Riding the Waves

Of course one of the best things about going to Dauphin Island is riding the waves!

Let's go surfing now                                                                                       Everybody's learning how                                                                                       Come on on safari with me!

The waves weren't quite big enough to surf like that, but we had fun, nevertheless.  Don't you love the sound of the waves crashing shore?

We had several floaties.  This year we bought a ramen floatie.  Isn't it hilarious?

The first couple of days, Eli was not able to go under water as he was recovering from an ear infection.  We were happy he eventually was well enough to get his head all wet!

We had 3 innertubes that can connect to one another if you want.

Our dolphin floatie.

If this dolphin had come closer, he'd have found a friend!

We also had a unicorn floatie.

These floaties also served as resting places.

Each day, a group would head out to the sand bar.

From land, you could see if they were far enough to have reached it (there is a change in the water color) and someone on land would raise arms to show they had arrived.

One guy thought they were in trouble.  He came to us.  "Are they ok?  Can they all swim?!"  We assured him they were all good swimmers.  Guess he was still worried because he swam out there with extra life saving equipment.

Adam reassured him.  Glad there are people out there that were concerned.  There are sometimes people who drown, perhaps caught in a rip tide.  A woman my age had drowned the month before.  We have taught the kids what to do if caught in one.  When I was 6, I was caught in one and it was so frightening!  My older brother shouted from shore and directed me on how to get out of it.

It may not seem that they are that far out, but check out their head sizes in this photo.  

Coast guard fly overhead regularly.