February 9, 2006 Charley's Crab and the death of Chuck Muer Chuck Muer grew up in Michigan and opened a restaurant there in October of 1964. Later, he opened a restaurant named Charley's Crab in Palm Beach, Florida. Their seafood is indescribably good and I've been scarfing meals at the Charley's Crab in Palm Beach for over a decade. Predictably, word about the food leaked out, so more Charley's Crabs popped up in South Florida like mushrooms after a spring rain. The tragedy is the story of poor Chuck's demise.

Here's a guy that had everything to live for. Here's a guy that was making money hand over fist, living in Palm Beach Florida. Bought a sweet 40 foot boat and named it 'Charley's Crab'. He sailed back and forth between the Bahamas, which is pretty much the thing to do on the Treasure Coast. In the summer, crossing over to the Bahamas is a cake walk. You could cross over to Grand Bahama Island in a 14 foot flat bottom boat with an outboard and a few jerry cans of gas.

Plenty of people make the crossing without the aid of a GPS receiver. My brother-in-law said he and his brother used to do it all the time with nothing more than a compass. Accounting for the Gulf Stream, they'd just head East South-East for 4 hours across the open ocean in a 20 foot boat and watch for Memory Rock on the horizon. In the winter, the seas are rough, but in the summer, unless there's a hurricane, the oceans are generally calm and the crossing is a cake walk.

Apr 21, 2017. Wilson said the money raised from the tournament benefits programs in St. Clair County. More:No fish story. Salmon Stakes was started by the late Chuck Muer, the owner of the River Crab in St. Download Dbx Driverack 260 Software For Mac. Clair Township. 'The event was. For more information, go to www.bluewatersportfishing.net. The “Fish to.

Chuck Muer had a big boat. A 40 foot boat is a large boat. Now, I know, there are bigger boats. However rich you think you are, South Florida can be an humbling place.

You pull into the dock and some guy next to you anchors his yacht and he's got rescue boats the size of your boat hanging from cranes over the stern of his vessel. But a 40 foot boat is a big boat. I've made the crossing more times I can count in boats ranging from 27 feet to cruise ships. But a 40 foot boat is a large boat and is certainly capable of making the crossing in anything shy of a full-blown hurricane. On March 13th of 1993, Charles and Betty Muer and their friends George and Lynn Drummey attempted to cross back from the Bahamas when a freak storm blew up.

The storm hit much more quickly, further South, and with greater intensity than had been forecasted. By the time the freak March storm left Florida, it had and done $500 million in damages. Then Governor wrote a scathing letter lambasting the National Weather Service for their poor forecasting. Chuck Muer's party had probably nearly completed the crossing before they heard any forecast of an impending storm on their marine radio.

By the time they knew of the storm, it was too late. Battling in the pre-dawn blackness, Chuck Muer placed two calls at 4:25 a.m. And 4:27 a.m. To Palm Beach County's emergency center. But each time, there was only the crackle of static on the line.

They never found a trace from the wreck, and they searched like it mattered. They mounted a massive search and rescue operation, because the guy was as rich as Croesus, so they searched for him like it mattered. This wasn't a Coast Guard search for a Hatian clinging to a palm tree in the Gulf Stream. This was a 'Holy Sh1t a jillionaire is missing calling-all-cars search-and-rescure' and they never found a trace of him.

Later, the freak storm would be called the ', the ', or the 'Storm With No Name'. (This was not the 'Perfect Storm' of October 1991 that sank the Andrea Gail.) In the aftermath of the tragic deaths, we are predictably left with a cacaphony of reverberating wrongful death lawsuits revolving around and the. In September of 2002, that dreadful blight of corporate cuisine known as. Rest In Peace Chuck Muer, Betty Muer, George Drummey, and Lynn Drummey. Update: Posted by Peenie Wallie on February 9, 2006 at 9:42 AM Comments. I worked for Chuck Muer Restaurants for almost 20 years as Payroll Administrator for his Pittsburgh restaurant. Chuck was the kind of guy who might have been rich but he was approachable.down to earth and you could talk to him.

