Life at Lake X in the '60s

**seeroy** · 11-13-2008, 10:34 AM

I had a great surprise today when my phone rang and John Stenback was on the other end. I had not seen or talked to John in many years. John Stenback was one of the truly great Outboard Offshore racers "Back in the Day". He is now retired in Chocowinity, NC. After much back and forth laughter he related the following story to me (slightly embellished):

Seems that Ralph Seavey (AKA Seawall Seavey, see page 3, post #35) had been enjoying that famous Saint Cloud nightlife at the J&A Bar until the wee hours. Meanwhile John Stenback and Charlie Rush had made aquaintence with one of the multitude of Lake X alligators whom we shall name "Alli". She was one of the 3 foot variety which, if handled very carefully, could be captured and coaxed into some nefarious activity. This was also true of some of the others of the female gender which were sometimes encountered in the J&A Bar. Standing in the old shop, John & Charlie could see directly across the boat slip and noticed that Ralph's car was missing from the Triple O Trailer. Assuming that Ralph would soon return they began to hatch another brilliant scheme. They stealthily carried their newfound friend over to Triple O and tied the unhappy reptile to one leg of Ralph's bed, which was in the very back of the trailer, and made their retreat to await his return. Now you must understand that when one returned from the J&A in the wee hours, ones brain would be a little foggy from having consumed much adult beverage. Ralph's brain was no exception upon his arrival at the Triple O Trailer. He opened the back door which led directly into his bedroom. Alli, having gotten a bit aggravated by her restraint, greeted Ralph with open mouth, many bare teeth, and much loud hissing. By the way, that was much the same greeting that Ralph got from some of the ladies in the J&A, except they may not have had as many teeth as Alli. It only took Ralph a second or two (or considering his condition, maybe a bit longer) to realize that this was not a hallucination. At that point he let out a blood curdling scream and leapt back into the night. By now John & Charlie were screaming laughter and were heard by Ralph, who began screaming some very interesting epitaphs back at them. As things began to quiet down, Ralph went to the front door of the trailer and John & Charlie could see the lights sequence on as he worked his way back to his bedroom. There followed much screaming, hissing and other interesting noises from within, and then things got very quiet and the lights went out in the bedroom. Believe it or not, that is the end of the story. If you need a more conclusive ending, use your imigination.

Steve Sirois

**digital_jeff** · 11-13-2008, 12:13 PM

I only have this one shot of a gator with any personnel - but this happens to be ECK. This may have been used in Iron Fist also.

jeff

**Mike Ramsey** · 11-16-2008, 08:06 PM

Originally Posted by digital_jeff

I only have this one shot of a gator with any personnel - but this happens to be ECK. This may have been used in Iron Fist also.

jeff

When this gator got loose EC was in that cab without hitting the ground. This one was caught in front of Ridgell's trailer. Jim Stough was on the front end and roy was on the back end. It took five of us to put it in the truck. 9 ft long.

Mike R

**digital_jeff** · 11-18-2008, 05:22 PM

I don't remember exactly when this was, probably in the mid 90s. He would sit on the bank near the mouth of the small slip. Never seemed to bother anyone. A few of the guys would tell me about 'hitting something' while on the water, usually resulting in a missing skeg, probably one of this guys buddies.

jeff

**Dd24skater** · 11-19-2008, 06:21 AM

Catfish were in the lift wells inside the main building with giant bite marks on their backs where it looked like gators had gotten a hold of them.

Is that Howard Johnsons still there by the turnpike in Kisimmee with all the boat pictures in the bar??

