The tradition continues...

Keeping with tradition, we spent Memorial Day Weekend anchored on the shore of Bassett’s Island in Pocassett MA. The five of us (Sabaka included) left late afternoon on Friday, and as usual, we had a great time. Saturday was overcast with occasional showers, but, a rainy day aboard the boat is ALWAYS better than any day spent at home. It’s just always nice to get away from the demands of life and live a bit more simply. The less than optimum beach weather on Saturday provided opportunity for some home school lessons, last minute boat cleaning, board games, and naps. Well, Mike and I napped, the boys of course didn’t. Instead they watched a DVD on the portable player, until the battery died. The rest of the weekend was perfect beach weather 80ish, a slight breeze and calm water condition. It was great to see old friends - some of which we only see on Memorial Day Weekend and Labor Day Weekend since it is where we all spend the unofficial “beginning and end of boating seasons”.

Sitting on my chair in the sand watching the boys interact with their old friends (as well as some new friends) I couldn’t help but reflect on the changes in the boys. Besides the obvious changes like getting taller and gaining a little weight, it was great to see the other less noticeable differences. Each year the boys get a little more independent ;( a little more outgoing ;) and a little braver (yikes). Skip and his pal Oliver enjoyed the privilege of walking to the sandbar to look for minnows without any adults following right behind them (though certainly within eyesight) , walking around up on the bow of Oliver’s boat by themselves, and swimming back to our boat at the end of the day rather than take the dinghy with the rest of us. Even Harry, who has only spent one previous year boating, was a very different child. Much more confident in the water, he spent lots of time swimming without his life jacket and followed the group of bigger kids in jumping off the swim platforms of several of our friends boats.

Although Levi had to work on Saturday, he did make the drive out to the nearby Marina on Sunday morning. The dinghy ride from where we anchor, to the dock where we pick him up is about 10 minutes so the boys are always happy when he can join us. Needless to say when Monday afternoon rolled around and we started to get the boat ready to make the return trip home, the boys were not ready to leave. Skip actually opted to make the ride back home with Levi, and so it was just Harry, Sabaka, Mike & I making the return trip. For the first time in several years we actually had “normal” seas for that trip - with only 2-3 foot seas for the most part. Much better than the 4 - 6 foot seas we’ve had the last 3 or 4 times we’ve returned from Bassetts.

With the weekend behind us, we can safely say it's BOATING SEASON.

There are just some things you can't escape on the boat - such as:

Bedtime

A goodnight phone call to Levi

and brushing your teeth!

Walkin' with Oliver

Guy talk..

Just playin' around

taking Sabaka to go potty

Harry about to join the others..

but he's having second thoughts on the snorkel thing...he's waiting to see how Skip fares first.

Two RARE treats...Pop-Tarts for breakfast...served on the bow

Not a care in the world..

"I'm cold"

S'mores

3 brothers...

I'm jumpin'

Here I go   

Done deal!

Diggin' a moat for a castle...

Life is good!