Boating Day Adventure
Robb’s birthday was supposed to be our boating day, but the weather didn’t cooperate, so we rescheduled for today. We rented a deck boat from Anchor’s Away, which had GPS coordinates programmed for spots to check out. While we have boating experience, we realized that boating in the ocean is a bit different. Thankfully, Robb knew exactly what he was doing and guided us through the channels.
As we left the first channel, dolphins started swimming around the boat, which was amazing to see. We had music playing, and the girls were thrilled, saying it added to the experience. Watching the dolphins jump around the boat was definitely a highlight!
Our first stop was Alligator Lighthouse, a metal lighthouse out in the ocean. We anchored the boat and went snorkeling, and it turned out to be some of the best snorkeling we’ve ever done. The water was full of hundreds of fish, including schools so thick that you had to move through them to see. In deeper waters, there were larger, beautiful fish. At first, Emmy had a bit of trouble snorkeling, but once she got the hang of it, she had a blast and loved pointing out all the fish. Bryce got a little nervous after spotting a barracuda but kept snorkeling.
Poor Bryce started feeling seasick, so we went to a sandbar to give everyone a break and put our feet on solid ground. Emmy and Abby spent time looking for shells while Bryce searched for small fish, and Caleb just hung out.
Afterward, we checked out another snorkeling spot and then returned to Alligator Lighthouse. We spent more time there as a family snorkeling. This was definitely one of the coolest parts of the vacation. We then stopped at the sandbar again, where I took a short nap on the boat, and Abby tanned while Emmy joined in for a nap.
By this point, we were all starting to feel a little sunburned despite multiple applications of sunscreen. Our next stop was Hens and Chicks, where we snorkeled in deeper waters. We saw a large stingray, and Robb and Bryce even spotted some huge Tarpon fish.
Exhausted and hot, we decided to head back. We returned the boat and got a bottle of champagne for Robb’s birthday. On the way home, we made our usual stop for vacation ice cream. Once we got back to the house, I stayed in to rest while Robb and Emmy went to the pool. The other kids took turns driving the golf cart, and Caleb fished for a while.
It was a fantastic day on the water, and we ended the day feeling both relaxed and worn out.
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