Dd

**digital_jeff** · 11-19-2008, 09:22 PM

Skater,
Last time I drove past on the turnpike I didn't see it. I bet JFL would know.

jeff

**nianticgary** · 11-20-2008, 10:27 AM

Jeff, Hate to break you away from Lake X, but was wondering if you have any photos from the Sarasota facility? I know there was some photos somewhere on this thread, cant remember where. When I'm on Siesta I always look for any remnants of the facility but don't quite know where to look except at the south end. How long ago was it abandoned? I kind of remember seeing it years ago since I've been in the Sarasota area since 1951. Can you jog my memory? Gary Larson

**digital_jeff** · 11-20-2008, 10:52 AM

Hi Gary,
Siesta Key was before my time. I am by no means an authority, but I do have plenty of pictures. I think Steve had mentioned a few things about it and what it was used for after the move to Placida. I'm sure there are a few others out there on this thread who will know.

jeff

**nianticgary** · 11-20-2008, 11:53 AM

Thanks Jeff. I guess looking for alot of this old stuff is like looking for buried treasure, and Florida has buried alot of the past. Thankfully guys like you have preserved some of this treasure on film. Wish I had thought about photographing some of this stuff as I saw it, especially those little yellow boats going up and down the intracoastal.
Gary

**seeroy** · 11-20-2008, 01:47 PM

Originally Posted by nianticgary

Jeff, Hate to break you away from Lake X, but was wondering if you have any photos from the Sarasota facility? I know there was some photos somewhere on this thread, cant remember where. When I'm on Siesta I always look for any remnants of the facility but don't quite know where to look except at the south end. How long ago was it abandoned? I kind of remember seeing it years ago since I've been in the Sarasota area since 1951. Can you jog my memory? Gary Larson

Hi Gary - The best I can do, as far as the Sarasota Siesta Key Test Station is concerned, is to post some pics of what is there today and try to explain where things were 40+ years ago. I will try to do that in the next post. - Steve Sirois

**seeroy** · 11-20-2008, 01:55 PM

Gary - This map shows where the Siesta Key Test Station was located at the Southern end of Midnite Pass Road.

**seeroy** · 11-20-2008, 02:06 PM

This is what it looks like today. Make note of the small oval island at the tip of the big building at the very Southern end of Midnite Pass Road. The property included pretty muach all of the pennisula pictured. Joe Anderson's family lived in a house at the North end of the property and on the West side of the gate. Mr Kiekhaefer had a house about half of the way down the property on the East side of the road. The Test Station was located at the very Southern tip of the property. See next post. - Steve

**seeroy** · 11-20-2008, 02:38 PM

When I first went to work, there were 2 buildings that made up the Test Station. They were laid out in kind of an Ell shape. One building housed the Office, Ed Finley's Photographic lab, and Boathouse Bulletin Shop. The other building housed workshop, small parts room, and the channel (that you see in this picture) between the main part of the property and the oval island, actually flowed through the building. There was a wooden bridge across the channel in the same location as the bridge in this picture. One could walk across the bridge, through a sliding door in the South side of the building and out onto the oval island. There were roll down doors over the channel on either end of the building. At night, the endurance boats were kept in the channel, inside the building, and the doors were rolled down for security. Just outside of the West side of that building there was a swiveling I beam hoist that we used to put small boats in and out of the water. The fuel dock was just to the West of the building and there was a drive-in boat ramp just to the North of the fuel dock. Just to the North of the ramp there was a floating dock were small motors were run as well as various components that were hung in the water on ropes for corrosion testing. Eventually, a fork lift boat rack was built on the West side of the area. I can close my eyes right now and see eveything as I walk through the facility in my mind. That was a wonderful part of my life. - Steve Sirois

**seeroy** · 11-20-2008, 02:51 PM

Here I am (was) at the Siesta Key Test Station, circa 1969. Note the recently built boat rack behind my left shoulder. - Steve Sirois

**nianticgary** · 11-20-2008, 03:33 PM

Steve,
Thanks so much for all your info about Siesta Key. It is just so bad that all of the old Florida Mercury test facilities are gone along with alot of old Florida itself. It was a different time and different era. I was a product of 1950s and on Florida and sure do miss it and can imagine how all you guys who were part of the Merc facilities feel. Today Florida is just a big mess of people and alot of traffic. Nothing special any more. People don't know what they're missing. Thanks for sharing.
Gary