We spent last weekend in Marathon for Scotty’s birthday.  The ex-wife was with us as always ,and along came two of Scotty’s closest friends, Gabrielle and Danielle.  Gab is all about the diving and fishing, while Danielle is more about “am I getting enough sun the way I’m lying on the boat?”  We had a fantastic time.  We saw a turtle,  caught absolutely no fish, and took in about 15 lobster of which 8 were too small and we set free to grow bigger for our next trip.

In our last few trips to the florida keys, we are fortunate enough to have good friends that let us stay at their vacation home in Marathon.  Sombrero Beach area to be exact.  Just off the beach there is a beautiful house that we love to snorkel and dive around.  We learned from a local at the little bar and grill across from the Sombrero Golf Resort, that the little house on the island has 5 bedrooms and rents for $3,000 a week.   5 bedrooms, 2 jet skis, 2 paddle boards, a skiff, and a BUTLER.  HMMM….sounds good to me!  :) Looks good too!  Covered patio on each side of the house, with 2 Hammocks on each side.

Scotty, I hope you had a great 15th birthday, and maybe next year we can stay there for your birthday!!!!   LET’S GO FLORIDA LOTTO!!!

My dream home!

After several trips out on the ocean I have learned that there is always something to see.  Whether it’s wild dolphin, a turtle, or some other kind of beautiful wild life, it seems on every trip we have been lucky enough to see something.   On the last day of our florida key’s vacation we decided to travel out about 18 miles from Marathon.  We were on the hunt for Mahi-Mahi.  Unsuccessful for the catch, but prosperous in so many other ways.  We saw a pod of approximately 15 dolphin, a turtle while diving and a beautiful array of birds.  This post was inspired by the birds I saw.  Each time we fish, we look for the “birds”.  You’ll see them soar, then hit the water in effort to get food, which stir up the bait fish, which bring the bigger fish to the surface and ultimately guide you to your catch. (Hopefully.)   This is the theory we have read about, lived by and proved to be true.

On our way out we were going approximately 20 knots, 10 miles from shore, and it was about 7 am.  Ok, maybe 8 am.  The three of us were in search of birds,  to signal us to the school of mahi that would bring a smile to all of our faces.  Suddenly Scott screamed “BIRD”.  As I glanced in the direction in which he pointed I saw not one bird but several.  Directly in the glare of the sunrise.  It was a flock of birds.  About 30?   This I have never in my life seen before.  Three, four, maybe even six, but never this many in one group, soaring over the open water.   As I watched they went from a group to a single line, that flowed like a ribbon in the wind,  and it seemed as though I should have heard a symphony of music as they glided into a perfect line.  It gave me goosebumps!  As I watched them soar towards the horizon, I thought to myself, each and every day we are out there on the water, God gives us something beautiful to see and admire.  It truly makes you appreciate how little we are and how much beauty there is to see in this world.

Scotty and his Wahoo!

Kyle says Hi to Tuna

Day 1 of fishing, Day 3 of Vacation in Marathon, Florida (Florida Keys).  The first two days were all about lobster (caught 8), the beach, and the sandbar.  Starting out at 10:30 in the morning automatically makes me feel like…Oh well!  After all, they say “the early bird gets the worm”, right???   But I guess we were “FISHING” so who cares about the worm!!   After 5 minutes with 1 rigged ballyhoo with a pink and blue skirt, and 2 artifical baits, I heard the two sounds I love the most.  The zing of the reel and Scotty screaming “FISH ON!”  It’s the best feeling in the world…. for a second.  Then it is just chaos.  Where are the gloves…wait …are u sure you have a fish on????   YES!!! Get the friggin gloves!!!!!   And the gaf!! GET THE GAF! Scott grabs the gaf..Scotty brings it in close to the boat…Kyle and I watch intensely. And so here’s dinner.  Estimation and then confirmation is a 25lb. Wahoo.  42”.  It’s the same height as little Kyle if not an inch or two more.  Kyle screams and giggles at the top of his lungs.  It’s the best feeling ever.  Everyone is happy.   Two more barracudas (thrown back) and a Blackfin Tuna (keeper). No one screaming.  All is well.

