NOLTE CREEK – “As long as I can crawl aboard this boat, I’m going to fish,” said the late Captain Roy Walker to Onlooker staff writer Hal Bamford for a 1975 hunting and fishing guide.

In 1938, Walker first stepped aboard his custom built beauty, pieced together on the Bon Secour River by Joe Pierce: the Miss Kay. 

The 37-foot finely crafted masterpiece, formed by cypress, juniper and mahogany, was Walker’s pride as he continued a long-rooted family tradition – fishing. 

“Fishing is as traditional in our family as it’s possible to be.  My granddaddy fished for the Army during the Civil War and we’ve been doing it ever since,” Walker said to Bamford. 

Of eight brothers, seven fished and chartered trips for a living around Orange Beach and the Gulf, starting around the 1930s’ and continuing for decades. 

“It’s a hierarchy fully as well known in Baldwin County’s Orange Beach area and fishing circles as the DiMaggio brothers in major league baseball,” Bamford wrote. 

“For the Walkers, Orange Beach and fishing is more than home and a business however.  It’s a way of life…all of the families live within two miles of each other and few, if any of them, ever consider leaving for something else.”  

Although all the Walker brothers have passed away except one, their boats remain, forever young, floating on county waters to this day: Rufus Walker’s Sea Duster, owned by Earl Callaway; Bob’s Thelma Ann and Raymond’s Blue Chip, both owned by Tom Jordan; Roland’s Perdido and Gladwin’s - who lives near Elberta - Sea Rebel. 

Only the Elvira didn’t survive the test of time.

Miss Kay: Yesterday and Today

Miss Kay earned a decent buck with Walker pulling $60 for a half-day trip in 1975.

“Most others are getting $75 - $80, but I decided to keep my prices a little lower because of my family trade,” Walker explained. 

From 1938 to 1975 and beyond, the Miss Kay was mighty dependable, even serving a three-year stint for the Coast Guard during World War II. 

“I’ve run her ever since (she was built), except for a three-year period,” Walker recalled. 

“Just this morning,” Roy said in 1975.  “I worked right off the shore and we took nine kingfish and one big Spanish mackerel.  Four of those kinds were in the 15-20 pound class and that’s good fishing.”

After Roy Walker’s passing, Miss Kay was cared for by his son Jerry Walker.  

But, last year, Miss Kay fell under the ownership of Sidney Walker Jr., Roy’s great nephew. 

And Sidney has taken great strides to restore her back to the day when she left the boat-builders hands on the Bon Secour River nearly 70 years ago. 

Moored along Nolte Creek, just south of Magnolia Springs, Sidney has spent the past year chipping off old paint and shining brass fixtures while staying true to Roy’s lifeblood– a preservation of his time, the old man and the sea, walking upon and casting a line from her day after day for decades. 

Sidney said the restoration required “a lot of scrapping and painting to clean it all up” and “as long as you keep paint over her - for the saltwater - she will last a long time.”

He replaced a couple of minor parts, lights and horns, and added a few modern amenities in the cabin, including a shower and air conditioner, but otherwise the Miss Kay has remained as is. 

Sidney said he wanted to preserve Miss Kay’s legacy and the memory of his great uncle. 

Just the other day, he and his family took Roy’s boat out on the Gulf for a little fishing, and a few Spanish mackerel, after some time, were hooked and brought in.

Roy would have been proud.

If you would like to see the Miss Kay, contact Sidney Walker at 752-4333.