Trip Report The mistakes that I learned from..Trip back in time..

Friends, I've been thinking,

I need a major distraction, and also, I received too many compliments for my laid back style..
I'm going to continue on the trip report binge and do a comparison of our 2015 trip here. It won't be as long.. I promise. If you want to follow along with my madness, you are welcome. I've had a rough past few days and need something to keep me busy.

So here it goes.. first I should change the title though..
ETA- actually its easier to do in a separate thread.

So here I am....

 

[MySmallWorldof4]

We get back to our chairs and immediately go in the water.

Finally, I'm in the ocean!!!

I had picked up a water proof case for my phone while we watershoe shopping.. now we are all set to swim, snorkel, take photos..and enjoy this beautiful place.

No joke, not even 2 minutes later..

I see this-
View attachment 197838

No!! The rain is NOT going to hit us yet. We haven't done anything!!! This is our first beach day!!! This morning/afternoon has been planned for 2 months!!

I grab T and hurry back on the beach.. then ask a stranger, in the chairs next to us, to take our photo standing on the rocks.. once we swim out to them. (I swam- I put T on the raft)

First of all, I've done this swim maybe 50 times. Doing the swim with the raft is a little more difficult. I'm a strong swimmer and even I was a little tired. BUT- we're getting there.. I want this photo!! I want my son to remember this!!!

The water here gets very deep maybe 30 ft or so..and then you reach the rocks.

We made it!!! I climb up on a rock while holding T's raft. Grab his hand to pull him on the rock with me.

And then I look down.. CRABS EVERYWHERE!!

I picked the wrong rock!!! I don't want T up here!! I push him down, too quickly, and I completely WIPE OUT.
Not in the water, on the rock!!

Now my legs and hands are bleeding.
Omg I'm going to get attacked by a shark!!!
With T!!!

Forget the rocks.. we need to get back.

Please please please.. don't let a shark see the blood!!!

I swam faster than I probably ever have before. I kept pushing the raft trying to get T to catch a wave and go to shore in front of me.. in case- SHARK.

I can't even imagine the look on my face at that time.

Anyway, here are the photos.
View attachment 197840 View attachment 197839

See us out on the rocks?lol. We're the 2 tony dots.lol Never did get both of us to stand long enough for a photo.
Bright side- I didn't get eaten by a shark, so there's that positive.lol

We arrive back to shore and see people pointing and gathering their belongings..

I go up to retrieve my camera from the stranger.. they point to what everyone is looking at.

WATER SPOUT.

A small one, but still- time to go. The pouring rain came not even 30 seconds later.

Snorkeling gear untouched, chairs unused, we're leaving just after we had arrived

View attachment 197841

Oh my goodness! I am in utter disbelief. You kept trying so hard to have this perfect trip. Talk about bad luck.

The idea of a shark being a possibility is one reason I don't snorkel and don't stray too far out in the ocean. I don't even like my kids going out to far. (Like past their thighs. ) Yes a bit over-protective, but I blame my mother. You see she took me to a showing of jaws when I was 6 years old. Guess she couldn't get a sitter. I have been traumatized ever since.

I hope that things got better after that.

 

[21stamps]

I'm sorry lol...but that was a very funny story!!

No it wasn't!!!!! Lol

Ok, so it is now. But it was NOT at the time.
T was scared. I was swimming furiously.. I kept screaming at him to push his body into the raft when I pushed him. I kept yelling "Go just go!! Omg get this raft to the shore!!"

I dive in Key West.. I know what's in the water, and I was a moving shark bait.lol. I was so scared. And then when we arrive on the beach and see the water spout moving towards us.. I wasn't too afraid of that, but T was. I think the whole sequence of events- over just a few short minutes, completely freaked him out.
But yeah, I laugh at it now too.lol

 

[Courtney6682]

No it wasn't!!!!! Lol

Ok, so it is now. But it was NOT at the time.
T was scared. I was swimming furiously.. I kept screaming at him to push his body into the raft when I pushed him. I kept yelling "Go just go!! Omg get this raft to the shore!!"

I dive in Key West.. I know what's in the water, and I was a moving shark bait.lol. I was so scared. And then when we arrive on the beach and see the water spout moving towards us.. I wasn't too afraid of that, but T was. I think the whole sequence of events- over just a few short minutes, completely freaked him out.
But yeah, I laugh at it now too.lol

Yeahhhh, it's like a comedy of errors!!! Still laughing over here

 

[21stamps]

Oh my goodness! I am in utter disbelief. You kept trying so hard to have this perfect trip. Talk about bad luck.

