Beach Vacay- Round 2

We just got home from a Port A beach vacation with Dad's parents. We hadn't been on a vacation with them since Las Vegas, about 6 years ago. We left Saturday afternoon after Dad's last final exam for the summer and had a busy, busy few days alternating between eating out, jumping the waves, and playing in the pool and water slides.

Paw Paw digging in the sand holes for ghost crabs

We had a great time until the biggest crab jumped out of the pail. I'm sure the girls' screams (and maybe mine too) could be heard for miles. Annnd then crab hunting was over. Note to self: bring the deepest pail I can find next time so Big Daddy doesn't escape, especially after I just get done reassuring the girls, "oh don't worry, there's no way the crabs can jump out." Awesome.

Paw Paw "relaxing" while pulling the girls around on their new boogie boards.

Coco catching some rays.

AND this new bad boy... is the best $20. EVER. SPENT!!! I CANNOT WAIT to show my nephews. I was entertained for hours by this thing. Behold....
THE CREATURE CATCHER!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

What does it do? You know when the waves wash ashore and then wash back, there are millions of little, wet holes in the sand? Sometimes they even bubble up? Well, *sneaky laugh, evil grin* the Creature Catcher SUCKS whatever creature is under those holes up to the surface!!! AWESOME, HUH?! Coco and I had some good laughs trying to figure out exactly how to work it. We finally figured out the proper way to use it- you put the pipe on top of the sand hole, give a quick pump of the handle, dump the wet sand and TA-DA! You get these:

GHOST SHRIMP!

Are you as impressed as I was? The first day we went to the beach, we saw a group of girls using this thing and they came over and showed us what they were catching. I asked where they bought it from so later that night, we went shopping to get the girls their boogie boards and the Creature Catcher for me. :) The instructions say you can even catch Brittle Starfish, Mole Crabs, Mud Shrimp, Polychaets, Blood Worms (we caught those), Crabs, Clams, and Coquinas. Sweet!!!! Ok, there is my PSA for the Creature Catcher.

Aww, there are my beach babes!

Dad did his usual fishing. He caught several catfish and trout. He even used one of the ghost shrimp as bait.




Oh look! I made it into one of the pictures! This was at dinner on Monday night.





Pool time!

Thanks Coco and Paw Paw! We had fun!