5 The Spear in Tallahassee and on demand with the free iHeartRadio app
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Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:01):
This is the Big Bend Outdoor Show with Joel Baldry.
Today's guest include Captain Kenny Mullins Dale Bessie. Here's your
special guest host, Captain Paul Tyre.
Speaker 2 (00:14):
Guys, welcome to the Big Bend Outdoor Show on ninety
six point five The Spear. We got a special guest
today with mister Dale Bessie, and we got our producer
back there, mister Jared.
Speaker 3 (00:24):
Captain Joel Baltrey is currently Yes, him and Tanner and Kenny.
All the members of the show, all the captains are
currently in Keaton now. Kenny, Captain Kenny, he's been up
in Georgia helping family members there. His sister got hit
really hard with trees everywhere, and they got that one
(00:46):
cleaned up. Tanner and Joel Baltrey. You can't say enough
good about these two men. They have devoted themselves over
the past week over there in Keaton Beach area and
helping each other out as well with their homes and
and all. But they're over there with their airboats and
(01:07):
currently right now, I guess, uh, President, uh, what's this
but Biden, Yeah, he's yeah, Miss he's over there as well,
walking around and anyhow, he's over there checking it out,
looking around and everything. In the meantime, Uh, it's the
locals that are boots on the ground getting things done,
like uh, you know, mister Joel Baltry, and here's Joel.
(01:32):
You go bring them up, Joel.
Speaker 4 (01:33):
You there, Yes, there he is.
Speaker 3 (01:36):
Man. We're just bragging you up. And we talked about
that's right. There's people like you that make things work
and get things done. We obviously, uh, you know, as
much as we like to think we can rely on
the government to do anything, we really can't. It's people
like you and Tanner and and Kenny and all the
other volunteers out there that are making it work. Right now,
(01:59):
I understand that the resident is over there taking a
peek and looking around. And now I guess he'll jump
on his plane and go back after he gets his photo. Ops.
Speaker 5 (02:09):
Yeah, they don't. They won't let us back up there.
Right now. I got a Trump flag flying on my airboat,
so he might be kind of salty about that. Ah.
Speaker 3 (02:17):
There you go. See, he don't want to ride on
your airboat because it's probably not you know why he
don't want to be on the air boat And it's
not the flag. But it's because it's not battery powered.
Speaker 5 (02:29):
Oh, man, I tell you a lot of residents don't
want him down here. They got Trump flags everywhere.
Speaker 3 (02:35):
Well, the thing about it is, you know, whether it's president,
whether it's the president, the governor, or whoever it is.
I think there's a time and a place for everything,
and right now it's not the time. You got too
many people trying to get things done. And when that happens.
I'm not an expert on security when it comes to
government officials, but normally when that happens, man, so many
(02:56):
people get put out of the way just so they
can get in right. And it's I don't understand what
he's doing, but you know there's a lot of other
people that don't too.
Speaker 5 (03:07):
That's right. Yeah, the secret services down here, they got
it all walled up or you can't get up there.
But uh, we got a man. We find a lot
of stuff out here right now. I'm on top of
some docks right now. Don't found the safe between Cedar
Island and Keaton Dune. Found all kinds of stuff. Man,
it's it's wild. It's stuff two or three hundred yards
in the woods earlier. It's out here on the marsh
(03:29):
and it's crazy.
Speaker 3 (03:31):
Yeah, earlier this morning when we talked, early early this morning,
you were telling me about tell me about them tree,
the stuff and the trees. What were you saying, Oh, yeah, I.
Speaker 5 (03:41):
Got docked fifteen twenty foot in trees. So that the
top Ofy's Pine trees of the water. That's you know,
that's three miles from where the houses are by the highway.
They're no telling what's across the highway.
Speaker 3 (03:53):
So that water crazy. That water was over twenty foot deep,
that surge and it crossed the road.
Speaker 5 (04:00):
They say, they say it was nineteen But some of
the stuff in these trees, man, I mean, yeah, who
was They take measure but they ain't get up everybody
new wind. I mean like a thousand pound dots fifteen
footing there, you know what I mean?
Speaker 3 (04:13):
Yeah, I want I just want to find I want
to meet that person that measured the measured at nineteen
foot when.
Speaker 4 (04:18):
It was there, you know, yeah, no kidding, Yeah, that.
Speaker 3 (04:21):
Guy obviously he's got fins on his back or her
back because they can swim and measure it at the
same time. So yeah, man, tell us tell us all
about it. Man, I mean, you're there your your boots
on the ground. You're right there where all the where
everything the where it all hit. Tell us about day
one to where you're at.
Speaker 5 (04:40):
I wish, I wish I could FaceTime y'all. Right now, I'm,
you know, a mile and a half two miles from
a Cedar and I'm probably three miles from Keating, and
all this stuff's down the coastline. You know, millions of
dollars worth of damage right here with I means of destroyed.
Some of them stayed together and they're in the middle
of the marsh. But the ones that didn't, they hit
(05:02):
these trees and just demolished them. So we're finding people's stuff,
find something one hundred yards and two hundred yards, we'll
find something else. I mean, it's just it's wild.
Speaker 3 (05:11):
Yeah, it's as.
Speaker 5 (05:12):
Far as you can see in the trees. Say, we're
having to climb over these debris and stuff and watch
for nails and kind of stuck one of my foot out. Yeah. No.
Speaker 3 (05:22):
Uh So my question to you, I've been thinking about
this for the past few days. Uh, and I've been
wanting to ask you, Joel this all the stuff that
got in the waterways. Uh, would you say the debris,
and the water goes from cedar Key and how far
west man.
Speaker 5 (05:41):
It goes all the way from uh you know, cedar Key.
Then you got Swanny of course, and uh cedar Island,
Dark Island, and then you got Keating and then uh
deacle was the last big part of the damage.
Speaker 3 (05:54):
Well as far as the debris in the water, I mean,
what are we going to be looking at over the
next however long with this stuff floating around and.
Speaker 5 (06:02):
We're looking at a year clean up?
Speaker 3 (06:05):
Wow?
Speaker 5 (06:06):
And it ain't just there's so much of it. Not
only that, but it's in bad places where you can't
hardly get nothing to to clean up. And people got
to be aware too, that's out fishing out of saint
marks anywhere like that. There is debris floating everywhere. I've
got reports of two by fours and stuff like that
flating nords of the Oscilla. Yeah, that's stuff's coming out.
Speaker 3 (06:24):
That was a big concern because I remember after Michael
years ago, uh, that we had so much stuff in
the waterways. I mean, and it was so dangerous. Uh
just trying to get on plane and take a ride
across the bay. You you were swerving and coming down
off plane to get around things, and it was nuts.
Speaker 5 (06:45):
Yeah, they said the Storm of the Century was bad,
but everybody I talked to says, the storm of centery
didn't have nothing on this storm.
Speaker 3 (06:51):
Well it makes sense because look what it did from
Florida all the way up to Tennessee and on. I
mean this it come ashort. And you know what, I remember,
you tell me that Tuesday of last week you told
me it was that you heard it was going to
be the storm of the century. And I remember repeating
that to someone that loves me a lot, and she
(07:12):
said to me, well, how do you know that, I said,
because Joel told me, and I believe Joel, And I said,
if you want.
Speaker 5 (07:21):
To wish it on that, but I just know it's
coming to us, you know, I knew it was going
to be a four or five. Yeah, the way they
was talking about the storm. Mike's weather page. If anybody's
paying attention to him, they need to pay attention to Mike.
He is He's been accurate the whole time or it
was gonna hit that.
Speaker 3 (07:35):
Yep, he's the man. I give him. I follow him
like daily, especially around these storms and this time of
year and everything, because he's on the road man. He's
a storm chaser. He goes, he follows it, he knows
where it's at, he puts up correct data. And in
this case, even my morning show host on my news
(07:56):
station is questioning the forecast over the storm because it
didn't go where it was supposed to go. And you know,
they said in Monticella, where I lived, that we had
eighty miles of our sustained winds and we left town
because it was a Cat four coming right at us.
When we come back, I expected to say, all the
(08:17):
ten off the roofs of my well house and half
of my bar and gone, and lord knows what. And
I come back and I have one little limb in
the driveway that my neighbor Levon come over with tractor
and a picked up and put on my other neighbor's
pern pile. Didn't even have to lift a finger, There
was no ten. Everything was in shape. So who knows
what happened, But I know where you're at, that's where
(08:39):
it did happen.
Speaker 5 (08:41):
That's terrible for these people. Like yesterday, I found some
good stuff. I found some military plaque and stuff thirty
years of service Afghanistan, and I thought that was cool.
That guy lost his house, but you know when he
found them plaques, it made him.
Speaker 3 (08:54):
Yeah, it's and people don't understand how many people lost
their homes completely.
Speaker 5 (09:02):
And like I said, the simple fact man, even though
these people lost their homes, that's what I've been harping
everybody that shelping and we ain't had too many that's
wanting to help out here on the on the coast
with us, and that's what we need. But whether it's
a picture of flat a piece of wood was made
out of a fish whatever, or the popaul made them
a chest or you know, a chest or anything, that's
(09:24):
all that matters. I mean, these people will be you know, uh.
They give them some closure to find and stuff like that.
And that's why I'm out here doing all I can
to help.
Speaker 4 (09:33):
Man.
Speaker 5 (09:33):
We found a lot of good stuff. Yeah, a lot
of stuff.
Speaker 3 (09:36):
Well that's again volunteers, local community, local people, airboats, boats, volunteers,
water food. I have not heard and I'm not you know,
it sounds like I'm trashing the government. I'm not doing
that at all. What I'm saying is is that this
(09:58):
area of Florida, people like you, uh and everybody that's
out there volunteering and helping right now. It's incredible. Uh,
you know, things are getting done long before the government
even arrives.
Speaker 5 (10:14):
So yeah, I'm sorry, Dale. I was talking to a
feller that's out here looking for stuff. I got him
and his daughter and wife out here. They're trying to
find some stuff for theirs on the marsh grass there
you go thank some of it right here.
Speaker 3 (10:31):
Say well, we're you know, we're going to talk today,
uh to Joel and and uh who knows who over
there and and uh, today's show is going to be
really dedicated to you know, talking about the storm and
what happened and and everything, because in reality, most of
us know that if you're in the listening audience of
this uh and and listen to our show on a
(10:54):
regular basis, you out fishing, you know that fishing is
going to be on hold for a little bit. Levels
or rivers are flowing hard. Boy, and uh, Paul will
be of the you know, talk to us about that
here after this next break, about what's going on in
Seminole on the rivers and everything up there, and how
the storm affected his.
Speaker 5 (11:15):
There a man, Yeah, Kenny was just beeping in right.
You might want to give him a shout. I thank
you helping his sister. Yeah, well, christer.
Speaker 3 (11:24):
Yeah, we'll give Kenny a call. I want to talk
to a little bit more to you about, you know,
what people can do and wear and everything else. But
we'll get right back to you here and just a bit.