The idea of a shark being a possibility is one reason I don't snorkel and don't stray too far out in the ocean. I don't even like my kids going out to far. (Like past their thighs. ) Yes a bit over-protective, but I blame my mother. You see she took me to a showing of jaws when I was 6 years old. Guess she couldn't get a sitter. I have been traumatized ever since.

I hope that things got better after that.

I'm not afraid, and my biggest regret is T's swimming skills, even now they aren't where I would like them to be. My fault because we aren't in a swimming pool enough.. but, I was worried being that far out and potentially something happening to me. I know the chances are slim, and obviously I was fine.. but in a millisecond I imagined dying and my son floating out to sea or being eaten by a shark as well. Dramatic, I know.lol

Yeahhhh, it's like a comedy of errors!!! Still laughing over here

Ha ha shut it!!! Don't laugh at my misfortune. Ha ha. The entire trip was a comedy of errors.. I wish it would have ended on that first beach day. Lol

 

[MySmallWorldof4]

I'm not afraid, and my biggest regret is T's swimming skills, even now they aren't where I would like them to be. My fault because we aren't in a swimming pool enough.. but, I was worried being that far out and potentially something happening to me. I know the chances are slim, and obviously I was fine.. but in a millisecond I imagined dying and my son floating out to sea or being eaten by a shark as well. Dramatic, I know.lol



Ha ha shut it!!! Don't laugh at my misfortune. Ha ha. The entire trip was a comedy of errors.. I wish it would have ended on that first beach day. Lol

Uh oh! Guessing more fun is to come?

 

[21stamps]

Uh oh! Guessing more fun is to come?

If fun = complete mess. Then- yes!!!

 

[gdisneyfans]

Thank you for sharing that. I completely agree with the "experiences over 'things'". Memories are created by what we do, have done, who we share it with.

My grandfather passed away last month, I was very close with him. We've been cleaning out his house and having family get together watching old VHS tapes from my mom's old camcorder. A few of the tapes had family vacations to the Jersey Shore (grandparents, aunts, uncles, cousins) most of those trips coincided with birthdays of mine, one was my 10th birthday, I was jumping up and down because I got a Sony Walkman (yes, I'm old) and a few other items that I declared I was "dying for". I completely forgot about those items until the video, but I haven't ever forgotten about the vacations and birthdays surrounded by love and laughter with my family.

So sorry to hear about your grandfather. But how wonderful to have those precious memories to look back on.

 

[21stamps]

I check the weather and it looks like the rain is moving South West. A wall of rain is in front of our room, we can't even sit on the balcony.

It's early enough.. Let's drive North to Bahia Honda!!! The rain surely has passed by there already.

It's my favorite beach in Florida, and I had planned on going one day this week anyway.

Come on T!!! It's less than an hour drive..don't complain, we'll have FUN!!!

We get the car and start driving..

We get out of the rain...
We're almost to Bahia Honda..
And we see a big water spout on the side of us...

T says "Mommy, I don't want to go to a beach. Can we just go back to the hotel?"

I think.. and then quickly realize that I have to give up my Beach/Ocean dreams for the day.

We turn around and go back.

I don't remember how many, but I know there were several water spouts popping up in the Keys that week.

 

[21stamps]

So sorry to hear about your grandfather. But how wonderful to have those precious memories to look back on.

Thank you!

 

[21stamps]

Now it's after 4pm.

The day started off wonderful and changed course quickly..

BUT---

"T, tomorrow is going to be AWESOME!!"

I had reserved a boat rental for us.
For 8 hours.
We were going to visit my favorite uninhabited islands with gorgeous white sand.
We would snorkel a shallow shipwreck.
We would stand on a sand bar with water up to our knees and no land in sight.

"Aren't you excited T?!"

"Mommy, will there be waterspouts? Can a waterspout take our boat? What about a hurricane, like the railroad?"

(Is this fear????)

"No! We'll be fine!!"

"Ok, if you say so. It will be fun, let's just not see waterspouts or hurricanes though."

"T, you do not need to be scared of the ocean. We practice safety, if you know how to be safe, then you will be safe. Got it?"

"Yes, ok."
-----

Here's the thing though.. now I'm a little scared. Me!! I don't get scared of the ocean!!! Never!!!
But, with the weather forecast, the rough seas that I'm looking at, and what happened today, I am actually a little bit frightened to take T out for 8 hours alone.

I cancelled our boat.

