Fishin’ on the Fourth

This picture can only mean one thing….

it’s scallop season (and Rob needs a tan on those legs)! 

It is O’Steen tradition that we go to the river for the Fourth.  It’s typically opening scallop weekend, so we pack up and head to Suwannee, with our children and snorkeling gear in tow.

Saturday, we piled into three boats and made our way to the scalloping grounds.  This was SG’s first scallop trip (that she can remember) and Cade’s first trip with his very own mask and snorkel.  They were ready to roll!

 

Rob was always the first one from our boat in the water.  He has the gear thing down pat.  He can get suited up in 10 seconds flat!  I’m not so sure how I haven’t caught on to that.

Cade started out swimming by himself.  He hadn’t yet gotten the hang of his snorkel.

Then the current got bad, so he hitched a ride.

Papa and Cade made a pretty good scallop team.

SaraGrace teamed up with everybody.  She couldn’t decide who was the best scalloper.  She started out with me.  I would have to find the scallop, then bring it up to her to put in the bag.  Then she found her Gamma.

 

She would scream at you while you had your head under water.  She wanted to know every time you saw something.

Then it was Beas’ turn.  SG would show off all of her loot.

Here are our bathing beauties.  In the O’Steen family, everyone does everything.  We even scallop in our eighties.  Here is the oldest and the youngest members of our group, Granny and Brinley.

 

Speaking of Brinley, this is how we roll at bath time at the river house.  Fun times!

    

On Sunday, we spent the day fishing offshore.  We are either the craziest parents ever, or the coolest parents ever.  We took our kids 75 miles offshore.  While Cade seems to go every time the boat leaves the dock, SG has never been on the big boat.  But she cries every time it leaves without her.  I haven’t been fishing in forever, so we decided to make it a family day on board the Papa Gator.

Here’s the Grace all ready to go get some fish. (Please note her fishing uniform.  Because she had gotten sun the day before, I had to make sure she was covered up.  It’s not like we have a whole wardrobe of fishing attire, so I improvised, people.  I took my t-shirt, safety-pinned at the collar and tied in the back, and made a top for her. Hey, it served it’s purpose!)

 

Now Cade looks like a professional.  Heck, he’s been doing this since he was 2!

  

Don’t they look so cute?

 

I was lovingly nicknamed Olan Mills while on the boat.  Lance kept making fun of me, but I’m so glad that I had the camera.  Once Olan was done with the standard family pictures, it was time to FISH!

Papa and SG reeling in her FIRST fish!

She was so excited that it was PINK!

  

Then Cade reeled in his first for the day!

 

Unfortunately, it wasn’t a keeper.  But he was still so proud.

Papa kept bringing ‘em in.

 

 

 

Now this fish is a Papa/SaraBeth joint venture.

 

I hooked the fish on my pole, but then the crazy thing took off under the boat.  My pole was bent completely over the side of the boat.  My dad came to my rescue (because Rob was busy with his own fish) and reeled him in for me.  So I am claiming it was a joint venture, with Papa doing most of the work.  After all of that work, it wasn’t even a keeper.  The season was closed:(

Another joint venture (Papa and SB) just minutes later.

He had to be thrown back too.  SEASON CLOSED!  However, this is the biggest fish I have ever caught!  You didn’t think Olan would let this fish go without a picture, did you?

We caught almost 400 pounds of fish that day.

 

I would say it was a pretty exciting Fourth of July!