On Friday May 10th, twenty-nine Turnbridge residents and three staff members hit the water for their latest recreational event: deep sea fishing on a charter boat from the local Sunbeam Fleet. The group went out for a day on the Long Island Sound in the hopes of catching a few Blue Fish, and most did not come back empty-handed. According to Phase I support staff member TJ, it was the charter boat’s first trip of the season and it worked out nicely for many of the residents. “I caught three fish,” TJ said. “Some people caught none and some more than one. People were catching Sea Robins and you’re not allowed to keep those, but all the Blue Fish we kept and brought back to the kitchen at Phase I. There were probably over twenty of them.” According to TJ, the recreational events help get the guys outside into a group environment, where they can have a good time. “For a lot of the guys, they’re doing something new for the first time…and that’s a great thing for them,” TJ said. “Aside from some of the guys being nervous and some not really interested at first, they ended up really enjoying themselves. Seeing some of the residents come out and have a good time is the best part.” According to Phase III resident Jim L., the best part was “being outside and enjoying the weather.” “When people started catching fish it was a lot of fun,” Jim said. “The rec activities are important because we all get a chance to hang out with each other and that’s good for building friendships.” Jim managed to catch a bluefish, but hasn’t cooked his yet. Phase III resident Greg K. caught three fish and wasted no time in putting his in the oven. “I baked it with garlic powder, lemon juice, and butter.” Greg said. “We weren’t catching anything at first, and we all thought we wouldn’t. It was awesome, there was a beautiful view, and everybody had a great time. It was definitely worth going and I’d do it again anytime.” According to resident Matt E., the trip was “an absolute blast.” “I managed to catch a couple of fish,” Matt said. “I used to go with my family a lot when I was growing up, but haven’t been able to do it recently. It was fun and brought back a lot of memories from childhood. It was a great bonding experience between me and the other guys. A lot of us weren’t that enthusiastic until people started actually catching fish and it was good to see them really engaged. It was a great way to spend the day and I’m glad that I went.”