Jimmy Buffet(Chris Larkin) Got the call from Murfy. He knew all the cops, all over the Bahamas, Abaco, Andros, the Exumas. The best loaders of weed. Why look over your shoulder with the cops in front? Done lot's a trips for him with the cops as the loaders. This was a big easy one. 2000 pounds. I have my 1967, 27' Hatteras up and running. Twin 457 gas engines just installed. Bought both in the crates. Stolen from some warehouse. Snake installed them and deserved a bonus. He was invited on this one. From mechanic to smuggler over night. Biminni, 50 miles from Lauderdale. No sweat. Looking forward to a day or two at the Complete Angler Hotel. Give respect to Ozzie Brown the owner. That weekend was wild & fun. We got there Saturday afternoon. Snake and Al in the Hatteras and me in a 27' aquasport with twin 150 Mercs. We docked at Blue Water Marina. We got a couple rooms at the Complete Angler and got ready for the night. We made the rounds all night. Not a big island. I was very well known. I could knock on any door on the island. We always carried heavy metal. Guns of every description. They were never left on the boats. We would wrap them in sleeping bags, and to the hotel they went. I remember this Sunday. I have always loved Jimmy Buffet's music. It's a Florida thing. Pirate's look at forty, still a favorite. That Sunday morning I knew we had to load up and get home. Snake & I were the first down stairs. The Angler has a small bar, with no big selection of tunes. Snake & I sat in the corner and discussed the trip back home. Shorty the bartender was playing Jimmy Buffet non stop. I bitched about it, even though I love it. Enough was enough. He shook his head at the only two other people in the bar. Sure enough, Jimmy Buffet and friend. That was way cool. We all shook hands. He ended up playing at the Federal prison in Tallahassee, Florida, where I ended up for a short time many years later. He was visiting a friend there from Key West. His friend talked him into a concert for us. Cool eh?

Anyway, the weed was on south Biminni. The old, closed down Sunshine Inn Hotel. It was on the southern tip of south Biminni. Had it's own canal. They got the Hatteras there, with no problems. The hotel was empty for a long time. Murf and I went in the Aquasport. To my suprise, here come the police pushing a wheel barrel loaded with bails down the dock. Once again I was at ease. This was a big one. Money in all our pockets, 2000 lbs. What a dream trip. The Hatteras was loaded and spirits were high. When they came in the cannel, the hatteras scated over this little sand bar in the channel. The hotel hadn't been used in years. Snake was worried about my props. They are expensive. He couldn't get over the sand bar with all the weight. 2000 lbs. is a lot. I climbed on board. My little boat was not a problem. I punched the throttles on the hatteras. Those twin 457's made a new channel. Over the bar we flew. On our way to Lauderdale now. I dropped Murf off on the south side. Snake & Al were headed home. I was to be the leader in the aquasport. I caught up with them easy. I was all by myself. I ran so fast, and so far ahead. I would fish, drink, and just have a great time waiting for them. The scary part was the port. The hatteras was way down in the front. At high speed not a problem. Crossing the 50 miles was easy. After you hit the port, you have to slow down. Marina wake laws. ##### mannaties. Then the bow looked loaded. That's what I was for. Running shot gun. We had the radios. Our own private channels. We entered Hillboro inlet. Now the trip on a Sunday, pass all the boat bars without getting busted. This will be fun I knew. Smugglers on their day off, sitting at the bars. Seeing a loaded boat trying to get home. That's what it was. The bow was riding so low that Snake was throwing bails on the back deck. Open to the public. Covering them with sheet, towels, anything. Better than the bow plowing. I was running ahead, all the time no cops. We made it all the way to Al's home. Around three in the afternoon. We, couldn't believe it. I had my house boat's just down the river. Al was renting a killer house on the water. Only problem, it was wide open. On a dead end street, but neighbors across the canal. Our down fall. I went home. Al said it was under control. Our Lauderdale hookup's had delivered a brand new truck with cab in the drive way. Paper still on the floor. New new new. The weed was supposed to go in it. Then a phone call. Al had a old wooden boat at his dock. It was his baby. Thirty some foot. Big cabin, lots of room. The first 300 or more pounds went in it. Al was covering our ass. We hauled weed like this on a percentage. Twenty percent was the price. Two thousand pounds. You do the math. One problem. Nosey neighbors. The truck was loaded, the hatteras empty. I was out to dinner with the wife. On the way home I stopped by. Dead end street. Snake had left, but I almost ran over a strange women holding snow. Snow was a little puppy that Al had gotten Saturday in Biminni. Born in the grave yard. Little girl gave it to him. Real cute. We thought we could give it a better life in Florida. It rode home with the weed. I would have used it for bait. Just kidding. Anyway, it was the first bad sign. Then I saw cops all over the Hatteras. I backed up fast. Al was already gone, so was the truck. The neighbor had seen something funny and called the heat. Nosy bitch. They watched Al all afternoon, from the woman's house.S he probably just wanted company. Made them cookies and tea. You know how cop's are. Anything for a free meal.

I headed to the house boats and jumped in the aquasport. I headed that way. Inbetween his home and my marina where I lived was another marina where all the busted boats go. I passed the hatteras headed to the grave yard. Half a dozen cops, having a ball. I guess so. Big bust under their hat. They screwed up. Next stop, the bail bondsman for Al. Now it get's funny. We knew this guy. Worked for a bail agency. Wanted to hang with us, real bad. I sent him to see Al while I waited outside the jail in the car. Al said they didn't get the other weed. I had no idea. The cops never looked in the other boat. Al's boat. They were too excited. Ain't that a bitch. We went and looked. Sure nuff it was there. All you had to do was look. Twenty feet from the Hatteras. I still laugh to this day. Now I have to talk him into getting Al out now on a 100 thousand dollar bond. He wanted to hang with us so bad that he did it. No money up front. Al was out in hours. Now the bond guy can't go to work. He needs the ten percent. Ten thoudand dollars. So he checks into a hotel with all of us.F our rooms. My wife and me, Al and his, Snake And his and the bond guy got his own. I paid. No one wanted to hear him crying. In the morning Snake and I went to the house. We were in mechanic's clothes. No cops. Got the weed easy. Sold it that day. Little over three hundred pounds. 100 thousand even. Easy deal. Done it many times before. Cash was always there. Don't have the cash, go to the end of the line. I don't play & never did. First off got rid of the cry baby. Bonds paid. Now the lawyers. I'll make it short and sweet. Real sweet. Cop's watched the house all afternoon. Never, never got a warrant. Judge's exact word's, "What do you mean you didn't have time for a warrant? Did you think they could flush 2000 pounds down the toilet?" Case dismissed.

Irie, Big Red

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