Part of it is here and more is to follow . The invasion of the contractors and cleanup folks is official and will be around quite some time . It has changed many peoples lives and has caused stress far beyond the existing economic stresses we have endured . That alone has caused a shift in folks behavior as I have seen folks change and respond to the economic stresses in strange and unpleasant ways even before this calamity .
Now we want a piece of the BP economy in some way shape or form . Some have ridden the vessels of opportunity train , it seems like a temporary placation and opportunity that’s not entirely going to the right folks and certainly not accomplishing alot for the money spent . It seems a corporate PR move for now and I hope that seemingly endless supply of money supporting these redundant operations is truly endless and when the real need for our county appears ,the money is not in bank accounts of folks who played the game and took advantage of the program for a quick buck . They know who they are , the ones with unrelated careers and the ones from out of the area and even out of state , that are displacing folks that are in the business of making their living on or around the water here .
Apparently the town of Bayou La Batre in Al. has taken over management of the program locally as they know who should be out there working ,those that know the waters and truly make their living there .Doctors should treat patients , Insurance agents should sell insurance,attorneys should tend to their clients .That the point of the movement in Bayou la Batre

http://www.fox10tv.com/dpp/news/gulf_oil_spill/bp-program-partners-with-bayou-la-batre

That’s a great way to circumvent the Industry / Buddy system that’s now in place . It would also be nice to know which of the suppliers and contractors are really related to the corporation responsible of the problem , and how the game is truly played . It a great opportunity for the county and other counties to be taken for a very expensive ride by some opportunists masquerading as environmental specialists……….I will be interested to see the accounting of what was billed in terms of time,supplies  and equipment in comparison to what could have been sourced locally . And 5 years from now , what was the effect of putting our environment in the hands of folks with no real interest here .
Just my morning thoughts as I try to fight my way through the greed and find the need .And stay in business.

So with our lives potentially be turned upside down , there are some hard choices to make for Wefings . We have no intention of giving up on what we do in our day to day lives , which is sell and service recreational boats [like Sundance , Ranger Tugs and Twin Vee Catamarans] and provide service to the working water men of our area . We have planned our business around that and we were on the way out of the economic doldrums and back seemingly on the mend . Alot of our customers come from outside the area as well and we travel to boat shows with our unique products . But the feeling I have now is we need to reinvent our selves once again . As much as I hate the thought of “working for BP” I think its our future to embrace the potential for sustaining our business with the demand for product related to protection, and god forbid cleanup of our waters . So I will have to consider the large risk of purchasing items that are outside our normal scope of business or in larger quantities than we are normally comfortable with . I know that if there is a demand and you don’t have what people need they will find it elsewhere .Thats IF you can identify the need ! So with much to lose and some to gain ,we will ramp up for the efforts . The hardest part of the process is we have to disrupt our own recovery to create a new one . Makes life fragmented and unsure , but we are all facing that now . Its a test of principles and the will to survive . We need to have what it takes no matter what happens . And that takes alot of extra time and effort and risk . And a little support from our customers and community
Marc

Went to the morning safety meeting so I could better understand the massive amounts of boats burning fuel for no apparent reason in our bay . I suppose when the S**T hits the fan , we may be better prepared , but I also suspect when said event occurs [and I hope it does not] many [especially the deckhands]will quit . There seems to be a big disparity between what the boat owner/captain makes and the deck hands . That will interesting to follow as it develops . I also gathered they they are not getting paid in a timely fashion and that is certainly bad for morale ,and trust . The folks running the VOO program seem dedicated to the safety of the Workers and Captains . We at Wefings Marine have been supplying safety gear as required and as the quantities increase we are able to purchase in quantity and thus get the prices better for the folks on the water . They are required to wear PFDs at all times and have some specialized gear on board that is not normally carried by small boats . We are continually trying to see what the needs are and to provide quality equipment at a great price . Some will always complain with out justification no matter what you do , but we have tried hard to be the best and most reasonable in the area . Always will . I have also been working on a few projects to make the boats more identifiable for the contractors . That helps with the organization and safety of all concerned .
Marc

Sitting in Jacksonville , waiting for some safety gear for on of the local contractors so I can have it on the job site this afternoon . We have begun to get some requests for items that will be used in the prevention and cleanup of the BP Oil spill , as it affects Apalachicola and Franklin County . We are very experienced in sourcing out marine and safety related product , and it appears we will be able to put this experience to use . We are still in the boat business and have some great inventory , so feel free to call us for you boating needs here in Eastpoint!
Marc

The oil keeps pouring , the money keeps being wasted , the dog and pony show continues .
For the last few days I have been trying to procure some much needed work boats for our county’s benefit for the impending “economy shift” . We are transitioning from an ecologically sustainable tourism and fisheries based economy to an oil dependent economy . I can see it happen before my very eyes . In an effort to provide useful services and replace our now antiquated business model I have focused on commercial endeavors that are related to the restoration of our area.
I so far , have not found anyone that understands the situation , can grasp our future needs or can see far enough into the future to realize that when those support vessels are needed [landing craft,water based medical support,amphibious vehicles, etc], we will not have them . In this south eastern region , all of those type of resources will be first come first served and we will be last . Everybody is relying on outside contractors for everything and that’s an uncomfortable situation for me. But its just my opinion and opinions are like gas tanks ,everybody has one .

