Weather change

Everyone knows that a day at the beach isn't complete without a little rain storm popping up. In this case it ended up looking by far worse than it ever really got.

 As long as we kept our eyes to the water it was gorgeous.

However, a little front was doing it's best to run us home. I love the panoramic feature on our phones, without it we never would have gotten this amazing picture. How cool is that?!

Regatta

Thankfully we don't live that far from the beach, so when our plans don't work out like we originally thought, we don't have far to drive back home. We had originally planned to go hang out at the beach for a bit and catch some of the regatta at Juana's. Sadly, there was absolutely no wind that day and no wind means lots of flies...that bite. We did our best but eventually left before the regatta even got started.

Sails up and getting ready to go.

 

  Hard to tell since I took a panoramic shot but there were a lot of boats out there!

Navarre Beach Sea Turtle Conservation Center

We have a new facility that has recently opened at the beach, the Navarre Beach Sea Turtle Conservation Center. They are so new that they are still in the completion process and don't have all the rooms opened. We went one weekend to check out what they currently offer and to learn a little more about the turtles that visit our beaches. Their goal is to eventually have an area for rehabilitating sick or injured turtles so they don't have to be transferred to other facilities out of town for treatment.

A local artist painted the fencing outside the facility, it's beautiful.

The remains of a deceased turtle that had washed up on the beach.

I was amazed at how big some of the turtles can get.

This is basically the inside of a turtles throat. It looks like something out of sci-fi movie.

Turtle Release

For my birthday this year I decided to go share in an event that isn't often shared with the public, the release of a rehabilitated sea turtle. This particular turtle had been caught by a fisherman and the Gulfarium had treated her until she was ready to be released back into the sound. I hated that the kids had school that day but decided I was still going to go watch. It turned out to be a much larger crowd than I had anticipated and even a couple of news crews.

They did a great job of sitting the turtle down in the container and letting the kids all come get a close up view of her before her release.

I wish I had videotaped the release as well. Her little flippers were going crazy the closer she got to the water, I'm pretty sure she was ready to go.

And just like that she was back where she belonged.

Cupcake time

While the boys were off fishing, Aunt Teresa and Sailor decided to bake some cupcakes. I will be the first to admit that baking doesn't happen too often at our house and when it does the only help I usually get from the kids is them wanting to lick the beaters and the bowl.

Sailor getting a lesson in egg cracking. This was her first time doing this all by herself. 

Her face is priceless! It didn't crack so much as explode in her hands.

Just a few eggshells in the batter. Crunchy is always good.

Much better experience with the second egg.

There was a lot of concentration that went in to the icing of those cupcakes.

They may not have been the prettiest but they sure were good.

Soundside Fishing

While in Columbia for the day, the boys all took advantage of a little free time after supper and headed down to Uncle Bobby's house for a little fishing. I had not originally planned on going, but after Hank sent me a picture of Tucker with his catch I had to go check it out.

Tucker's first redfish caught in NC. He was quite proud.

That's some serious fishing going on.

Cutter was able to get in a little fishing also.

 

Although I'm pretty sure Hank actually caught this one, Cutter proudly claimed it.

Can't end the day much better than that.