We're getting ready to go into a break. Y'all. Stay
with us, and uh we'll be right back. Okay, folks,
(11:48):
welcome back to the show. We're on the phone with
Captain Joel Baltrie. Uh he and Captain Tanner and Swift
Creek Outfitters and uh uh Captain Joel Baltrie of course,
Alsila Outlaw Charters and JR. Store down there at Mo's Restaurant.
All these guys, all these people are in Keaton Beach.
They're there on the site helping people getting things done. Uh.
(12:13):
You'll hear Joel talking to people in the background. Uh
that's a part of it because he's actually helping people
find their belongings out in the marsh grass. So God
bless people like Joel Baltrey and all the others over
there that are helping out and everything. Hey, we're gonna
be calling Kenny here in a little bit but at
(12:34):
the week time, cat'n Paul tyre Uh lives up on
Lake Seminole. Captain, if you don't mind, tell us what's
going on up there the house and storm affected you all,
and and what all you went through, and what all
you're going through.
Speaker 2 (12:49):
I tell you up on Linke Simono, we have we're
getting a lot of water coming down the rivers. You know,
we've got a lot of rain Atlanta on the way
up to North Carolina and that's coming down. And actually
the fisher still the fisher been biting up up there.
We didn't really lose any electricity up there around around
the lake. We thought it was coming towards us, and
I think it made a turnout toward But it's the
(13:12):
lake's muddy for sure. They've been pulling about sixty thousand
cfs on average, keep it feet per second out of
the dam. The Appaticola River is really up. Yeah, that's
going to continue for the next couple of weeks.
Speaker 3 (13:24):
Hey, Joe, Joe, you there, if you could mute your call,
mute you've found this for a second, and we'll get
through this and get back to you, all right.
Speaker 5 (13:33):
That's what I did. I had to meet it to
tell you.
Speaker 3 (13:36):
Okay, I'm sorry, all right, so tell us more about that. Yeah.
Speaker 2 (13:41):
So, like I said, the uh, the lake's up. It's
it's hasn't went above pull full pool. But they're definitely
letting a lot of water out of the dam and
it's definitely going to lake talk on in the same way.
Speaker 3 (13:51):
They're letting a lot of water out of it.
Speaker 2 (13:53):
I went over to the Clotney River coming here today
and it's definitely high up in its banks.
Speaker 3 (13:57):
It's I've seen that one yesterday going over. I looked
over there and the holy cow, that water is moving. Yeah,
and that's that's going right through Taquin Taquin.
Speaker 2 (14:06):
I went by the dam down it like Taquin and
the other day and that boy, I think they got
all the gates open down there.
Speaker 3 (14:12):
It was flooding out of there. Now, what effect is
all this going to have on the on the fresh
water side of things?
Speaker 2 (14:20):
You know, the actual the fishing is dand pretty good.
The Flint River arm of the lake is not that muddy.
It's got a good stain to it. The water's up,
and then the fish are moving. Shallow was out this
morning and we caught ten in like an hour, and
they they're definitely biting. It's kind of hard to get
out during the water when you got friends and people
in need, you know, so sure to spend your time
(14:42):
doing that. But that's I got some folks coming in
actually going out tonight for this evening, and we're gonna
be fishing the Spring Creek ormon the lake and it's
not even got muddy over there.
Speaker 3 (14:51):
Wow, how about that?
Speaker 2 (14:53):
That kind of blows my mind.
Speaker 3 (14:54):
We didn't well, that storm just turned, it took a
turn and won a different direction. Yeah, and everything, but
Lake Talquan, I think probably a different story than some
and all from the looks of the river and everything
else I expect Taquan. In fact, I've seen I follow
a fishing guy on Taquin on Facebook and he's sent
(15:15):
out pictures where there's an island of floating debris that
was floating through the middle of the lake. It was
almost like a wall. Yeah.
Speaker 2 (15:23):
The Chattahoochee River arm of Lake Somem of All is
definitely more stuff coming down the river than the Flint.
I mean, I'm seeing a bunch of hysns, but no
big trees there.
Speaker 3 (15:32):
On the Hooch.
Speaker 2 (15:32):
I've heard there's actually some big grass islands.
Speaker 3 (15:35):
Floating down down, Big Grass Island. And one of the
things we need to keep in mind that, you know,
when a storm hits like this, not all the debris
is gonna make its way out of the river or
the lakes. When that happens over the next few weeks,
there may be tree debris that gets lodged up and
it's going to take a high water level and let
(15:56):
it go. And once that happens, I mean that could
be from Hurricane Michael, who knows that long ago. But
when the water levels changed like that, things move, that's right.
Speaker 2 (16:09):
And anytime, you know, after storms like this or high water,
high moving water, you don't want to drive a little slower.
You want to be you know, there's no need to
be in the hurricus. They could be that could be
a big log just barely on the water. And if
you don't have you know, boat boats don't have brakes. Now,
if you're running sixty and you can hit a log,
you know, it could be a disastrous and so it's
(16:31):
just wise to go slower.
Speaker 3 (16:32):
Right now. I'll tell you, I don't know I got
it on my phone, but one of the Charlie's trickling
you were just on the show with Charlie and j
d Or They're Talent Outdoor show. And Charlie and I
went fishing years ago after Michael, and there was a
piece of floating dock that was a tiki bar that
(16:53):
was over in Saint Mark's area for quite a long time.
Actually it got up in that muck and this kind
of hung out there and we called it the duck
blind even got his own name. But Charlie and I
were fishing. I told him, I said, cast over by
that thing. Man, I've been picking up fish off of
it every time I come out here. And he called
his personal best red fish off of.
Speaker 2 (17:14):
You know that's that's uh, you know you it's sad
when you have to it, but these fish will you use.
Stuff is cover, you know, it's a cover, and they
can they can relate to and and uh usually when
the water rises, the fish can get better.
Speaker 5 (17:26):
I know.
Speaker 2 (17:26):
I saw some pictures of some when the Aplecticala river rose,
some guys are caught, some bunch and big catfish on
bush bush ucks. Right, they have some giants, some biggins, Yeah,
some big ones right for the right when the river
come up.
Speaker 3 (17:40):
Well, Joel, uh come back to us if you can
hear me, Can you hear me, yes, sir.
Speaker 5 (17:44):
We're just finding pictures of local people out here, kids
and stuff. They found a safe, stuff like that. Man,
Ey'm finding all kinds of stuff found the safe, said people. Yeah,
people didn't know. This is gonna be that bad man.
You know. You know, if we have so many storms,
they left a lot of stuff. Well, buddy, I'm missing
all kinds of stuff.
Speaker 3 (18:04):
Okay, Well listen. If you found a safe and it's
a small one with a lock on the front of it,
that's probably mine. Hang on to it.
Speaker 5 (18:19):
I'm going to tell you these boys down here, yeah, boy,
the Polk County sheriffs apartment everything.
Speaker 3 (18:27):
Yeah, man, tell us about I don't.
Speaker 5 (18:29):
Mind taking jail for a fishing pole and did that
this week, So that's good.
Speaker 3 (18:33):
They getting some bad, bad people down there trying to
steal stuff. Is that what you're told me?
Speaker 5 (18:38):
Yeah, yeah, we have some sorry people down here. That's
probably a Democrat.
Speaker 6 (18:42):
Man.
Speaker 3 (18:42):
I'll tell you what, lord from from tax from tax
dollars to rodden rills.
Speaker 5 (18:51):
Will take anything, take anything.
Speaker 3 (18:54):
But long story short. So if you don't earlier you
were talking about, you need some kind of pass or
something to even get in down there.
Speaker 5 (19:03):
Now, yeah, you got to have a pass to get through.
They got every entrance blocked, and especially stein Atchew cause,
like I said, they don't call people trying to take
from people. You know, it takes a low person to
steal from somebody just lost everything.
Speaker 3 (19:16):
So be mandate that they go to jail for five
years just for doing it. This is sorry. That's a
sorry individual that'll steal from someone anytime, anytime, much less
during a time where like this. I mean, holy cal
and all.
Speaker 5 (19:33):
But hy here, man. They breathe there every day and
it shouldn't be breathing in my opinion. But you know,
we got to put up with them. We just take
them to jail.
Speaker 3 (19:40):
That's right, that's what you did. But uh so how'd
you play? Is how j R's and Mo's and all?
How did that turn out for you? Man?
Speaker 5 (19:49):
They got tore up a little bit man, not you know,
I don't even like honestly, I feel guilty talking about it.
I'm sorry, and I'm looking at what I'm looking at.
Speaker 3 (19:56):
Right, But the pictures you sent us, Joel, I just
looked at the pictures, folks, if you can, uh, and
I know everybody out there listening. I'm sure you've seen
plenty of pictures and all what I'm looking at, and
anybody out there does. I love y'all from Keaton Beach
and all the shore line. I love all of you, Okay,
(20:17):
But right now, the pictures that he just shared with me,
it looks like a landfill. Have you ever been to
a landfill and you just look out and there's this
acres of stuff everywhere. That's what I'm looking at. There's
no structure, there's no houses, there's just stuff everywhere. And
I can't imagine being I just can't imagine. I just
(20:40):
can't imagine. It's It's one of those things where you know,
we pray for people, pray for the families every day
and pray for strength and for volunteers like y'all that
are out there getting it done. And have you seen,
I mean, there's female on the ground over there. You've
got help.
Speaker 5 (21:02):
We've got some help, man, not not much, but we
got people helping. But the thing is, as we need
an air boats. You know, a regular boat's not gonna work.
You can't get up here where all the stuff's up, right.
You need more airboats. Wow, I mean, I'll be out
here by myself in this one little area that's in
two pictures. I think you that's just a ten percent
(21:24):
of what's out here.
Speaker 3 (21:25):
Yeah, that's that's that's not even this.
Speaker 5 (21:28):
Is all from Cedar Island right here. That's crazy. Yeah,
that's not counting keating and decon.
Speaker 3 (21:35):
Well, it's so much to the point where you don't
know what to say. I mean, it's just heartbreaking, you know.
And and then when you hear about everything else is
going on. I've seen on the news, well actually in
social media. We're up North Carolina. They're using pack mules
(21:56):
to get to the people up there there. Pack mule.
They're loading up back mules to take people food and
water and and everything. And they're going in on horses
because there there's no roads.
Speaker 5 (22:09):
Another one.
Speaker 3 (22:10):
So well, Joe, hey buddy, we're gonna cut out and
uh not unless you, uh you got more you want
to talk about obviously, I'm sure we could talk all
day about this.
Speaker 5 (22:21):
Yeah, man, I ain't got much. I'm gonna get back
to helping these people out here and they sitting on
the boat. Yeah yeah, but uh, just anybody that wants
to help, you know, uh, get up with us on
the Big ben outdoor page or or my my personal
page Joel Baldry or my phone numbers eight five six
seven to two one four three, and they can reach
me that way. And uh, you know anything, supplies, they're
(22:44):
doing pretty good on supplies. I wouldn't say so much
about supplies. Just finding stuff people's personal items and stuff
would be a big help.
