Labor Day Weekend at the Beach

"Three Pines"--our deluxe accommodations;  around 100-200 yards from the beach.

For labor day weekend we made a trip to the beach. We were there during Tropical Storm Lee so it wasn't the greatest weather while we were there but we still had a great time.

 

We played in the surf (despite the double red flags). Really, I wouldn't let my kids go out in the water. It made me nervous. We mostly stuck to standing on the shore (and letting the waves crash into us) as well as a minimal amount of wake boarding.

 

 

 

 

 

Joel wasn't too shabby at skim-boarding given his lack of experience.

We played in the sand and hunted for treasures.

  

 

This is right before he landed with a thud. "Ugh"

 

Sand dollar.

Trying to catch a crab

 

Daniel footprint

 

Nate's sand castle

Pine cones don't belong on the beach. I found this one the morning after the big storm.

 

Sandy. 

 

At first look we thought this was drift wood but upon closer examination we are pretty sure it is a tar ball. Or at least part of one. It was thick and slightly sticky and a bit rubbery. Yuck.   

 We found big and little shells, bits of sand dollars and parts of tar balls. We even found a pine cone and a washed up man of war. We dug for crabs and chased them around. We made sand castles and sand angels. We watched coquinas burrow down in the sand and chased seagulls. We buried little boys up to their necks and wrote our names with a stick.
  

The waves were the biggest we have ever seen them at this beach. They are not Hawaii-big but then again, this isn't Hawaii, now is it?

Joel said he saw an octopus. I'm pretty sure it was just seaweed.

 

Best picture of me ever. HA!

 

Wind.

Carolyn was brave. She went out waist deep and went body surfing. Here she is pointing out how large the waves were. I wouldn't let my kids go in past their ankles. Even so, the waves got them plenty wet.

We marveled at how big the waves were and got pounded by the wind. A lot.

 

 

 

Another not so flattering shot of me with my beautiful sister and niece.

 

We enjoyed all the sights:

I just liked the weathered wood and the candy colors.

 

 

These people were sitting outside but totally hiding behind their towels. It made us laugh so I made Carolyn take a picture of them because I was too chicken.

 

Oleander. I never knew what it looked like until this trip.

And the times we weren't on the beach we spent hanging out with family and eating. This weekend I ate three things I had never had before: fresh grouper, prickly pears (picked by my nieces off of a prickly pear cactus) and rock shrimp. We also had all kinds of other delicious things like roast chicken, bakery bread and homemade cherry chocolate chip ice cream. 

At night we listened to the rain and the wind and the waves.

 

 It was a lovely weekend.