With every outing there is a lesson. Day one taught us how to get from the boat ramp to the house/dock after many tries, in several canals.  Day two taught Scotty to be more careful when he was trying to set the anchor and NOT drop his spear pole.  Today taught us, that when you are docking your boat on a new dock with a roof that you should take the fishing poles out of the rocket launchers before you dock the boat.  As Scott attempted a second lesson at teaching Scotty how to pull the boat up to the dock, all of a sudden I thought  “what’s that sound?”   I quickly noticed, at the same time Scotty did, that the poles were bending against the roof.  Scott began giving Kyle a lesson in screaming new profanities as Scotty re-lived an old lesson.  Ok.  Poles down, boat docked.  We all looked at each other.  Not so bad.  Only 1 pole snapped out of 4.  Really…as Forrest Gump says…IT happens.     Fish for dinner, everyone is still happy.

Finally we get a day to have fun on the boat.   I say this because I have quickly realized that fishing at times is not so much fun, as it is work.  Or as Scotty will tell me repeatedly  “it’s NOT A GAME’!”  Really?  I haven’t seen a dime of income from it yet, so I thought it was considered a hobby, but OK.

A couple weeks ago we met up with some family members and friends and went to a place called Peanut Island in Palm Beach, Florida.  It is a fantastic place to take the kids on the boat and let them jump off,  swim around, play on the beach, and just CHILL!  The water was crystal clear and at times you could even feel the little fish biting at your ankles.   Everyone had a great time.

Even my normally non-drinking brother had decided to let the CAPT. take over.   After a few too many Captain n’ cokes we all heard how he was having the most fun he’d ever had.    I seriously doubt it was THAT much fun for him, but he did enjoy himself.  And note to self..non-drinkers+4 Captain’s+slightly bumpy ride back to the boat ramp does not make for a good combination.

I however, can’t wait to go back!!

I’ve always heard that the best entertainment on a Saturday would be to go down to the boat ramp and watch everyone putting their boats in and/or pulling them out.  Suddenly we have a boat and I must say the first time we pulled the boat out of the water,  we became the entertainment.

Let me start by saying (in our defense) that we have been on boats, borrowed boats, and pulled many a boat out of the water on more than 1 occasion and never had a problem.   But our first time bringing the boat out of the water was a little challenging, and to others, I’m certain it was entertaining.   New boat, new steep ramp, new kind of trailer, and a boat full of gas. more…

So the first time we took the boat out, we brought Bert and Diane along.  I need to give you a little background on these two who are definitely in a class of their own.  They were the ones that taught me to fish and took me into the ocean for the first time to hunt for Mahi-Mahi.   This was also the first time we met.

What I found humorous in this first outing was when I walked up to their boat in my little bikini and sarong..there was Diane.    Wearing long Levi faded jeans, one of Bert’s old long sleeve button down work shirts (with fish blood stains all over), a big hat, pair of socks and a handkerchief covering her face.  All I could see were her hands and eyes.   Hmmm…ok then.  She was kinda looking like a terrorist  and I suddenly felt slightly under dressed.  We said hello, and off we went. more…

Just a few weeks ago my husband Scott and I owned a beautiful 1993 Harley-Davidson Dyna Wide Glide. It fit nicely in our garage and cost us about $10.00 in gas to go out and enjoy. We may have only used it 3 times in the past 3 years since my son Kyle was born, but still it was nice to have.   After a nice family day out on a fishing charter, Scott and my 14 year old step-son Scotty, decided they couldn’t survive without a boat.  It was something we could all “enjoy” together.   So within days, out goes the Harley and in comes the 23′ Pro-Line Center console.  My name is Tara.  I’ve decided to finally start a blog.  I feel the need to share the absolute craziness that a boat will bring out in a family.  I hope you enjoy it.