Babe

One of the interesting facts about Fort Myers Beach is that they are the home of the shrimp fleet that works the Gulf of Mexico. The group of plein artists from the FMB Art association, paint out every Wednesday and last week we were at the shrimp boats docks. After wandering around and snapping photos, most of us settled on the view of Babe, at the wharf. The main reason for all of us painting the same thing was that we could be in total shade all morning. I wish now I had taken photos of all of the paintings of the same thing; they were so creatively different. The shrimpers who work on the boats wandered around us and felt free to offer advise, one even asked to have his portrait done. I wish I had been fast enough to get my camera out, because like most of the shrimpers he was a real personality with his saucy attitude, very wrinkled black face and rubber boots. Most wear these boots in and off the boats. I think because there is much water around on the boats from their melting ice below decks ( to keep the shrimp fresh). They are all very friendly and love to chat but one boss man who wandering around while we were chatting spoke up and said, "You're costing me money while you chat here"; Needless to say they left.

Babe  had her hull completely redone last season and this winter she got a new wheelhouse. I took artistic lisence when I put the rust on her hull and my apologies to the owner but she needed more red sienna.

                   

I have included a few photos that show more of the fleet, at the docks.