Could it be? Is summer really here???

FINALLY, it's warm out.  And not just warm, but hot!  And humid!  And we're all happy because we were starting to think summer would never come.  Tonight we were finally able to play at the beach, swim, and cook out.  We even got to enjoy the company of a neighbor and his friend!  This is what I'm talking about!  Beach/boating/marina life!

Inland waters of SC

This weekend we took a mini-vacation to South Carolina to reunite with some of Frank's college friends and their families. It was a blast!  We got to stay at a super cozy lake house in the Wateree recreation area with a total of 6 adults and 6 kids ranging in age from 6 months to 7 years.  We ate, laughed, boated, drank, and just enjoyed the days.  It was great, we should have done it sooner, and we can't wait to do it again!

Weekend Recap--to Dun Cove in search of the elusive 28" striped bass

This weekend we headed out to take another crack at catching a trophy bass. It was chilly! Early on we got a bite, but he was too little. We spent pretty much all day Saturday with line in the water, but it wasn't meant to be. Late in the afternoon we started the 12 nm trek to an anchorage for the evening, just in time for the winds to come up to 20-25 kts out of the east with solid 3-4' seas. Slamming was not all that fun, and it got worst when we had to take the seas on the beam. I don't like rolling the home around! We finally tucked into Dun Cove with four other boats and enjoyed a late dinner and movie. Sunday we had a nice sail home and fished for a little bit. An early return gave us plenty of time to rinse all the salt off, enjoy some land fun on the bikes, and celebrate Cinco de Mayo with lots of food and too many drinks!

Little escape to the Little Choptank

Yesterday we headed out in light winds for a weekend of decompressing. We mixed it up, sailing, motoring, trawling along and attempting to land a rockfish (striped bass in my old stomping grounds). Frank rigged up 2 Cuban yo-yo hand lines and actually got a fish! It wasn't big enough to keep, but it was still exciting. We anchored in Hudson Creek off the Little Choptank for the night and relaxed with some fishing, movies, and popcorn. Headed back to the marina now, with hooks in the water, to cook up a dock party for one of our neighbors that is departing to cruise up to New England.

Some chores around the house

This weekend's unseasonably cool, brisk weather made it a perfect weekend to wrap up some lingering chores. For me, that meant starting off my weekend in retail hell, trying to find "the" thing my preschooler needed to take to class this week. It also meant goofing off with the kids, going to a movie, and completing some chores. Off the list--windlass maintenance, chain and rode wash-down/inspection/re-paint, dinghy oar lock install, and the official naming of the dinghy, "Saratoga." If you haven't seen the movie "Captain Ron," you won't get it. So overall a decent weekend considering it was spent at the pier!