I still regret it.

But- We have other fun activities on the water.. just not me as the captain, except the wave runners. Plus-- we are taking a Seaplane to Dry Tortugas in a few days!!

This trip will still be fine without the boat tomorrow.

"T, ya know what? I think we'll just do jet skis and kayaks tomorrow instead of the boat. Is that ok?"

"Yep, fine with me."

I was shocked at his answer..kind of. I know I would have heard a different one the day before.

 

[Courtney6682]

We're almost to Bahia Honda..
And we see a big water spout on the side of us...

That is sooo cool!!! I've never seen anything like that!!!

 

[21stamps]

We ended up buying a deck of cards. Sitting in our room starring out at a wall or rain and the angry ocean while playing War and Go Fish.

Went to visit another one of my friend's houses to visit, and then had dinner at our hotel. Nope, not the beautiful outdoor one that I had planned. We are at the indoor restaurant, still delicious food though. We both got "fancy" (as T calls it). It was the first time during the trip when I wore a dress and heels lol.

We ended up going to sleep before 11pm that night.

Tomorrow we will try the beach again!!

 

[21stamps]

That is sooo cool!!! I've never seen anything like that!!!

Key West is actually the water spout capital of the US or something. All of the Keys really.

But, I think T is a magnet for them. He goes to Florida, Marco Island or Clearwater, with my parents every July. They've seen a huge waterspout twice while on the beach. Both times had to go in due to the wind.

Wanna see one? Borrow my kid.

 

[21stamps]

It's a new day!!!

Beach- Round 2!

This time we'll stick to a Free one.lol


We go in front of our hotel, watersports are closed and umbrellas tied up.

No one else is swimming. I decide that T shouldn't swim either.
But, you can still play in the sand T!!

(If you don't get blown over)

Where is my beautiful water???

T's bucket keeps blowing away, so we gave up and decided to walk on the pier.

We can walk down the steps and get in for a bit. We can also look for Tarpon and Turtles!
We're still having fun, T! Don't worry!
(I think I was trying to convince myself as much as I was convincing him)

The, once again, heavy pouring rain came while we were at the end of the pier.

Time to go back in.

 

[Courtney6682]

Key West is actually the water spout capital of the US or something. All of the Keys really.

But, I think T is a magnet for them. He goes to Florida, Marco Island or Clearwater, with my parents every July. They've seen a huge waterspout twice while on the beach. Both times had to go in due to the wind.

Wanna see one? Borrow my kid.

That's really neat!!!

What are your feelings on strangers off the internet babysitting? lol

 

[21stamps]

You know what, we're going to grab our Disney ponchos and walk around Duval Street in the rain.

Come on T, we are in Key West. We are NOT staying inside. Who cares about some stupid downpour. We won't melt!! Let's go!!

He looked at me like I'm crazy, but agreed. (He didn't want the poncho though)

I guess rain is good for drinking..lol

 

[21stamps]

We stop for a Con Leche and coconut milk for T, then decide to go to Mile Marker 1, and then to the Southernmost Point.

Side note- My photos of "The End of the Road Mile Marker 1" are gone
(Ok, regroup.. I'm back)


Sorry T, no one's home.

Oh what's this? Road side Pina Colada's and Snow Cones? At 10:30am?

Yes, PLEASE!!

Even in the rain.. I ❤ Key West.
It's never too early for rum here

 

[21stamps]

That's really neat!!!

What are your feelings on strangers off the internet babysitting? lol

Only during a marathon

 

[Courtney6682]

Only during a marathon

LOL...good! That's the only time I offer my services

 

[LeighM]

Our family vacations were always jam packed with something and consisted of me, mom, my grandparents, my uncle and aunt, and their granddaughter. We could never agree on the same things so we often had breakfast together then me, mom, aunt, and cousin would go out in one group and my grandparents and uncle would go do their own thing. Then meet up for dinner and do things together in the evening. I don't even think I got an afternoon nap LOL. The only concession they gave me, and it was for the sake of a relaxing family vacation, was that we would stay at a place with a pool. Didn't matter if it had a slide or was inside or out...I had to have a swimming pool (it was also simpler times). If I behaved during the day then I was allowed to go swimming at night before bed. Good enough for me. Ha! But because I was so used to all the vacations being "go, go, go" that's what I like to do now. I drive my husband crazy because I just can't sit and relax any place. I literally have to be moving all the time lol. Luckily, I don't have kids because I would be totally outnumbered with them against me and my overplanned spreadsheets