PRESIDENTIAL PLUNGE
6/7/2007 9:29:37 AM by Jorge Arauz
FINDING FISH: George Bush, Sr. bonefishing at Islamorada on April 21, 1990.
From world-class fishing to hosting his own tournaments, raising money for the victims of Hurricane Katrina and the Asian tsunamis and relaxing at his waterfront home in Maine, former President George Bush, Sr. is a lover of all things aquatic.
Photos Courtesy of the George Bush Presidential Library
There are five things you can rest assured the 41st President of the U.S. loves more than his time in the White House — and they all start with the letter “F”: family, friends, food, fun…and fishing.
As with most great stories, this one starts at home. Whether you’re a Bush Family fan or not, you can’t help but gawk at the century-old Bush Family oceanfront retreat, Walker’s Point, when driving through Kennebunkport, Maine in the summer. The home was built in 1901 by Bush, Sr.’s grandfather as a wedding present to the former President’s mother. The rocky Maine coast serves as a perfect summer oasis for the Bush patriarch, who frequently cruises the chilly Maine waters aboard his Fountain speedboat, Fidelity III, which is fully equipped with three 275 hp Vorado engines with speeds of up to 75 mph. “For me, Kennebunkport is very special,” says Bush, who spends almost half the year there. “It is indeed an anchor to windward.”
And the list of guests the Bush Family has hosted at their waterfront oasis reads like a roster at a UN roundtable. “We have had many notable events at our home in Maine, and many foreign leaders have visited us there, including the late King Hussein of Jordan; Mikhail Gorbachev; the late Francois Mitterrand of France; former Prime Minister of England, John Major; former President of Portugal, Cavaco Silva; and former Prime Minister of Canada, Brian Mulroney. All seem to like the ocean as much as Barbara and I do.”
WAVE RIDIN’: Then U.S. VP Bush, Sr. takes his family boating off their Walker’s Point Retreat in Maine. From left to right: Daughter Doro with son, Sam; Son Jeb Bush with Jebby; and granddaughter Barbara on Aug. 26, 1986.
And that love of the water stretches all the way back to the day Bush, Sr. legally turned into a man when he became an aviator for the U.S. Navy on his 18th birthday upon graduating from Phillips Academy. More recently, he’s only the third former president to have a ship of the U.S. Navy named for him while still alive. The aircraft carrier USS George H. W. Bush (CVN-77), will be commissioned in 2009. Construction began in 2001 by the Northrop Grumman Newport News shipyard and delivery is set for 2008. When commissioned, the George H. W. Bush will replace Kitty Hawk, ending her 48-year service with the Navy.
With 83 years under his belt and the coveted title of “Oldest Living President,” Bush, Sr. has his fair share of treasured moments on the water. Maybe too many. “It’s hard for me to recall only one treasured moment in, on or around the water — I’ve had so many happy times in my Deep V speedboats over the years,” he says. “A favorite run, though, is to go from Kennebunkport out to Boone Island for bluefish and stripers.”
In January 2005, President George W. Bush named his father and former president Bill Clinton to lead a nationwide campaign to help the victims of the Asian tsunamis. Although that water connection isn’t the happiest link to the water, Bush, Sr. is proud to be a part of the recovery and rebuilding efforts. The funds the presidential duo will raise will be used to help rebuild commercial structures, homes, health clinics, water systems, harbors and create marine-related jobs for those who lost everything in the wake of the devastation. Bush, Sr. and Clinton also created the Bush-Clinton Katrina Fund (BCKF) to assist victims of Hurricane Katrina in Louisiana, Mississippi and Alabama. In an interview on Larry King Live, Bush, Sr. expressed how the BCKF has changed his life. “You feel you’re doing something bigger than your own political life, or bigger than your own self,” said Bush, Sr. “I mean, what we saw out there…it just breaks your heart, particularly the children.”
In the fall, Bush, Sr. hosts the George Bush Cheeca Lodge Bonefish Tournament in Islamorada, Florida. But it isn’t easy luring the big ones for the former President amid all the commotion surrounding his appearances. “I was never too successful fishing in the George Bush Cheeca Lodge Bonefish Tournament,” admits Bush, Sr. “Life did not seem fair as I struck out time and time again. However, I have had many great days fishing for bonefish and permit with my friend, George Hommell, while staying at the Cheeca Lodge in Islamorada. I remember fishing with some friends there when we had three tarpon on at once using crabs for bait.”
FISHIN’ FIDELITY: George Bush, Sr. and President George W. Bush go fishing off Kennebunkport whenever their schedule allows, such as in this outing on August 13, 1991.
John Graves, who says he has taken part in the tournament since its inception, believes it’s Bush, Sr.’s down-to-earth demeanor that keeps people coming to the tournament. “He’s just a regular guy when he’s out there,” says Graves. “Once you get over the little detail about his being the former President of the U.S., he’s on par with the rest of us — minus the thousands of cameras pointed at him.” Seems like the former President does fair well at his tournaments after all — even if his charm is more impressive than his lure.