Speaker 3 (22:52):
Well, let me ask you a question, Joe. I know
we talked about airboats, but if they got them mud boats,
because that they would work as well, wouldn't.
Speaker 5 (22:58):
They they can get when the tide comes up. Yeah,
but right now they couldn't because the shallow So.
Speaker 3 (23:05):
They really need those airboats. Okay, Well, well we'll keep
trying and putting the word out and uh see what
we can do to get more airboats. Uh, all right,
we'll talk to you soon, partner.
Speaker 2 (23:18):
Thank you, God bless you.
Speaker 3 (23:20):
Joel Man good Man. Hey, folks, we're getting ready to
go into a commercial break. We'll be right back. We
just just talking to Joel. We'll go reach out to
Captain Kenny and get some reports from him to see
what's going on. So y'all stay tuned. Thank you.
Speaker 2 (23:43):
Is this mister Captain Kenny Mullens it all right. We
got mister Captain Kenny Mellins on the Big Bend Outdoor
Show with Captain Joe Baldry, and we got Kenny Mellen's
Where are you at, Kenny?
Speaker 4 (23:54):
I am in in Valdosta, Georgia, helping my sister clean
up her young after the storm.
Speaker 3 (24:02):
Tell us about Valdosta. I understand they got hit pretty hard.
Speaker 4 (24:05):
Oh yeah, they got hit very hard. My sister had
thirty nine trees down in her yard. Oh man, yeah,
luckily nothing fell on. The house was still thirty nine
thirty three mature pines and six oaks.
Speaker 3 (24:24):
Wow, that's a lot. That's a lot of work. And
I'm going to cheat a little bit. And the folks
out there, I've seen your post earlier. I was talking
about your post about the trees and how much you've
cleaned up and the work you've been doing up there.
Y'all been y'all been getting it.
Speaker 4 (24:44):
Oh yeah, we've been working daybreak to dark for the
last three days. The cheapest quote that my sister received
was twenty two thousand dollars and she just didn't have it.
And I saw her post on Facebook. I said, quit worrying.
I'm on my way and uh, they turned out that
(25:04):
several of my friends brought equipment and one of the
actually Captain Tanner's brother, his crew was logging next door
and they came over and pulled a lot of the
big trees out for so the whole community came together
helped out.
Speaker 3 (25:21):
And you know, we were we were just talking to
Joel over there in Keaton Beach and he sent me
some pictures that are just heartbreaking and everything. But h so,
how did you make out at your home?
Speaker 6 (25:35):
Yeah, so.
Speaker 4 (25:37):
I'm gonna have to rebuild our front porch. We lost
some fencing, a lot of trees down. It could have
been a lot worse. You know, one of my friends,
Captain Owned Snow, he lost his whole house. Was again
Captain Evan Snow and Facian Short Chargers.
Speaker 3 (25:53):
He lost everything.
Speaker 4 (25:55):
He lost everything.
Speaker 3 (25:56):
Before we hang up, we need to talk about how
we can help that man.
Speaker 4 (26:00):
Not a problem, it's uh. And you know that's the
thing Keaton Beach, there's you know about ten houses left standing. Oh,
my friends at te Meat vacation rentals, you know they
lost I think they lost four of their houses and
one of them they lived in. So it's and then
(26:20):
The thing is, even the ones that are standing, they're
going to have to be inspected, and a lot of
those are probably not going to pass with the structural damage.
Speaker 3 (26:29):
Yeah, that was like that house that our friend was
looking at buying over there that they got real lucky
that the owner decided not to close when he did
this so he could hang on to it and have
make sure it had insurance on it, because that was right. Yeah,
I know, you know, I don't want to bring up
names or anything, but that was a big house. That
was a lot of money, and if they would have
(26:51):
closed on Wednesday, that would have lost every penny. Yeah,
but you know, in the meantime, you know, there's there's
people on the beach and the coach line, but there's
also people inland that've got trees everywhere and damage. And
I mean, you you how close to the coast do
you live.
Speaker 4 (27:09):
I'm about fifteen miles from the coast.
Speaker 3 (27:12):
In your front porch needs to be rebuilt, yep. And
the damage you got at your place, so that's fifteen miles,
Joel said. The trees, there's stuff lodged in the trees
well over twenty foot that was put there, that was
put there by water and those trees are on the
other side of the road.
Speaker 4 (27:29):
Oh yeah, and yeah, I'm like, so one of my
friends had a camera, a security camera as sixteen feet
high on their house at Keaton Beach and then went underwater.
Speaker 3 (27:41):
Man, talk about it, lives go good. Lord, Yeah, I
mean make light of it by no means, but you know,
I mean eventually you got a smile and know that
you know, hopefully no lives were lost. I know they're
talking about in this storm, there's been a lot of
life lost, and I think a lot of I think
(28:02):
a lot of it was I haven't heard of any
in Florida not seen it didn't happen. Folks, Please don't
get mad at me and everything because there's been so
much information flying around and all. But I know that
there's been a lot of loss up in everybody up
north that's called up North Georgia, South Carolina, North Carolina,
Tennessee and everything. And some of the videos that are out.
(28:26):
I seen a video this morning that was put out
on Facebook, and it was this family and a log
home and they were watching it and they could hear
it and you can even hear it in the video
of the rush of water coming, and next thing you know,
you start seeing these pine trees and all this falling,
(28:46):
and they go to screaming and yelling and running for
the rafters. And then it went blank. And yeah, it's
just you weren't You're not looking at a movie. This
is real. Yep, this is real.
Speaker 6 (29:01):
This is really Tennessee.
Speaker 4 (29:04):
I have a friend in Tennessee right now that they
are having supplies brought in by helicopter to their house
because they can't get out.
Speaker 3 (29:12):
I've seen that. Uh, they got the big what they
call them, big Huey's chinooks. Thank you, Paul. Yeah, I'm
not a military man, so I don't know, but the
big chinooks. I've seen video of that earlier that you know,
where they're bringing in supplies. But what I was most
impressed about because people, people in the mountains, people in Florida,
(29:36):
people everywhere, they know how to get things done. Okay,
we don't have to rely on we don't always have
to rely on the government to do things for us.
We know how to get off our butts and make
things happen. And most of us, you know, the old
song Hank Williams Junior has been going through my mind
every day when you know, country boys can survive well,
country boys, country girls, country kids can survive and do survive.
(29:58):
But I've seen where they're hauling food and water on mules.
Oh yeah, doing mule train, you know, doing mule pat
packs and taking them up through there and everything. And
I don't know what else to say except for God
bless these people. I mean, they're gonna, they're they're just
their livelihoods have been washed away, their homes have been
(30:22):
washed away, They're stuck in areas with no shelter, and
it's just it's sad, so sad. I'm glad to hear
that you and your sister, your your wife and kids
and everybody are safe and sound. You were definitely on
my mind when the storm was going through you and
(30:42):
Joel and Tanner and all of you that lived down
in that area and all, and uh, you know, we're
just glad that all you guys are good.
Speaker 4 (30:50):
Yeah, I appreciate it. And that's that's the thing. I
haven't even started on my house because there's been so
many other people that's much worse often than I am.
So I said, I'm going to help who I can.
And you know, like I said, I had to come
to my sister because we got to take care of family.
And after that, you know, when I leave here, I'm
(31:12):
going to help three more families in Keaton Beach and
Ferry area. And in fact, talking about people, you know,
things coming back to you when you help. I just
received a phone call fifteen minutes ago from a guy
in Mississippi that said, Hey, I heard that you got
to rebuild your porch and you got some fencing. I'm
(31:34):
bringing a crew and we will be there this weekend
to help you rebuild your port.
Speaker 3 (31:39):
See that's what I'm talking about. This is so amazing
the human spirit, you know. And earlier we joked, joked
a little bit but kind of serious in most points
back and forth about political stuff Joel and I and
made our little comments you know that we do and
and everything. But you know what's impressive is it don't matter.
(32:02):
It don't matter who you are, where you're from, what
color you are, it don't matter when times like this
come up. Everybody joins hands. And that's what's great about America,
and it's great about our Christian brothers and sisters out there.
Everybody joins hands, and everybody does what they can do.
(32:23):
And you know right now. You know, I'm so grateful
to hear that someone's coming to help you, because you
and Joel and everybody else is out there getting it
helping everybody else. So what comes around goes around. Good karma,
good Christian fellowship, working together, praying, making things work, making
(32:46):
things happen. And you know, when do you think you'll
be back to your house?
Speaker 4 (32:53):
Probably probably Saturday evening. This Saturday morning, there's a there's
a friend's hunting camp that has a lot of trees
down and rip the porch off. So I'm going over
there with some equipment to help them out. Then after
that I head home and start working at home. And
I also got some good news this morning. We talked
(33:15):
about on the show before last year, you know, we
I was able to provide a lot of work for
some boat captains for the storm clean up. And I
got a phone call this morning that that is happening again.
And it was actually some captains out of out of
the area was looking to get the contract. And I
(33:38):
was able to talk to people say, look, you know,
we don't know when we're going to be able to
go back to work. And I was able to negotiate
them and get our local captains that job. So we're
going to have some work with a storm clean up
to get people back to earning money because it'll be
a while before we can get back out on the
water to fish.
Speaker 2 (33:57):
How's your boat? Did it get to.
Speaker 3 (34:00):
Make it to the storm?
Speaker 4 (34:01):
It did have some minor work to do, but nothing
nothing major.
Speaker 3 (34:06):
I know. Joel was talking about they need airboats bad.
They need more airboats over there because there's so much
stuff that's in the sawgrass and up in the marsh
and and everything that you know, it's gonna take that
kind of I told myself, well, what about the mud
buddy boats and maybe jet drives and stuff like that,
and he said, well, anything helps, you know, but and
(34:27):
they could probably do it on a high tide. But
a lot of this stuff is what I mean, it's everywhere.
He had a family on the front of his airboat
and they were out there picking up personal belongings out
of the marsh, pictures of family photos and everything, and
it's just I can't imagine that. It's just it's it's crazy.
Speaker 4 (34:48):
That's part of the problem. Because this this cleanup work
is going to start on Monday, and once once these
crews get out there. They're not picking through stuff and
saving personal belongings. They're there to clean up.
Speaker 3 (35:00):
Yeah, they're gonna take it all and throw it away.
Speaker 4 (35:02):
Yeah. So if anyone anyone listening, you know, if they
can get out there tomorrow before before the crew show
up on Monday and get the stuff to help people
get their personal belongings, that that would be great. And
it's going to take time for the clean up cruise
to even get to everything, so you know, don't even
think it has to be done in one day. But yeah,
(35:24):
you know, like I said, once these crews get in there,
they're not there to save anything, they're there to clean up.
