Successful Falcon 9 Launch The Second Time Around

SpaceX enjoyed a successful Falcon 9 launch the second time around this evening from Cape Canaveral.

Despite the windy conditions, fishermen and onlookers along the Indian River  were treated to a successful launch at 5:39 pm this evening.

After the scrubbed launch yesterday evening, I wasn't sure if I should waste my time trying to get some pics of the liftoff, but after my Doctor's appointment, I decided to load up a couple of rods and try for a redfish or two along Peacocks Pocket road just for the hell of it.

I drove up to the same spot where I got skunked yesterday and put out two rods baited with a half of a frozen mullet, and a half of a blue crab.  I unfolded a portable seat I had in the bed of the truck and sat back to wait for either a fish to strike, or the Falcon 9 to lift off the pad.

About five minutes after I sat down, Don Ogray and his wife pulled up to where I was fishing to see  the launch.

Yesterday, we waited in vain but this evening all went as scheduled.

Don asked if I had any hits and I told him I had just set out my baits.  The wind wasn't  blowing enough  to affect the launch, but it did make detecting a bite an iffy proposition.

I had a GoPro clone on my visor, and my cell phone camera at the ready to take pics of the launch.   As I turned on the video on my smart phone and asked Don how much time before the launch window, the Falcon 9 lifted off  and punched through the clouds without a hitch.

I took these videos of the launch from both angles for those of you who might be interested.

After the launch, Don and his wife took off leaving me to my fishing.

I was about to call it a day and hit Wally's World for some groceries when I got a nice hit on the rod with the mullet bait.

The fish didn't leave any doubt as to what it was.  It picked up the bait and took off like a shot.

Since I was fishing on the Indian River side of the road, the redfish didn't have any place to go.  It made several nice runs before I could finally land and released the fish, which was just over the slot.

I took this quick pic before releasing it back into the river.

After releasing the red, I packed up my gear and headed towards the Pocket boat ramp and the grocery store.

On the way out of the refuge, I spotted these spoonbills in the marsh with their backs to the wind.

Another group of fishermen were set up at the culverts, but they didn't seem to be catching anything as I drove past them.

Anyway, it's a hoot catching redfish while watching a successful Falcon 9 launch the second time around.

Till next time,
Tight Lines.