When he came to town, he made the time to listen and talk to anyone who came up to him whether it was a manager or a dishwasher. In his restaurants all employees and their jobs were important. I can still recall that day, March 13th, 1993 when one of our new Vice Presidents got off the phone and told me of Chuck's disappearance. Even months after that we half expected him to walk in the restaurant at any time. Tillman Fertitta could never fill Chuck Muer's shoes, I don't care how many restaurants he buys up. It's not the same since Landry's took over.

They are all about the money.Chuck was all about the customer, the employees and the best service we could provide. My heart still goes out to the Muer and Drummey families on their loss. Posted by: Adrienne Franco on April 8, 2007 at 3:51 PM. Barbara, I did a cruise in the out-islands of the Bahamas on Charley's Crab in 1982, and Dick and Ellie Davidson were our skipper and first mate.

They were fantastic people. We had tons of fun with them, cruising the peaceful waters on the lee side of all the islands.

I remember that Dick loved African drumming, and we listened to all his tapes. We also heard a lot of hilarious stories about his career in advertising. One night we were moored in the channel off the coast of a little uninhabited island, cooking dinner on deck. There were a couple of other boats moored closer in toward shore, and their crews were also cooking on deck. At a certain point, Dick looked at his watch and said, 'Watch this.' The crews of the other boats were suddenly attacked by swarms of marauding mosquitoes, and everyone scrambled for cover. Being further offshore, we had a nice breeze to blow the bugs away.

Dick knew his stuff. At the end of the trip, Chuck and Betty Muer showed up, and Chuck insisted on taking the boat outside, into the open waters of the Atlantic.

Dick was not thrilled with this plan. My wife and I were utterly seasick and miserable. Posted by: Michael Krugman on September 24, 2008 at 9:16 PM. I think it was the second week of September 2010 that I was at Charley's Crab in Troy, MI, and the waitress said, 'Hope to see you soon' as I left.

Two weeks later, my fiance' told me she'd heard from her mom that it had closed. The scant details that I could find on the internet stated that the waitstaff weren't even told of this stupid move by Landry's, showing up for work, only to find none. I previously knew nothing of Landry's, but had a bad feeling when they started making their presence known by taking over the Muer Friends program. Now I know the feeling was very valid. You hit the nail on the head. Landry's sucks.

Posted by: Kurt Snyder on October 8, 2010 at 11:59 AM. Name: Email Address:(this will not be displayed) URL: Remember Me?

Yes No Comments: (you may use HTML tags for style) Type the word Alabraska to verify you're a person and not a program. This is not case sensitive. Note: It will take 1-2 minutes to post your comments. After that time, you must refresh your browser. Please do not double-post comments or I will kill you.

(required): NOTICE: IT WILL TAKE APPROX 1-2 MINS FOR YOUR COMMENT TO POST SUCCESSFULLY. YOU WILL HAVE TO REFRESH YOUR BROWSER. PLEASE DO NOT DOUBLE POST COMMENTS OR I WILL KILL YOU.

There are salmon in Lake Huron and the late restaurateur Chuck Muer deserves a lot of credit for telling us more about this wonderful bounty. Whether its King salmon, Coho, steelhead, brown trout, or walleye, there are plenty of good sport fish to be had in Lake Huron. On Saturday, the 32nd Annual Salmon Stakes Fishing Tournament will be held on Lake Huron and hosted by the Voyageur Restaurant. It's the tournament that Muer started in 1978, and despite Muer, his wife and two friends being lost at sea some 17 years ago during what was called the 'storm of the century,' the salmon event has not lost its luster.

'This is the number one largest fishing tournament on Lake Huron and the second largest fishing tournament in Michigan,' said Jim Frazer, tournament chairman. 'It is what it is because it's been here so long.' Last week, I attended an event held at the Voyageur Restaurant in St.

