The BLUEWATER OUTRIGGERS CHARITY OFFSHORE CLASSIC is a fishing tournament held the first weekend of June in Port St. Joe Florida. It is a 501-C3 nonprofit corporation. . This year it was held June 4 & 5th. It is put on by George Duren, owner and the staff of BLUEWATER OUTRIGGERS, a local "Everything For Your Outdoor Adventure" fishing and hunting supply store in Port St. Joe Fl . The purpose of the tournament is to fund the Forgotten Coast Warrior Weekend. The species of the tournament are KING MACKEREL, GROUPER, RED SNAPPER, SPANISH, WAHOO & MAHI MAHI. The 1st prize purse is $2,500.00, 2nd is $500.00 and the 3rd is $250.00.
This tournament is all about funding the FORGOTTEN COAST WARRIOR WEEKEND also a 501-3C corporation. Forgotten Coast Warrior Weekend involves bringing in FIVE soldiers to Port St. Joe ( along with their families) who have recovered from critical wounds in the Iraq or Afganistan wars for a weekend of FISHING, FOOD AND FUN .
This years WARRIORS were :
SGT. JOSH COPE (RET) U. S. ARMY, CORPORAL JEREMY CABINESS ( RET) U. S. ARMY, SPECIALIST CHAD WILLIAMS, (RET) U.S. ARMY, SSGT ERIC EZELL U.S. AIR FORCE, SSGT CHRIS PENNINGTON U.S. AIRFORCE
The events included the warriors arriving in Port St. Joe on Thursday afternoon. A steak dinner banquet was held on Thursday evening at the local Centennial Building with guest speaker Major General James E. Simmons as the guest speaker. The warriors were escorted to the Centennial Building by the WARRIOR WATCH RIDERS of Northwest Florida. In addition to a welcome reception at the local Port Inn where they stayed, local citizens lined the streets and waved flags to welcome them to Port St Joe as they were excorted to their banquet.
On Friday morning the WARRIORS were again escorted by the WARRIOR WATCH RIDERS to the Port St. Joe Marina where they each boarded one of five 30 ft. fishing vessel and competed in their own WARRIOR KINGFISH SHOOTOUT. SGT. JOSH COPE was chosen to fish on the BLUEWATER OUTRIGGERS 30 FT. PURSUIT with Lee Duren and Brent Romiti. All of the warriors caught fish, but SGT. JOSH COPE who is a double amputee, caught the largest fish a 73 lb. WAHOO. All had a good time and they were given a huge welcome at the dock by the fishermen of the Bluewter Classic tournament. They had their own weigh in and recieved rewards of prizes. All of the warriors caught fish but of course the biggest celebration was for Sgt. Cope catching the monster 73 lb. Wahoo.
On Saturday, they will tour the area and join in at the HEROES DAY activities at the marina while the Bluewater Classic fishing tournament is going on and all will be at the marina for the big tournament weigh in between 4 & 6:30 P. M. Others helping with the events were Captain Mitch Coleman and Mrs. Brenda Garth.
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