Speaker 3 (35:29):
Oh, Kenny, we need to go into a break, and
everybody listening join us right now. Kenny, will you stay
with us for the next seven yes, Hei, man can't
thank you enough. We'll be right back to you. So
this is Captain Paul Tyre and I'm Delle Bessie and
we'll be right back after this break. Thank y'all. Hey, folks,
(35:55):
welcome back to the Big Bend Outdoors Show. We've been
talking today with Captain Joe Baltrey from the uh I'll
still Allow Charters and Jr. Store and we've talked about
a lot of things. Captain Paul shared information about lex
seminolelec Talaquin. Now we're on the phone with Captain Kenny
Mullins from Epic Charters. And Kenny, you're you're based out
(36:19):
of Keaton Beach, aren't you, buddy. Yes, so we're talking
to someone that makes us living and lives and has
everything right there in Keaton Beach. And you know everybody's
over there doing their thing. Kenny's been up helping a family,
his sister up there in Valdosta that got slammed. And uh,
(36:40):
you said you're coming back home Saturday.
Speaker 4 (36:43):
Yes, Well, I'll actually be back in Perry this evening.
I got I have three other families I'm helping there.
You go today this evening for I'll be done here
in about an hour that I'm going back to Perry
helping three more families, and then Saturday morning I'm helping
thing a veterans hunting camp clean up their camp.
Speaker 3 (37:03):
So one of the things I want to point out
to our listeners once this all sudden done down the road,
if you're looking for a great catch Christmas gift, these
charter captains that we're talking to today Captain Joe Baltree.
We didn't get a chance to talk with Tanner, but
Campton Kenney, these guys are doing all this voluntarily. They're
not getting paid. They're spending their money and gas and
(37:26):
food and everything to get out there, like so many
others are spending their own time and money and everything
to help others. So when it comes time to getting
that special Christmas gift, don't forget to call them by
a one day charter, you know, go fishing and let
them show you where they're at and where they make
their living and experience that because you're not gonna find
(37:49):
any better people nowhere, and you're going to have a
great time and catch fish and get to meet the
heroes of our coast. Fine, So, Paul Wood, what do
you think?
Speaker 2 (38:04):
I'll tell you what? Kenny? You know, I know we
you don't want to think about fishing right now, but
you know what you've seen and here and down there,
and you've probably been through some maybe something I don't know,
if dis bat at Keaton Beach, but you've seen the
Gulf Coast after storms. Well the how won't you think
it'd be for the fishing is coming back or or
to be productive.
Speaker 4 (38:24):
So I'm getting reports, Uh, there's there's been a few
people out on the water, not fishing, but just cleaning up.
And I've received reports that they've never seen so many
trout and red fish as there is right now. Wow,
they're they're literally running over these fish. So I guess
it was a couple of years ago. I can't remember
what storm it was. It literally sucked all the water
(38:46):
out and Dale you probably remember it's after that the
water started rushing back in. We were catching bone fish,
and it's sounding like this storm has had the oppice
of effect. I guess with all the storm, surgeon's actually
pushed fish in now. I don't know if you guys
have seen the satellite imagery of what it looks like
(39:08):
right now, the whole the whole Big Bend area. You
can see the cloudiness of the water all the way
to it looks like probably fifty sixty miles offshore. Wow,
it's just a lot of cloudiness, siltiness. It's just the
water's dirty.
Speaker 3 (39:25):
And wild too, because all that dirty water is coming
down of the mountains.
Speaker 4 (39:30):
Right yeah, it it is going to be that way
for a long time. One of my fellow captains He
surveyed seventy miles of the Swanne River yesterday and he said,
it's it's if you've ever seen the videos of the
old river loggers and they'd float the logs down the river. Yeah,
so that's what the Swanny River looks like right now.
Speaker 3 (39:51):
When you don't.
Speaker 4 (39:53):
See one of the captains out of steaming Hatchie. They
were taking supplies because there's some people tracked on the
Swanny River in the river houses. They were taking supplies
to these people and hit a log and sank their boat.
They were able three days later. It took three days,
but they got their boat back up out of the river.
(40:13):
But again, you know, you talked about we're doing all
this out of our own pocket, and I do want
to share something. I did a news interview and people donated.
They went on my website and they bought gift cards
and they don't expect anything in the return. A lot
of these people were from one of us from Washington State.
But those donations is what is is what is helping
(40:37):
us to provide the help for the people in need here.
You know, I'm not a wealthy person. I don't know
many charter captains that are that are very wealthy. We
live a wealthy life lifestyle, you know, on the water,
you know, getting to help people make memories. But at
a time like this, I don't know when my next
paycheck's coming in. But through the generosity of people pulled
(41:00):
in the support of other people, we've been able to
support the community.
Speaker 2 (41:05):
That's awesome.
Speaker 3 (41:06):
You know, it makes me want to write a check
right now. I mean, I do know one thing I
need to you know, I know Joel's and you guys
are terribly busy. I have an opportunity. In fact, we're
going to do something. We don't know what we're doing
yet because I'm trying to figure out how to go
about doing it. In all, but I have a barbecue
(41:26):
catering company that is called Smoking Butts not Nuts Catering Service.
Smoking Butts not Nuts Barbecue Catering.
Speaker 5 (41:37):
Uh.
Speaker 3 (41:37):
That's Danielle and Mike here in Tallahassee. They just you know,
they just had a show over there in Perry this
past weekend at the Bugs and Barbecue Show. They had
all the vws and everything, and they took the People's
Choice Award. They got great food and they want to feed.
Speaker 6 (41:56):
Uh.
Speaker 3 (41:56):
We got a deal going they're talking about, you know,
what they can do. It's probably four hundred and fifty plates,
but they want to go over and help. And I
need to talk with you about where we need to
take that opportunity and where we can utilize it and
make it work the best for people that actually needed.
I know, in Keaton, I've heard that they got plenty
(42:18):
of water and they've been getting you know a good
amount of food brought in and everything. But we're trying
to figure it out, and it's kind of hard when
you know the communications are the way they are right now.
Speaker 4 (42:29):
Right, Yeah, there has been quite a bit of support
in Keaton and steam Hatchie. I haven't heard so much
about about Horseshoe yet, but you know, they got wiped out,
yeah see there, and they got hit hard with Idelia
and what we were cleaning up whole houses in the
canals there, and they're right back at that again. And
(42:50):
you know, so many times even Idelia, Keaton Beach was
kind of overshadowed by some of these more popular areas.
But I can tell you we had I had Captains
and Horseshoe and Swanneye and those two places were more
devastated in Idelia than anywhere else. But so often the media,
you know, they're going to go to the more popular
places and and uh in video film and all that.
(43:14):
So there are other communities out there, like you know,
Spring Warrior, it's a small, small community that's close to Perry.
But you know, these are areas that get overshadowed and
a don't get talked about a lot and keep each
is one of them. You know. Luckily this time they're
getting the support, way more support than they did last time.
Speaker 3 (43:33):
Hey, uh so living in that area. Uh and Taylor
County and and everything. Who how do the listeners how
they help? What the what can the what can our
audience do? What can the listening audience do? And their
friends and and get on social media and share it
and everything? What can they do to help? Right now?
Speaker 4 (43:54):
So right now, if they if they want to, if
they want to go out there and physically help, just
just go to the key each area, go to keep
each boat ramp, just talking to people that there's there's
clean up and work to be done everywhere right there.
All you have to do is just say hey, I'm
here to help, and they're going to find somewhere for you.
So that's that's what I've been telling everyone.
Speaker 3 (44:16):
Okay. The one thing I know about going to Keaton
is they're not letting everybody in. Joel This told us
that you've got to have a pass to get in
because they've been dealing with Unfortunately, they've been dealing with
thieves people down there trying to steal stuff, and they've
been arresting them. Believe me, they're going to jail and everything.
But one of the things you may want to do
(44:38):
before you do go head out is just check with
your local sheriff's office to make sure that you can
get in to help and and everything. But as far
as say, you know old people that maybe are not
able to get out and do the heavy lifting, you know,
if they want to make a donation or donate clothes
or or ken goods or just any anything, even financial donations,
(45:05):
is there anything set up right now over there to
take them and and where would they go once they
did get them?
Speaker 6 (45:11):
Do you know?
Speaker 4 (45:12):
I haven't heard of anything set up as far as financial.
I know that the the Beach Bar in Keaton Beach,
they they have been distributing supplies. Okay, so that that
would be a good place if you want to donate items.
As far as financial support that I don't know. Like
(45:35):
I said, I know people has been helping some of
those captains through donations on our website with gift cards
and stuff. I told you about Captain Evan Snow that
lost everything.
Speaker 3 (45:44):
We need to get behind him.
Speaker 4 (45:46):
Yeah, he he someone has has opened up a GoFundMe
for him. And I just got off the phone with
him and it's hard times. He's not he's not showing
his emotion yet, but you know it's gonna hit him,
you know, and he is going to need our support.
Speaker 3 (46:04):
Does his family have a place? I mean, obviously, I'm
sure they do. But how's his family doing? How are
they doing right now?
Speaker 4 (46:10):
They're it's just him and his wife, but they they're
they're surviving. They they've got a place to love temporarily.
And and of course they applied for the THEEMA, the
FEMA help the FEMA trailer, so they do have a
place to live. They didn't lose all their clothing, they
(46:31):
lost everything. You know, he did get his boats out
of home's way, so well, He's a good way to
help him is the same thing. You know, his Appalachian
short chargers that you know if you want to help
out buy statisticate.
Speaker 3 (46:48):
Yeah. So, uh, we're getting coming to the end of
the show, I guess. And as much as I'd love
to stay here for another hour and and talk to
you and everything, I know I need to let you
go because there's work to be done and you're out
there getting it done. And we are grateful for people
like you, Captain Kenny, you and all the other captains
and the volunteers out there, the husbands, the wives and
(47:11):
including the children, the families. We are all praying for
y'all and we look forward to talking to you next week. Y'all.
Stay safe. Captain Paul Tire, they can reach you where.
Speaker 2 (47:22):
Oh, Captain Paul tar Fishing and Kenny, how can the
folks reach you? And about your gift gift certificates you're.
Speaker 6 (47:29):
Talking about, Yeah, Keatonbeachfishing dot com. And then you can
also reach out to me at eight five zero eight
three eight six one one And if you want to
come help, reach out to me and I'll get you
in touch with the right people.
Speaker 3 (47:43):
Yeah, And that's just it, folks. There's plenty of ways
to get a hold of us, and we look forward
to talking y'all next week and give you more updates
and hopefully some more good news. And in the meantime,
y'all be safe out there. And when you can help someone,
help them out, Believe me, they'll come back around to you.
Speaker 2 (48:00):
God bless you, Kenny, thank you, thank y'all for listening
to the Big Ben Outdoor Show Captain Joel Baldry. We
appreciate everybody and God speaking.
Speaker 1 (48:08):
You've been listening to The Big Ben Outdoor Show with
Joel Baldry. Join us every Saturday morning at eight am
on ninety six five the Spear and on demand with
the free iHeartRadio app.