Clair to promote the Salmon Stakes Tournament. With an overflow crowd of media and other dignitaries in attendance, it's not difficult to understand how big the event has become, and why. Advertisement According to Rob Helzer of the Bluewater Sportfishing Association, Voyageur Restaurant owner Mike LaPorte 'came to the rescue' for the event in need of a major sponsor. 'For the fisherman, the prizes are small, but if you win it or your boat has the largest weight of fish, there's a chance to become famous,' Frazer said. 'It's basically a freebie. With all the great sponsors, it's really a wonderful event.' Registration for the event is through a $10 raffle ticket.

A raffle ticket could win you an Alaskan vacation, a Whirlpool Spa or a 46-inch flat screen television. Anglers, meanwhile, compete for a share of $5,000 in prize money for the largest King salmon, Coho, steelhead, brown trout, lake trout and walleye. They can also win the 'super skipper' award. Fishing hours are 6 a.m. Saturday with the official weigh-in at the Voyageur, 525 Riverside Ave., in St.

Clair, between 1-3 p.m. Over the years, the fishing event has raised hundreds of thousands of dollars for various charities. The Blue Water mental health Clinic was the beneficiary in years past, while monies raised at this year's event go to the Blue Water YMCA, said Mark Walker, president of the Port Huron YMCA. 'All of this activity goes to benefit children and their families in the community,' said Walker, who noted the event is in Port Huron, but the YMCA is hosting a national YMCA Healthy Kids Day on Saturday. 'It's a win-win for everyone involved,' Frazer said. 'The anglers, the chance for anyone to win raffle prizes, the healthy kid's day.

For more information on registration for Saturday's event, call (810) 434-8880 or visit. Trout season opens What is a tradition in Michigan, the trout season opens Saturday (April 24) on Type 1 and Type 2 streams and Type A and Type D inland lakes statewide. In addition, walleye, pike and muskellunge seasons open on inland waters of the Lower Peninsula. And anglers may begin catching -- and immediately releasing -- bass in all Lower Peninsula waters, according to a release from the Department of Natural Resources and Environment. Anglers who venture to the Upper Peninsula are likely to find favorable conditions this spring. 'The winter run-off is over with, the ground is warm, the streams are clear, and we're seeing early hatches of insects this year,' said DNRE fisheries biologist George Madison in Baraga. 'The situation in the northern Lower Peninsula looks good,' said DNRE fisheries biologist Dave Borgeson in Gaylord.

'Anglers are getting out and seeing a lot of insect activity. The snow is long gone and the streams are in fine shape.'

In southwest Michigan, DNRE Southern Lake Michigan fisheries biologist Brian Gunderman of Plainwell said the stream conditions are very good. Tcp-com Crack Download. 'The water levels are low so it should be easy for fishermen to wade,' Gunderman said. 'And they may find the trout concentrated in some of the deeper areas.' As for walleye, DNRE Southern Lake Huron Fisheries Supervisor Jim Baker said the Saginaw and Tittabawassee rivers should be good, again, depending on the weather.

'The walleye spawn probably peaked about a week early this year, so fish have started filtering back out to Saginaw Bay,' Baker said. 'We've already had a significant high-water event and if we get another rain, there could be a lot more fish leaving. But there will be fish in the river and the season opens as early as it can this year, so maybe that will balance things out.' Anglers are reminded that they must have an all-species fishing license to possess trout or fish on designated trout waters. Leave wildlife alone Spring brings the season for wildlife to give birth, and residents are reminded to resist the instinct to try to help seemingly abandoned fawns or other baby animals.

'The truth is, the animal doesn't need help -- even if a fawn appears to be abandoned, its mother is almost always nearby,' DNRE wildlife biologist Brent Rudolph said in a release. 'We appreciate the good intentions of those who want to help, but the animals are better off left alone than removed from the wild.' Rudolph said it's not uncommon for does to leave their young unattended for up to eight hours at a time, an anti-predator mechanism that minimizes scent left around the newborn animals.

'The same holds true for rabbits, ground-dwelling birds and other wildlife,' he said. 'Even avian parents will continue to care for hatchlings that have fallen from a nest.' According to Rudolph, many baby animals will die if removed from their natural environment, and some have diseases or parasites that can be passed on to humans or pets.