I spent all day in the store trying to grasp what our role will be in the habitat oiling prevention and cleanup arenas . I found that there are lot of boats in the “Vessels of Opportunity” Program that have been “activated” out practicing today , looking for oil and familiarizing themselves with the bay .Rumors are flying, people with little or no interest in the bay are collecting checks , and that in turn has made it difficult for folks that truly rely on this resource to get help. Unfortunately the locals that know the bay best , the oystermen, have vessels that are subsistence boats and will not stand the type of work they are now hired for . The inshore Charter fishermen have a much better chance of making a few weeks of work .The non locals that say they’re boats are located here are collecting monies that should remain in the hands of locals . BP cannot discern who is who. The pay and handouts from BP are causing some locals that dont work or have unrelated jobs to get saltwater products licenses one day and collecting 5k checks from BP the next . Human nature is rearing its sometimes ugly side . We have such a pristine resource to protect here , and its so taxing to see it managed in a haphazard way . Our goal at Wefings is to stay in business so my staff can have careers they can count on . Maybe there will be an opportunity to replace our normal businesses . Maybe folks will take a long ,long time to return and we will all have to reconfigure our lives and business models . It very stressful for all . Just trying to cope, be smart and be open to find ways to help .I might be going on my last offshore fishing trip for the foreseeable future tomorrow. That makes me sad , cause I know its a very real possibility .

Marc

From my point of view , here in Apalachicola, Fl ,I see A Slow Motion Train Wreck [that's well put by someone ]. That’s what the “oil event” now feels like . Its not the fault of the President ,please ,so many of you all love to beat that government thing to death but in reality I believe its the cumulative effect of years of oil addiction.
I’m addicted , and most likely so are you . We worry about the current supply ,the future supply and their relative prices , what kind we like better , [BTW I personally like low sulfur , but not so much, ultra low sulfur #2 Diesel and mid grade gasoline] and how and where we can get it cheap.
We hate ethanol cause it fouls our equipment,and makes our food more expensive and it just not real oil . We are mad but we seek energy in gobs . I am just as guilty as anyone.
Its not an act of God ,but an act of Man.Like a war on ourselves . An industry and culture out of control , but with most of our blessings .No divorce proceedings in the near future seem to be likely . Kill baby, kill .I think I spelled that right ……
Energy technology is something that’s an emerging industry , We excel at those kinds of technologies here [for now] . We sell the technology , we make things happen and we made this oil fueled economy happen from the beginning  . We are in way,way deep.

But now my own home , my future ,my business and its staff and its families ,and our playgrounds are in jeopardy and a lot of folk’s playgrounds and homes have been already ruined for quite some time . Its hard to stay upbeat .I know its our own fault . But life goes on in our busy world of texting  “I never thought this would happen to me ” .
I have plans of diving the keys , showing my grandson how to fish,dive ,surf and enjoy the water [I think it skips a generation] and enjoying the last third of my life with my wife on and around the water . Will it be inland somewhere cause we cant breathe ? Will it be cleaning our coastline sweating  in a Tyvek suit ? Will it represent the most Irony of all and have us making our living restoring our own home being paid by the entity that destroyed it ?
I just don’t have any concept right now . The next few months will be critical for so many people .Maybe years of struggle to find new normalcy .

This event represents the best and worst of mankind . How we can do what would seem impractical and impossible and create an enormous mess doing it . But we will also live through it , recover from it and hopefully learn from it . Some will prosper , many will suffer , and I for one will never be the same .

Vessels of opportunity [BPs media friendly name for chartering boats and people that know the area that they might destroy ] meeting/orientation was an interesting experience . Lots of commercial clammers and fishermen from a long ways way, weekend warriors from Georgia all mixed with local oyster folks and fishing guides . Meeting was totally hijacked by Sen. Al Lawson and a bunch of Lawyer/Sharks from Pensacola that flew in by private jet and were probably the only guys in Apalach in Jet black suits with power ties on and with an entourage . The BP trainer stood in disbelief .I was having trouble believing it myself. Sen Al said what he thought the fishermen wanted to hear [major pandering] , wasted an hour of our time and the training continued. The BP guy was sincere in his mission of safety and training , hope the folks that really know the bay will get the jobs . But I really hope we don’t need any of it .That would be the best . There is a city commission meeting tonight to clarify who is doing what and to quell the “Mayberry By The Sea” rumor mill . I will likely attend .

The spill has affected our business and many others  even though the oil is no where close to us , and will probably remain so . But its a psychological thing ,a media fueled thing [pardon my pun]and apparently has been wrought with mis information from the start . Combined with the weak economy , the Gulf Coast has seen its share of hardship in the last few years . Perhaps better times are around the corner ……. Hope its not too little too late.

Marc

The season has officially begun as we have lots of sales activity and service is getting quite stacked up as well .
The fuel situation is getting worse each year , disappointing boaters coming in with high pressure fuel pump issues and gummed up carbs . We highly recommend using a quality stabilizer EVERY fill up . Around the shop we use PRIG from Power Research International in Texas . They make a gasoline product as well as a diesel product . It seems to keep the fuel in good shape at a reasonable cost . From what I understand the days of gas with no booze in it are limited . So stay on top of you fuel system and have fun boating !
Marc

I have been blessed to meet some wonderful people in the boat business , when it seems dismal [which it is does sometimes, especially in winter ] something will happen that will restore your vigor and remind you of why you do what you do . We are still in the midst of selling through our inventories , and the folks that make those key purchases are doing a great thing for us . I am very grateful for them and lately have met some mighty fine folks . Having some employees that count on me drives me to a great extent to make things happen and find our way in the long recovery process. It also teaches you a lot about your business and might even cause one to do some soul searching.
But back to those people , from all over, many backgrounds and beliefs, one common interest . Enjoying their time on the water and the products we sell,one of which is intangible but very important, the experience of great service . We will be trimming down our inventories, manufacturers that dont meet our expectations, expenses, but not our service . That’s why we meet great people and why they come back !
Marc