This is the Big Bend Outdoor Show with Joel Baldry.
Today's guest include Captain Kenny Mullins Dale Bessie. Here's your
special guest host, Captain Paul Tyre.
Speaker 2 (00:14):
Guys, welcome to the Big Bend Outdoor Show on ninety
six point five The Spear. We got a special guest
today with mister Dale Bessie, and we got our producer
back there, mister Jared.
Speaker 3 (00:24):
Captain Joel Baltrey is currently Yes, him and Tanner and Kenny.
All the members of the show, all the captains are
currently in Keaton now. Kenny, Captain Kenny, he's been up
in Georgia helping family members there. His sister got hit
really hard with trees everywhere, and they got that one
(00:46):
cleaned up. Tanner and Joel Baltrey. You can't say enough
good about these two men. They have devoted themselves over
the past week over there in Keaton Beach area and
helping each other out as well with their homes and
and all. But they're over there with their airboats and
(01:07):
currently right now, I guess, uh, President, uh, what's this
but Biden, Yeah, he's yeah, Miss he's over there as well,
walking around and anyhow, he's over there checking it out,
looking around and everything. In the meantime, Uh, it's the
locals that are boots on the ground getting things done,
like uh, you know, mister Joel Baltry, and here's Joel.
(01:32):
You go bring them up, Joel.
Speaker 4 (01:33):
You there, Yes, there he is.
Speaker 3 (01:36):
Man. We're just bragging you up. And we talked about
that's right. There's people like you that make things work
and get things done. We obviously, uh, you know, as
much as we like to think we can rely on
the government to do anything, we really can't. It's people
like you and Tanner and and Kenny and all the
other volunteers out there that are making it work. Right now,
(01:59):
I understand that the resident is over there taking a
peek and looking around. And now I guess he'll jump
on his plane and go back after he gets his photo. Ops.
Speaker 5 (02:09):
Yeah, they don't. They won't let us back up there.
Right now. I got a Trump flag flying on my airboat,
so he might be kind of salty about that. Ah.
Speaker 3 (02:17):
There you go. See, he don't want to ride on
your airboat because it's probably not you know why he
don't want to be on the air boat And it's
not the flag. But it's because it's not battery powered.
Speaker 5 (02:29):
Oh, man, I tell you a lot of residents don't
want him down here. They got Trump flags everywhere.
Speaker 3 (02:35):
Well, the thing about it is, you know, whether it's president,
whether it's the president, the governor, or whoever it is.
I think there's a time and a place for everything,
and right now it's not the time. You got too
many people trying to get things done. And when that happens.
I'm not an expert on security when it comes to
government officials, but normally when that happens, man, so many
(02:56):
people get put out of the way just so they
can get in right. And it's I don't understand what
he's doing, but you know there's a lot of other
people that don't too.
Speaker 5 (03:07):
That's right. Yeah, the secret services down here, they got
it all walled up or you can't get up there.
But uh, we got a man. We find a lot
of stuff out here right now. I'm on top of
some docks right now. Don't found the safe between Cedar
Island and Keaton Dune. Found all kinds of stuff. Man,
it's it's wild. It's stuff two or three hundred yards
in the woods earlier. It's out here on the marsh
(03:29):
and it's crazy.
Speaker 3 (03:31):
Yeah, earlier this morning when we talked, early early this morning,
you were telling me about tell me about them tree,
the stuff and the trees. What were you saying, Oh, yeah, I.
Speaker 5 (03:41):
Got docked fifteen twenty foot in trees. So that the
top Ofy's Pine trees of the water. That's you know,
that's three miles from where the houses are by the highway.
They're no telling what's across the highway.
Speaker 3 (03:53):
So that water crazy. That water was over twenty foot deep,
that surge and it crossed the road.
Speaker 5 (04:00):
They say, they say it was nineteen But some of
the stuff in these trees, man, I mean, yeah, who
was They take measure but they ain't get up everybody
new wind. I mean like a thousand pound dots fifteen
footing there, you know what I mean?
Speaker 3 (04:13):
Yeah, I want I just want to find I want
to meet that person that measured the measured at nineteen
foot when.
Speaker 4 (04:18):
It was there, you know, yeah, no kidding, Yeah, that.
Speaker 3 (04:21):
Guy obviously he's got fins on his back or her
back because they can swim and measure it at the
same time. So yeah, man, tell us tell us all
about it. Man, I mean, you're there your your boots
on the ground. You're right there where all the where
everything the where it all hit. Tell us about day
one to where you're at.
Speaker 5 (04:40):
I wish, I wish I could FaceTime y'all. Right now, I'm,
you know, a mile and a half two miles from
a Cedar and I'm probably three miles from Keating, and
all this stuff's down the coastline. You know, millions of
dollars worth of damage right here with I means of destroyed.
Some of them stayed together and they're in the middle
of the marsh. But the ones that didn't, they hit
(05:02):
these trees and just demolished them. So we're finding people's stuff,
find something one hundred yards and two hundred yards, we'll
find something else. I mean, it's just it's wild.
Speaker 3 (05:11):
Yeah, it's as.
Speaker 5 (05:12):
Far as you can see in the trees. Say, we're
having to climb over these debris and stuff and watch
for nails and kind of stuck one of my foot out. Yeah. No.
Speaker 3 (05:22):
Uh So my question to you, I've been thinking about
this for the past few days. Uh, and I've been
wanting to ask you, Joel this all the stuff that
got in the waterways. Uh, would you say the debris,
and the water goes from cedar Key and how far
west man.
Speaker 5 (05:41):
It goes all the way from uh you know, cedar Key.
Then you got Swanny of course, and uh cedar Island,
Dark Island, and then you got Keating and then uh
deacle was the last big part of the damage.
Speaker 3 (05:54):
Well as far as the debris in the water, I mean,
what are we going to be looking at over the
next however long with this stuff floating around and.
Speaker 5 (06:02):
We're looking at a year clean up?
Speaker 3 (06:05):
Wow?
Speaker 5 (06:06):
And it ain't just there's so much of it. Not
only that, but it's in bad places where you can't
hardly get nothing to to clean up. And people got
to be aware too, that's out fishing out of saint
marks anywhere like that. There is debris floating everywhere. I've
got reports of two by fours and stuff like that
flating nords of the Oscilla. Yeah, that's stuff's coming out.
Speaker 3 (06:24):
That was a big concern because I remember after Michael
years ago, uh, that we had so much stuff in
the waterways. I mean, and it was so dangerous. Uh
just trying to get on plane and take a ride
across the bay. You you were swerving and coming down
off plane to get around things, and it was nuts.
Speaker 5 (06:45):
Yeah, they said the Storm of the Century was bad,
but everybody I talked to says, the storm of centery
didn't have nothing on this storm.
Speaker 3 (06:51):
Well it makes sense because look what it did from
Florida all the way up to Tennessee and on. I
mean this it come ashort. And you know what, I remember,
you tell me that Tuesday of last week you told
me it was that you heard it was going to
be the storm of the century. And I remember repeating
that to someone that loves me a lot, and she
(07:12):
said to me, well, how do you know that, I said,
because Joel told me, and I believe Joel, And I said,
if you want.
Speaker 5 (07:21):
To wish it on that, but I just know it's
coming to us, you know, I knew it was going
to be a four or five. Yeah, the way they
was talking about the storm. Mike's weather page. If anybody's
paying attention to him, they need to pay attention to Mike.
He is He's been accurate the whole time or it
was gonna hit that.
Speaker 3 (07:35):
Yep, he's the man. I give him. I follow him
like daily, especially around these storms and this time of
year and everything, because he's on the road man. He's
a storm chaser. He goes, he follows it, he knows
where it's at, he puts up correct data. And in
this case, even my morning show host on my news
(07:56):
station is questioning the forecast over the storm because it
didn't go where it was supposed to go. And you know,
they said in Monticella, where I lived, that we had
eighty miles of our sustained winds and we left town
because it was a Cat four coming right at us.
When we come back, I expected to say, all the
(08:17):
ten off the roofs of my well house and half
of my bar and gone, and lord knows what. And
I come back and I have one little limb in
the driveway that my neighbor Levon come over with tractor
and a picked up and put on my other neighbor's
pern pile. Didn't even have to lift a finger, There
was no ten. Everything was in shape. So who knows
what happened, But I know where you're at, that's where
(08:39):
it did happen.
Speaker 5 (08:41):
That's terrible for these people. Like yesterday, I found some
good stuff. I found some military plaque and stuff thirty
years of service Afghanistan, and I thought that was cool.
That guy lost his house, but you know when he
found them plaques, it made him.
Speaker 3 (08:54):
Yeah, it's and people don't understand how many people lost
their homes completely.
Speaker 5 (09:02):
And like I said, the simple fact man, even though
these people lost their homes, that's what I've been harping
everybody that shelping and we ain't had too many that's
wanting to help out here on the on the coast
with us, and that's what we need. But whether it's
a picture of flat a piece of wood was made
out of a fish whatever, or the popaul made them
a chest or you know, a chest or anything, that's
(09:24):
all that matters. I mean, these people will be you know, uh.
They give them some closure to find and stuff like that.
And that's why I'm out here doing all I can
to help.
Speaker 4 (09:33):
Man.
Speaker 5 (09:33):
We found a lot of good stuff. Yeah, a lot
of stuff.
Speaker 3 (09:36):
Well that's again volunteers, local community, local people, airboats, boats, volunteers,
water food. I have not heard and I'm not you know,
it sounds like I'm trashing the government. I'm not doing
that at all. What I'm saying is is that this
(09:58):
area of Florida, people like you, uh and everybody that's
out there volunteering and helping right now. It's incredible. Uh,
you know, things are getting done long before the government
even arrives.
Speaker 5 (10:14):
So yeah, I'm sorry, Dale. I was talking to a
feller that's out here looking for stuff. I got him
and his daughter and wife out here. They're trying to
find some stuff for theirs on the marsh grass there
you go thank some of it right here.
Speaker 3 (10:31):
Say well, we're you know, we're going to talk today,
uh to Joel and and uh who knows who over
there and and uh, today's show is going to be
really dedicated to you know, talking about the storm and
what happened and and everything, because in reality, most of
us know that if you're in the listening audience of
this uh and and listen to our show on a
(10:54):
regular basis, you out fishing, you know that fishing is
going to be on hold for a little bit. Levels
or rivers are flowing hard. Boy, and uh, Paul will
be of the you know, talk to us about that
here after this next break, about what's going on in
Seminole on the rivers and everything up there, and how
the storm affected his.
Speaker 5 (11:15):
There a man, Yeah, Kenny was just beeping in right.
You might want to give him a shout. I thank
you helping his sister. Yeah, well, christer.
Speaker 3 (11:24):
Yeah, we'll give Kenny a call. I want to talk
to a little bit more to you about, you know,
what people can do and wear and everything else. But
we'll get right back to you here and just a bit.