'Rescued animals that do survive become habituated to people and are unable to revert back to life in the wild,' the release said. 'It is illegal to possess a wild deer in Michigan, and every day a deer spends with humans makes it that much less likely to be able to survive in the wild.' Eventually, habituated animals pose additional problems as they mature and develop adult animal behaviors. Habituated deer, especially bucks, can become aggressive as they mature, and raccoons are well-known for this, too.

'If you know of a deer or other animal that has been orphaned, early in the year -- for example, if a doe is dead nearby -- call your local DNRE office, which can refer you to a licensed rehabilitator,' Rudolph said. 'Licensed rehabilitators are trained to handle wild animals and know how to release them so that they can survive in the wild.'

Things to know Earth Day is today and it's a great time to talk about lifestyle changes that can help the Earth. OK, the changes start in your home, but even that should make sense to an outdoorsman. There are many little things people can do in the home to play a small part in reducing landfill waste, preserving the landscape, conserving water and cleaning the air. According to Matt Knox, CEO and co-founder of DiggersList (www.diggerslist.com), an online home improvement resource, there are some small, easy, green choices that people can make in their homes. Cutting Your Energy Usage: n Cooling and lighting a home are the most expensive and energy-consuming aspects of running a household. Reduced energy consumption conserves our resources, and in doing so, our money.

Green Builders homes use a number of smart, natural methods to generate energy, and save it as well. N Switching from standard incandescent bulbs to florescent bulbs, which are used in all Green Builders homes, can decrease your energy usage by 66 percent.

Compact Fluorescent Light Bulbs generate less heat and last longer. N Based on the orientation of the home, adding overhangs or awnings will provide additional shade to decrease heat gain. This will help you use less air-conditioning during the hot summer months. N Electronics use electricity even when they are turned off.

Think about anything in your house that has a clock or responds to a remote control. In order for the clock to keep time, it needs electricity and in order for the TV to respond to the 'On' command from the remote, it needs electricity. The only way to have something not use any electricity is to unplug it. N A programmable thermostat is an easy way to save on heating/cooling costs.

You can buy one for under $50 at any home improvement store. This is one purchase that you shouldn't put off. For curbing water usage: n Water conservation is vitally important, especially in drought-prone areas. Here are some of the ways that people can addresses the needs of those living here now and those yet to come. Also, using low-flow showerheads and toilets can cut water usage by half while maintaining desired water pressure.

N The aerators in low-flow fixtures cut your water usage, but not your comfort and they use up to 40 percent to 50 percent less water than conventional faucets/showers, 2.5 gallons/minute vs. 4-5 gallons/minute. N Toilets: New toilets require less than one-third the water n Custom-programmable sprinkler systems with rain sensors also help tremendously because water can be dispensed when needed, rather than according to an arbitrary schedule.

N Gutters with rain barrels. The captured water can be used in landscaping.

N Direct vent tankless water heaters are installed in every home, ensuring that heated water is provided on an as-needed basis. N Flower beds are layered with crushed granite, mulch and loam to better retain water. Additionally, a 4-inch layer of chocolate loam top soil is used in the front and backyards to maintain a beautiful lawn while requiring less water.

For clearing up the air in your home: n Front-loaded washing machines are encouraged, as they generate less humidity in the home. N Exhaust fans in kitchen, bath and utility rooms remove humidity.

Attic fans should not be used because they promote humidity and draw the cooled air out of the home. OK, we are not perfect, but if we all made some subtle changes in our lifestyle, we just may have a planet for our children to enjoy.

Just a reminder On May 15, Huron-Clinton Metroparks will hold 'Family Appreciation Day.' All 13 Metroparks will be encouraging families to enjoy the outdoors with free use of selected facilities or special programs on this day. A vehicle entry permit is required to enter any Metropark and is only $25 annually for regular admission, $15 annually for seniors or $5 daily. A program called 'Heron Days' will be held May 22-23 from noon to 4 p.m. At the Nature Center of Kensington Metropark near Milford/Brighton. Tom Watts writes a weekly outdoors column for The Oakland Press.