The Keys. Take 2

Posted: August 30, 2012 | Author: | Filed under: Life | Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 2 Comments

Here are some photos from our first week here in Big Pine Key.

The first day out on the water, Daniel catches a shark. Let me just paint the picture of what was going on in the boat…. Daniel is fighting the shark, slow and steady, fatiguing it and getting the it to the boat. Now, as soon as I hear that he caught a shark, my heart immediately begins to pound. I think I asked him about three times if the shark was going to jump in the boat and bite my legs off. Every time I asked, he answered me  with a calm ‘no’. I was frantic. I was moving from the front of the boat to the back, standing up on the bench and moving down toward the cooler. I didn’t know what to do with myself. I just knew that the shark was going to jump in the boat and kill me. Why did I know that? Well, because Daniel has shown me youtube clips and Shark Week, and with my vivid imagination I knew that I was going down. Daniel was very encouraging and assured me that I wasn’t going to die… Though I didn’t know if I would be safer jumping overboard or just staying in the boat.I think I lost control of anything calm and level headed inside of me.

Daniel realed the shark closer to the boat and I exclaimed, “Oh my gosh it’s a great white shark!!!!”

It wasn’t. Apparently it was “only” a 5 1/2 foot black tip shark. But I tell you one thing… that didn’t calm down my heart from beating to the Jaws soundtrack.

Daniel wasn’t the only one catching sharks this past week. My sister Charissa caught a little hammer head (below) and I also caught a few, all of which were bonnet head sharks. Lets keep in mind that our catches (and releases) were about 2 1/2 – 3 feet. Still, they all put up a good, fun, clean (no blood was shed) fight!

We also went to No Name Pub. If you are in the area, you’ve gotta go check this place out! You seriously wouldn’t believe how many dollar bills are stapled all over the walls and ceiling. Daniel did a little research and found that there is around $80,000 in one’s in there. The pizza was good, the unique environment was like none other, the prices were decent – a little touristy. I had never felt like I was stuck inside someone’s dirty wallet before now… All in all, we had a great time and are looking forward to visiting again soon!


We also enjoyed some time with my cousins Rebecca and Jordan, and their little skipper, Hudson. It was Hudson’s first time out on a boat and I’d say that the consensus was he really enjoyed himself! It was fun watching him experience being on the water for the first time. By the way he watched Jordan look for lobster, and Daniel drive the boat, I think this kid is destined to be a Florida Sportsman!



We caught our limit of Mangrove snapper and lobster (thanks to the guys). We all know I’m not jumping in there to go tickle some lobster!

One thing that surprised me, I enjoyed fishing this past week! I enjoyed the peace that I found out on the open water, the silence and the good conversations, the opportunity to enjoy the beauty of nature and the successful feeling of a good catch.

Though one thing that I did not like, was when I needed bring the fish into the boat… getting THAT close to the fish was a little out of my comfort zone… but hey, what is life without allowing yourself to be stretched.

…baby steps.

The Keys. Take 1

Posted: August 28, 2012 | Author: | Filed under: Life | Tags: , , , | 8 Comments

A short time ago Daniel quit his job. It has been a dream of his to spend a duration of time in The Florida Keys. So, we packed up and moved down for a month. We are taking this month to seek God on the next step for our lives (his job direction) as well as getting in some good water time. Though don’t you worry, I’m still working. 🙂

Daniel and I have been in The Keys for about a week now. He loves everything to do with the water: fishing, snorkeling, lobstering, boating, surfing (though you don’t surf in The Keys) and diving. Poor guy, he married a northerner who doesn’t really feel comfortable doing any of those things. Lets just cut to the chase… Im scared of fish.

Unless cooking a fillet of fish or laying out by the water constitutes a passion for the water, I have a lot of growing to do! I keep reminding myself… baby steps.

So, I’ll be posting about life in The Keys… Us avoiding hurricanes (hopefully that is now finished), my husband living out his dream, me facing my fears and us seeking God on the next step for our lives.