We're getting ready to go into a break. Y'all. Stay
with us, and uh we'll be right back. Okay, folks,
(11:48):
welcome back to the show. We're on the phone with
Captain Joel Baltrie. Uh he and Captain Tanner and Swift
Creek Outfitters and uh uh Captain Joel Baltrie of course,
Alsila Outlaw Charters and JR. Store down there at Mo's Restaurant.
All these guys, all these people are in Keaton Beach.
They're there on the site helping people getting things done. Uh.
(12:13):
You'll hear Joel talking to people in the background. Uh
that's a part of it because he's actually helping people
find their belongings out in the marsh grass. So God
bless people like Joel Baltrey and all the others over
there that are helping out and everything. Hey, we're gonna
be calling Kenny here in a little bit but at
(12:34):
the week time, cat'n Paul tyre Uh lives up on
Lake Seminole. Captain, if you don't mind, tell us what's
going on up there the house and storm affected you all,
and and what all you went through, and what all
you're going through.
Speaker 2 (12:49):
I tell you up on Linke Simono, we have we're
getting a lot of water coming down the rivers. You know,
we've got a lot of rain Atlanta on the way
up to North Carolina and that's coming down. And actually
the fisher still the fisher been biting up up there.
We didn't really lose any electricity up there around around
the lake. We thought it was coming towards us, and
I think it made a turnout toward But it's the
(13:12):
lake's muddy for sure. They've been pulling about sixty thousand
cfs on average, keep it feet per second out of
the dam. The Appaticola River is really up. Yeah, that's
going to continue for the next couple of weeks.
Speaker 3 (13:24):
Hey, Joe, Joe, you there, if you could mute your call,
mute you've found this for a second, and we'll get
through this and get back to you, all right.
Speaker 5 (13:33):
That's what I did. I had to meet it to
tell you.
Speaker 3 (13:36):
Okay, I'm sorry, all right, so tell us more about that. Yeah.
Speaker 2 (13:41):
So, like I said, the uh, the lake's up. It's
it's hasn't went above pull full pool. But they're definitely
letting a lot of water out of the dam and
it's definitely going to lake talk on in the same way.
Speaker 3 (13:51):
They're letting a lot of water out of it.
Speaker 2 (13:53):
I went over to the Clotney River coming here today
and it's definitely high up in its banks.
Speaker 3 (13:57):
It's I've seen that one yesterday going over. I looked
over there and the holy cow, that water is moving. Yeah,
and that's that's going right through Taquin Taquin.
Speaker 2 (14:06):
I went by the dam down it like Taquin and
the other day and that boy, I think they got
all the gates open down there.
Speaker 3 (14:12):
It was flooding out of there. Now, what effect is
all this going to have on the on the fresh
water side of things?
Speaker 2 (14:20):
You know, the actual the fishing is dand pretty good.
The Flint River arm of the lake is not that muddy.
It's got a good stain to it. The water's up,
and then the fish are moving. Shallow was out this
morning and we caught ten in like an hour, and
they they're definitely biting. It's kind of hard to get
out during the water when you got friends and people
in need, you know, so sure to spend your time
(14:42):
doing that. But that's I got some folks coming in
actually going out tonight for this evening, and we're gonna
be fishing the Spring Creek ormon the lake and it's
not even got muddy over there.
Speaker 3 (14:51):
Wow, how about that?
Speaker 2 (14:53):
That kind of blows my mind.
Speaker 3 (14:54):
We didn't well, that storm just turned, it took a
turn and won a different direction. Yeah, and everything, but
Lake Talquan, I think probably a different story than some
and all from the looks of the river and everything
else I expect Taquan. In fact, I've seen I follow
a fishing guy on Taquin on Facebook and he's sent
(15:15):
out pictures where there's an island of floating debris that
was floating through the middle of the lake. It was
almost like a wall. Yeah.
Speaker 2 (15:23):
The Chattahoochee River arm of Lake Somem of All is
definitely more stuff coming down the river than the Flint.
I mean, I'm seeing a bunch of hysns, but no
big trees there.
Speaker 3 (15:32):
On the Hooch.
Speaker 2 (15:32):
I've heard there's actually some big grass islands.
Speaker 3 (15:35):
Floating down down, Big Grass Island. And one of the
things we need to keep in mind that, you know,
when a storm hits like this, not all the debris
is gonna make its way out of the river or
the lakes. When that happens over the next few weeks,
there may be tree debris that gets lodged up and
it's going to take a high water level and let
(15:56):
it go. And once that happens, I mean that could
be from Hurricane Michael, who knows that long ago. But
when the water levels changed like that, things move, that's right.
Speaker 2 (16:09):
And anytime, you know, after storms like this or high water,
high moving water, you don't want to drive a little slower.
You want to be you know, there's no need to
be in the hurricus. They could be that could be
a big log just barely on the water. And if
you don't have you know, boat boats don't have brakes. Now,
if you're running sixty and you can hit a log,
you know, it could be a disastrous and so it's
(16:31):
just wise to go slower.
Speaker 3 (16:32):
Right now. I'll tell you, I don't know I got
it on my phone, but one of the Charlie's trickling
you were just on the show with Charlie and j
d Or They're Talent Outdoor show. And Charlie and I
went fishing years ago after Michael, and there was a
piece of floating dock that was a tiki bar that
(16:53):
was over in Saint Mark's area for quite a long time.
Actually it got up in that muck and this kind
of hung out there and we called it the duck
blind even got his own name. But Charlie and I
were fishing. I told him, I said, cast over by
that thing. Man, I've been picking up fish off of
it every time I come out here. And he called
his personal best red fish off of.
Speaker 2 (17:14):
You know that's that's uh, you know you it's sad
when you have to it, but these fish will you use.
Stuff is cover, you know, it's a cover, and they
can they can relate to and and uh usually when
the water rises, the fish can get better.
Speaker 5 (17:26):
I know.
Speaker 2 (17:26):
I saw some pictures of some when the Aplecticala river rose,
some guys are caught, some bunch and big catfish on
bush bush ucks. Right, they have some giants, some biggins, Yeah,
some big ones right for the right when the river
come up.
Speaker 3 (17:40):
Well, Joel, uh come back to us if you can
hear me, Can you hear me, yes, sir.
Speaker 5 (17:44):
We're just finding pictures of local people out here, kids
and stuff. They found a safe, stuff like that. Man,
Ey'm finding all kinds of stuff found the safe, said people. Yeah,
people didn't know. This is gonna be that bad man.
You know. You know, if we have so many storms,
they left a lot of stuff. Well, buddy, I'm missing
all kinds of stuff.
Speaker 3 (18:04):
Okay, Well listen. If you found a safe and it's
a small one with a lock on the front of it,
that's probably mine. Hang on to it.
Speaker 5 (18:19):
I'm going to tell you these boys down here, yeah, boy,
the Polk County sheriffs apartment everything.
Speaker 3 (18:27):
Yeah, man, tell us about I don't.
Speaker 5 (18:29):
Mind taking jail for a fishing pole and did that
this week, So that's good.
Speaker 3 (18:33):
They getting some bad, bad people down there trying to
steal stuff. Is that what you're told me?
Speaker 5 (18:38):
Yeah, yeah, we have some sorry people down here. That's
probably a Democrat.
Speaker 6 (18:42):
Man.
Speaker 3 (18:42):
I'll tell you what, lord from from tax from tax
dollars to rodden rills.
Speaker 5 (18:51):
Will take anything, take anything.
Speaker 3 (18:54):
But long story short. So if you don't earlier you
were talking about, you need some kind of pass or
something to even get in down there.
Speaker 5 (19:03):
Now, yeah, you got to have a pass to get through.
They got every entrance blocked, and especially stein Atchew cause,
like I said, they don't call people trying to take
from people. You know, it takes a low person to
steal from somebody just lost everything.
Speaker 3 (19:16):
So be mandate that they go to jail for five
years just for doing it. This is sorry. That's a
sorry individual that'll steal from someone anytime, anytime, much less
during a time where like this. I mean, holy cal
and all.
Speaker 5 (19:33):
But hy here, man. They breathe there every day and
it shouldn't be breathing in my opinion. But you know,
we got to put up with them. We just take
them to jail.
Speaker 3 (19:40):
That's right, that's what you did. But uh so how'd
you play? Is how j R's and Mo's and all?
How did that turn out for you? Man?
Speaker 5 (19:49):
They got tore up a little bit man, not you know,
I don't even like honestly, I feel guilty talking about it.
I'm sorry, and I'm looking at what I'm looking at.
Speaker 3 (19:56):
Right, But the pictures you sent us, Joel, I just
looked at the pictures, folks, if you can, uh, and
I know everybody out there listening. I'm sure you've seen
plenty of pictures and all what I'm looking at, and
anybody out there does. I love y'all from Keaton Beach
and all the shore line. I love all of you, Okay,
(20:17):
But right now, the pictures that he just shared with me,
it looks like a landfill. Have you ever been to
a landfill and you just look out and there's this
acres of stuff everywhere. That's what I'm looking at. There's
no structure, there's no houses, there's just stuff everywhere. And
I can't imagine being I just can't imagine. I just
(20:40):
can't imagine. It's It's one of those things where you know,
we pray for people, pray for the families every day
and pray for strength and for volunteers like y'all that
are out there getting it done. And have you seen,
I mean, there's female on the ground over there. You've
got help.
Speaker 5 (21:02):
We've got some help, man, not not much, but we
got people helping. But the thing is, as we need
an air boats. You know, a regular boat's not gonna work.
You can't get up here where all the stuff's up, right.
You need more airboats. Wow, I mean, I'll be out
here by myself in this one little area that's in
two pictures. I think you that's just a ten percent
(21:24):
of what's out here.
Speaker 3 (21:25):
Yeah, that's that's that's not even this.
Speaker 5 (21:28):
Is all from Cedar Island right here. That's crazy. Yeah,
that's not counting keating and decon.
Speaker 3 (21:35):
Well, it's so much to the point where you don't
know what to say. I mean, it's just heartbreaking, you know.
And and then when you hear about everything else is
going on. I've seen on the news, well actually in
social media. We're up North Carolina. They're using pack mules
(21:56):
to get to the people up there there. Pack mule.
They're loading up back mules to take people food and
water and and everything. And they're going in on horses
because there there's no roads.
Speaker 5 (22:09):
Another one.
Speaker 3 (22:10):
So well, Joe, hey buddy, we're gonna cut out and
uh not unless you, uh you got more you want
to talk about obviously, I'm sure we could talk all
day about this.
Speaker 5 (22:21):
Yeah, man, I ain't got much. I'm gonna get back
to helping these people out here and they sitting on
the boat. Yeah yeah, but uh, just anybody that wants
to help, you know, uh, get up with us on
the Big ben outdoor page or or my my personal
page Joel Baldry or my phone numbers eight five six
seven to two one four three, and they can reach
me that way. And uh, you know anything, supplies, they're
(22:44):
doing pretty good on supplies. I wouldn't say so much
about supplies. Just finding stuff people's personal items and stuff
would be a big help.
Speaker 3 (22:52):
Well, let me ask you a question, Joe. I know
we talked about airboats, but if they got them mud boats,
because that they would work as well, wouldn't.
Speaker 5 (22:58):
They they can get when the tide comes up. Yeah,
but right now they couldn't because the shallow So.
Speaker 3 (23:05):
They really need those airboats. Okay, Well, well we'll keep
trying and putting the word out and uh see what
we can do to get more airboats. Uh, all right,
we'll talk to you soon, partner.
Speaker 2 (23:18):
Thank you, God bless you.
Speaker 3 (23:20):
Joel Man good Man. Hey, folks, we're getting ready to
go into a commercial break. We'll be right back. We
just just talking to Joel. We'll go reach out to
Captain Kenny and get some reports from him to see
what's going on. So y'all stay tuned. Thank you.
Speaker 2 (23:43):
Is this mister Captain Kenny Mullens it all right. We
got mister Captain Kenny Mellins on the Big Bend Outdoor
Show with Captain Joe Baldry, and we got Kenny Mellen's
Where are you at, Kenny?
Speaker 4 (23:54):
I am in in Valdosta, Georgia, helping my sister clean
up her young after the storm.
Speaker 3 (24:02):
Tell us about Valdosta. I understand they got hit pretty hard.
Speaker 4 (24:05):
Oh yeah, they got hit very hard. My sister had
thirty nine trees down in her yard. Oh man, yeah,
luckily nothing fell on. The house was still thirty nine
thirty three mature pines and six oaks.
Speaker 3 (24:24):
Wow, that's a lot. That's a lot of work. And
I'm going to cheat a little bit. And the folks
out there, I've seen your post earlier. I was talking
about your post about the trees and how much you've
cleaned up and the work you've been doing up there.
Y'all been y'all been getting it.
Speaker 4 (24:44):
Oh yeah, we've been working daybreak to dark for the
last three days. The cheapest quote that my sister received
was twenty two thousand dollars and she just didn't have it.
And I saw her post on Facebook. I said, quit worrying.
I'm on my way and uh, they turned out that
(25:04):
several of my friends brought equipment and one of the
actually Captain Tanner's brother, his crew was logging next door
and they came over and pulled a lot of the
big trees out for so the whole community came together
helped out.
Speaker 3 (25:21):
And you know, we were we were just talking to
Joel over there in Keaton Beach and he sent me
some pictures that are just heartbreaking and everything. But h so,
how did you make out at your home?
Speaker 6 (25:35):
Yeah, so.
Speaker 4 (25:37):
I'm gonna have to rebuild our front porch. We lost
some fencing, a lot of trees down. It could have
been a lot worse. You know, one of my friends,
Captain Owned Snow, he lost his whole house. Was again
Captain Evan Snow and Facian Short Chargers.
Speaker 3 (25:53):
He lost everything.
Speaker 4 (25:55):
He lost everything.
Speaker 3 (25:56):
Before we hang up, we need to talk about how
we can help that man.
Speaker 4 (26:00):
Not a problem, it's uh. And you know that's the
thing Keaton Beach, there's you know about ten houses left standing. Oh,
my friends at te Meat vacation rentals, you know they
lost I think they lost four of their houses and
one of them they lived in. So it's and then
(26:20):
The thing is, even the ones that are standing, they're
going to have to be inspected, and a lot of
those are probably not going to pass with the structural damage.
Speaker 3 (26:29):
Yeah, that was like that house that our friend was
looking at buying over there that they got real lucky
that the owner decided not to close when he did
this so he could hang on to it and have
make sure it had insurance on it, because that was right. Yeah,
I know, you know, I don't want to bring up
names or anything, but that was a big house. That
was a lot of money, and if they would have
(26:51):
closed on Wednesday, that would have lost every penny. Yeah,
but you know, in the meantime, you know, there's there's
people on the beach and the coach line, but there's
also people inland that've got trees everywhere and damage. And
I mean, you you how close to the coast do
you live.
Speaker 4 (27:09):
I'm about fifteen miles from the coast.
Speaker 3 (27:12):
In your front porch needs to be rebuilt, yep. And
the damage you got at your place, so that's fifteen miles,
Joel said. The trees, there's stuff lodged in the trees
well over twenty foot that was put there, that was
put there by water and those trees are on the
other side of the road.
Speaker 4 (27:29):
Oh yeah, and yeah, I'm like, so one of my
friends had a camera, a security camera as sixteen feet
high on their house at Keaton Beach and then went underwater.
Speaker 3 (27:41):
Man, talk about it, lives go good. Lord, Yeah, I
mean make light of it by no means, but you know,
I mean eventually you got a smile and know that
you know, hopefully no lives were lost. I know they're
talking about in this storm, there's been a lot of
life lost, and I think a lot of I think
(28:02):
a lot of it was I haven't heard of any
in Florida not seen it didn't happen. Folks, Please don't
get mad at me and everything because there's been so
much information flying around and all. But I know that
there's been a lot of loss up in everybody up
north that's called up North Georgia, South Carolina, North Carolina,
Tennessee and everything. And some of the videos that are out.
(28:26):
I seen a video this morning that was put out
on Facebook, and it was this family and a log
home and they were watching it and they could hear
it and you can even hear it in the video
of the rush of water coming, and next thing you know,
you start seeing these pine trees and all this falling,
(28:46):
and they go to screaming and yelling and running for
the rafters. And then it went blank. And yeah, it's
just you weren't You're not looking at a movie. This
is real. Yep, this is real.
Speaker 6 (29:01):
This is really Tennessee.
Speaker 4 (29:04):
I have a friend in Tennessee right now that they
are having supplies brought in by helicopter to their house
because they can't get out.
Speaker 3 (29:12):
I've seen that. Uh, they got the big what they
call them, big Huey's chinooks. Thank you, Paul. Yeah, I'm
not a military man, so I don't know, but the
big chinooks. I've seen video of that earlier that you know,
where they're bringing in supplies. But what I was most
impressed about because people, people in the mountains, people in Florida,
(29:36):
people everywhere, they know how to get things done. Okay,
we don't have to rely on we don't always have
to rely on the government to do things for us.
We know how to get off our butts and make
things happen. And most of us, you know, the old
song Hank Williams Junior has been going through my mind
every day when you know, country boys can survive well,
country boys, country girls, country kids can survive and do survive.
(29:58):
But I've seen where they're hauling food and water on mules.
Oh yeah, doing mule train, you know, doing mule pat
packs and taking them up through there and everything. And
I don't know what else to say except for God
bless these people. I mean, they're gonna, they're they're just
their livelihoods have been washed away, their homes have been
(30:22):
washed away, They're stuck in areas with no shelter, and
it's just it's sad, so sad. I'm glad to hear
that you and your sister, your your wife and kids
and everybody are safe and sound. You were definitely on
my mind when the storm was going through you and
(30:42):
Joel and Tanner and all of you that lived down
in that area and all, and uh, you know, we're
just glad that all you guys are good.
Speaker 4 (30:50):
Yeah, I appreciate it. And that's that's the thing. I
haven't even started on my house because there's been so
many other people that's much worse often than I am.
So I said, I'm going to help who I can.
And you know, like I said, I had to come
to my sister because we got to take care of family.
And after that, you know, when I leave here, I'm
(31:12):
going to help three more families in Keaton Beach and
Ferry area. And in fact, talking about people, you know,
things coming back to you when you help. I just
received a phone call fifteen minutes ago from a guy
in Mississippi that said, Hey, I heard that you got
to rebuild your porch and you got some fencing. I'm
(31:34):
bringing a crew and we will be there this weekend
to help you rebuild your port.
Speaker 3 (31:39):
See that's what I'm talking about. This is so amazing
the human spirit, you know. And earlier we joked, joked
a little bit but kind of serious in most points
back and forth about political stuff Joel and I and
made our little comments you know that we do and
and everything. But you know what's impressive is it don't matter.
(32:02):
It don't matter who you are, where you're from, what
color you are, it don't matter when times like this
come up. Everybody joins hands. And that's what's great about America,
and it's great about our Christian brothers and sisters out there.
Everybody joins hands, and everybody does what they can do.
(32:23):
And you know right now. You know, I'm so grateful
to hear that someone's coming to help you, because you
and Joel and everybody else is out there getting it
helping everybody else. So what comes around goes around. Good karma,
good Christian fellowship, working together, praying, making things work, making
(32:46):
things happen. And you know, when do you think you'll
be back to your house?
Speaker 4 (32:53):
Probably probably Saturday evening. This Saturday morning, there's a there's
a friend's hunting camp that has a lot of trees
down and rip the porch off. So I'm going over
there with some equipment to help them out. Then after
that I head home and start working at home. And
I also got some good news this morning. We talked
(33:15):
about on the show before last year, you know, we
I was able to provide a lot of work for
some boat captains for the storm clean up. And I
got a phone call this morning that that is happening again.
And it was actually some captains out of out of
the area was looking to get the contract. And I
(33:38):
was able to talk to people say, look, you know,
we don't know when we're going to be able to
go back to work. And I was able to negotiate
them and get our local captains that job. So we're
going to have some work with a storm clean up
to get people back to earning money because it'll be
a while before we can get back out on the
water to fish.
Speaker 2 (33:57):
How's your boat? Did it get to.
Speaker 3 (34:00):
Make it to the storm?
Speaker 4 (34:01):
It did have some minor work to do, but nothing
nothing major.
Speaker 3 (34:06):
I know. Joel was talking about they need airboats bad.
They need more airboats over there because there's so much
stuff that's in the sawgrass and up in the marsh
and and everything that you know, it's gonna take that
kind of I told myself, well, what about the mud
buddy boats and maybe jet drives and stuff like that,
and he said, well, anything helps, you know, but and
(34:27):
they could probably do it on a high tide. But
a lot of this stuff is what I mean, it's everywhere.
He had a family on the front of his airboat
and they were out there picking up personal belongings out
of the marsh, pictures of family photos and everything, and
it's just I can't imagine that. It's just it's it's crazy.
Speaker 4 (34:48):
That's part of the problem. Because this this cleanup work
is going to start on Monday, and once once these
crews get out there. They're not picking through stuff and
saving personal belongings. They're there to clean up.
Speaker 3 (35:00):
Yeah, they're gonna take it all and throw it away.
Speaker 4 (35:02):
Yeah. So if anyone anyone listening, you know, if they
can get out there tomorrow before before the crew show
up on Monday and get the stuff to help people
get their personal belongings, that that would be great. And
it's going to take time for the clean up cruise
to even get to everything, so you know, don't even
think it has to be done in one day. But yeah,
(35:24):
you know, like I said, once these crews get in there,
they're not there to save anything, they're there to clean up.
Speaker 3 (35:29):
Oh, Kenny, we need to go into a break, and
everybody listening join us right now. Kenny, will you stay
with us for the next seven yes, Hei, man can't
thank you enough. We'll be right back to you. So
this is Captain Paul Tyre and I'm Delle Bessie and
we'll be right back after this break. Thank y'all. Hey, folks,
(35:55):
welcome back to the Big Bend Outdoors Show. We've been
talking today with Captain Joe Baltrey from the uh I'll
still Allow Charters and Jr. Store and we've talked about
a lot of things. Captain Paul shared information about lex
seminolelec Talaquin. Now we're on the phone with Captain Kenny
Mullins from Epic Charters. And Kenny, you're you're based out
(36:19):
of Keaton Beach, aren't you, buddy. Yes, so we're talking
to someone that makes us living and lives and has
everything right there in Keaton Beach. And you know everybody's
over there doing their thing. Kenny's been up helping a family,
his sister up there in Valdosta that got slammed. And uh,
(36:40):
you said you're coming back home Saturday.
Speaker 4 (36:43):
Yes, Well, I'll actually be back in Perry this evening.
I got I have three other families I'm helping there.
You go today this evening for I'll be done here
in about an hour that I'm going back to Perry
helping three more families, and then Saturday morning I'm helping
thing a veterans hunting camp clean up their camp.
Speaker 3 (37:03):
So one of the things I want to point out
to our listeners once this all sudden done down the road,
if you're looking for a great catch Christmas gift, these
charter captains that we're talking to today Captain Joe Baltree.
We didn't get a chance to talk with Tanner, but
Campton Kenney, these guys are doing all this voluntarily. They're
not getting paid. They're spending their money and gas and
(37:26):
food and everything to get out there, like so many
others are spending their own time and money and everything
to help others. So when it comes time to getting
that special Christmas gift, don't forget to call them by
a one day charter, you know, go fishing and let
them show you where they're at and where they make
their living and experience that because you're not gonna find
(37:49):
any better people nowhere, and you're going to have a
great time and catch fish and get to meet the
heroes of our coast. Fine, So, Paul Wood, what do
you think?
Speaker 2 (38:04):
I'll tell you what? Kenny? You know, I know we
you don't want to think about fishing right now, but
you know what you've seen and here and down there,
and you've probably been through some maybe something I don't know,
if dis bat at Keaton Beach, but you've seen the
Gulf Coast after storms. Well the how won't you think
it'd be for the fishing is coming back or or
to be productive.
Speaker 4 (38:24):
So I'm getting reports, Uh, there's there's been a few
people out on the water, not fishing, but just cleaning up.
And I've received reports that they've never seen so many
trout and red fish as there is right now. Wow,
they're they're literally running over these fish. So I guess
it was a couple of years ago. I can't remember
what storm it was. It literally sucked all the water
(38:46):
out and Dale you probably remember it's after that the
water started rushing back in. We were catching bone fish,
and it's sounding like this storm has had the oppice
of effect. I guess with all the storm, surgeon's actually
pushed fish in now. I don't know if you guys
have seen the satellite imagery of what it looks like
(39:08):
right now, the whole the whole Big Bend area. You
can see the cloudiness of the water all the way
to it looks like probably fifty sixty miles offshore. Wow,
it's just a lot of cloudiness, siltiness. It's just the
water's dirty.
Speaker 3 (39:25):
And wild too, because all that dirty water is coming
down of the mountains.
Speaker 4 (39:30):
Right yeah, it it is going to be that way
for a long time. One of my fellow captains He
surveyed seventy miles of the Swanne River yesterday and he said,
it's it's if you've ever seen the videos of the
old river loggers and they'd float the logs down the river. Yeah,
so that's what the Swanny River looks like right now.
Speaker 3 (39:51):
When you don't.
Speaker 4 (39:53):
See one of the captains out of steaming Hatchie. They
were taking supplies because there's some people tracked on the
Swanny River in the river houses. They were taking supplies
to these people and hit a log and sank their boat.
They were able three days later. It took three days,
but they got their boat back up out of the river.
(40:13):
But again, you know, you talked about we're doing all
this out of our own pocket, and I do want
to share something. I did a news interview and people donated.
They went on my website and they bought gift cards
and they don't expect anything in the return. A lot
of these people were from one of us from Washington State.
But those donations is what is is what is helping
(40:37):
us to provide the help for the people in need here.
You know, I'm not a wealthy person. I don't know
many charter captains that are that are very wealthy. We
live a wealthy life lifestyle, you know, on the water,
you know, getting to help people make memories. But at
a time like this, I don't know when my next
paycheck's coming in. But through the generosity of people pulled
(41:00):
in the support of other people, we've been able to
support the community.
Speaker 2 (41:05):
That's awesome.
Speaker 3 (41:06):
You know, it makes me want to write a check
right now. I mean, I do know one thing I
need to you know, I know Joel's and you guys
are terribly busy. I have an opportunity. In fact, we're
going to do something. We don't know what we're doing
yet because I'm trying to figure out how to go
about doing it. In all, but I have a barbecue
(41:26):
catering company that is called Smoking Butts not Nuts Catering Service.
Smoking Butts not Nuts Barbecue Catering.
Speaker 5 (41:37):
Uh.
Speaker 3 (41:37):
That's Danielle and Mike here in Tallahassee. They just you know,
they just had a show over there in Perry this
past weekend at the Bugs and Barbecue Show. They had
all the vws and everything, and they took the People's
Choice Award. They got great food and they want to feed.
Speaker 6 (41:56):
Uh.
Speaker 3 (41:56):
We got a deal going they're talking about, you know,
what they can do. It's probably four hundred and fifty plates,
but they want to go over and help. And I
need to talk with you about where we need to
take that opportunity and where we can utilize it and
make it work the best for people that actually needed.
I know, in Keaton, I've heard that they got plenty
(42:18):
of water and they've been getting you know a good
amount of food brought in and everything. But we're trying
to figure it out, and it's kind of hard when
you know the communications are the way they are right now.
Speaker 4 (42:29):
Right, Yeah, there has been quite a bit of support
in Keaton and steam Hatchie. I haven't heard so much
about about Horseshoe yet, but you know, they got wiped out,
yeah see there, and they got hit hard with Idelia
and what we were cleaning up whole houses in the
canals there, and they're right back at that again. And
(42:50):
you know, so many times even Idelia, Keaton Beach was
kind of overshadowed by some of these more popular areas.
But I can tell you we had I had Captains
and Horseshoe and Swanneye and those two places were more
devastated in Idelia than anywhere else. But so often the media,
you know, they're going to go to the more popular
places and and uh in video film and all that.
(43:14):
So there are other communities out there, like you know,
Spring Warrior, it's a small, small community that's close to Perry.
But you know, these are areas that get overshadowed and
a don't get talked about a lot and keep each
is one of them. You know. Luckily this time they're
getting the support, way more support than they did last time.
Speaker 3 (43:33):
Hey, uh so living in that area. Uh and Taylor
County and and everything. Who how do the listeners how
they help? What the what can the what can our
audience do? What can the listening audience do? And their
friends and and get on social media and share it
and everything? What can they do to help? Right now?
Speaker 4 (43:54):
So right now, if they if they want to, if
they want to go out there and physically help, just
just go to the key each area, go to keep
each boat ramp, just talking to people that there's there's
clean up and work to be done everywhere right there.
All you have to do is just say hey, I'm
here to help, and they're going to find somewhere for you.
So that's that's what I've been telling everyone.
Speaker 3 (44:16):
Okay. The one thing I know about going to Keaton
is they're not letting everybody in. Joel This told us
that you've got to have a pass to get in
because they've been dealing with Unfortunately, they've been dealing with
thieves people down there trying to steal stuff, and they've
been arresting them. Believe me, they're going to jail and everything.
But one of the things you may want to do
(44:38):
before you do go head out is just check with
your local sheriff's office to make sure that you can
get in to help and and everything. But as far
as say, you know old people that maybe are not
able to get out and do the heavy lifting, you know,
if they want to make a donation or donate clothes
or or ken goods or just any anything, even financial donations,
(45:05):
is there anything set up right now over there to
take them and and where would they go once they
did get them?
Speaker 6 (45:11):
Do you know?
Speaker 4 (45:12):
I haven't heard of anything set up as far as financial.
I know that the the Beach Bar in Keaton Beach,
they they have been distributing supplies. Okay, so that that
would be a good place if you want to donate items.
As far as financial support that I don't know. Like
(45:35):
I said, I know people has been helping some of
those captains through donations on our website with gift cards
and stuff. I told you about Captain Evan Snow that
lost everything.
Speaker 3 (45:44):
We need to get behind him.
Speaker 4 (45:46):
Yeah, he he someone has has opened up a GoFundMe
for him. And I just got off the phone with
him and it's hard times. He's not he's not showing
his emotion yet, but you know it's gonna hit him,
you know, and he is going to need our support.
Speaker 3 (46:04):
Does his family have a place? I mean, obviously, I'm
sure they do. But how's his family doing? How are
they doing right now?
Speaker 4 (46:10):
They're it's just him and his wife, but they they're
they're surviving. They they've got a place to love temporarily.
And and of course they applied for the THEEMA, the
FEMA help the FEMA trailer, so they do have a
place to live. They didn't lose all their clothing, they
(46:31):
lost everything. You know, he did get his boats out
of home's way, so well, He's a good way to
help him is the same thing. You know, his Appalachian
short chargers that you know if you want to help
out buy statisticate.
Speaker 3 (46:48):
Yeah. So, uh, we're getting coming to the end of
the show, I guess. And as much as I'd love
to stay here for another hour and and talk to
you and everything, I know I need to let you
go because there's work to be done and you're out
there getting it done. And we are grateful for people
like you, Captain Kenny, you and all the other captains
and the volunteers out there, the husbands, the wives and
(47:11):
including the children, the families. We are all praying for
y'all and we look forward to talking to you next week. Y'all.
Stay safe. Captain Paul Tire, they can reach you where.
Speaker 2 (47:22):
Oh, Captain Paul tar Fishing and Kenny, how can the
folks reach you? And about your gift gift certificates you're.
Speaker 6 (47:29):
Talking about, Yeah, Keatonbeachfishing dot com. And then you can
also reach out to me at eight five zero eight
three eight six one one And if you want to
come help, reach out to me and I'll get you
in touch with the right people.
Speaker 3 (47:43):
Yeah, And that's just it, folks. There's plenty of ways
to get a hold of us, and we look forward
to talking y'all next week and give you more updates
and hopefully some more good news. And in the meantime,
y'all be safe out there. And when you can help someone,
help them out, Believe me, they'll come back around to you.
Speaker 2 (48:00):
God bless you, Kenny, thank you, thank y'all for listening
to the Big Ben Outdoor Show Captain Joel Baldry. We
appreciate everybody and God speaking.
Speaker 1 (48:08):
You've been listening to The Big Ben Outdoor Show with
Joel Baldry. Join us every Saturday morning at eight am
on ninety six five the Spear and on demand with
the free iHeartRadio app.
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