I know what you did this summer...

[billnchristy]

We just had our mega short family vacation (wife still doesn't get vacay pay until sep.) but it we did a lot and it was memorable for a few things. We took Molly because 1k miles on a lease in 4 days is probably a bad idea and there is no way all our crap would fit in little Lola.

Thursday morning like crock o' sh.. 30 we got up to begin the 6hr drive. We got to Mobile AL at around 8am and played a round of disc golf.

We then went to Whataburger because we don't have them in GA and ate lunch at 10am (when you are up at 2am you can do this). We then went to the USS Alabama and toured the ship, their aircraft hangar and the USS Drum submarine.

This was awesome because I got to show my daughter where I used to work in the engine room on the carrier. A battleship is tiny compared to a nuclear carrier but probably the closest a civilian will ever get to a nuclear engine room. I also got to show them all the various other features of a ship and my wife had never been on the carrier either so she enjoyed seeing what was like my home for 5 years.

On Friday we woke up early to go to the beach (get some time in before the sun was too much for Christy) and we saw a sea turtle and 3 sharks all swimming WAAAY TOO CLOSE!!

The turtle got about 20' away, looked up and saw humans and hauled back into the deep ocean. The sharks were Sharpnose sharks about 3' long like this guy here:



We watched them shark pack a bunch of fish for about an hour but they honestly ruined our swim time...I doubt something that small would really even try anything but it would be very easy to accidently stumble on them and get what would probably be a very uncomfortable bite. I noticed them when I ran back to shore to grab our stuff and move it (there was a guy on a tractor grating the sand) and I stepped within 3-4' of the first one. After I motioned the girls out of the water we noticed there was a total of 3 hunting.

No pics...I always forgot the camera in the trunk...doh!

[RaefWolfe]

I would kill to see those sharks in person Sounds like an awesome vacation, I am very jealous of everyone being able to take trips like this Oh well, maybe next year!

(Also, pretty sure sea turtle...sea tortoise sounds awesome though haha)

[Norm201]

Originally Posted by billnchristy

We just had our mega short family vacation (wife still doesn't get vacay pay until sep.) but it we did a lot and it was memorable for a few things. We took Molly because 1k miles on a lease in 4 days is probably a bad idea and there is no way all our crap would fit in little Lola.

Thursday morning like crock o' sh.. 30 we got up to begin the 6hr drive. We got to Mobile AL at around 8am and played a round of disc golf.

We then went to Whataburger because we don't have them in GA and ate lunch at 10am (when you are up at 2am you can do this). We then went to the USS Alabama and toured the ship, their aircraft hangar and the USS Drum submarine.

This was awesome because I got to show my daughter where I used to work in the engine room on the carrier. A battleship is tiny compared to a nuclear carrier but probably the closest a civilian will ever get to a nuclear engine room. I also got to show them all the various other features of a ship and my wife had never been on the carrier either so she enjoyed seeing what was like my home for 5 years.

On Friday we woke up early to go to the beach (get some time in before the sun was too much for Christy) and we saw a sea tortoise and 3 sharks all swimming WAAAY TOO CLOSE!!

The Tortoise got about 20' away, looked up and saw humans and hauled back into the deep ocean. The sharks were Sharpnose sharks about 3' long like this guy here:



We watched them shark pack a bunch of fish for about an hour but they honestly ruined our swim time...I doubt something that small would really even try anything but it would be very easy to accidently stumble on them and get what would probably be a very uncomfortable bite. I noticed them when I ran back to shore to grab our stuff and move it (there was a guy on a tractor grating the sand) and I stepped within 3-4' of the first one. After I motioned the girls out of the water we noticed there was a total of 3 hunting.

No pics...I always forgot the camera in the trunk...doh!

Sounds great. I too am jealous.

[billnchristy]

Originally Posted by RaefWolfe

I would kill to see those sharks in person Sounds like an awesome vacation, I am very jealous of everyone being able to take trips like this Oh well, maybe next year!

(Also, pretty sure sea turtle...sea tortoise sounds awesome though haha)

Doh you're right.

He looked like this:

[billnchristy]

There was supposedly a Manatee roaming the coast too which is weird because they like the brackish water usually.

It was only like knee deep where we were so there was not going to be any tubby manatee action there.

The weird thing is I lived in the Pensacola area for 16 years and never saw a shark or turtle before now.

[Audrey]

Sounds like a fun little trip. My summer has been full of work. No trips.

[RaefWolfe]

Sea turtlessss <3 One day it is my dream to swim with a sea turtle. One dream of many dreams I have about hanging out with reptiles anyway

[billnchristy]

Originally Posted by RaefWolfe

Sea turtlessss <3 One day it is my dream to swim with a sea turtle. One dream of many dreams I have about hanging out with reptiles anyway

Rawr!

You might want to dress up like one because dude was literally cruising around, came up for air, got this look and turned and hauled ass. He was out 300' or so in a matter of seconds.

[RaefWolfe]

It's amazing how fast turtles can swim. They're so hokey on land! Too bad you couldn't snap a photo. They're quite something to see in person. I'm still jealous about holding the shark though!

[Slipnfallbutter]

Doubt my little foray down to Florida this week will be half as awesome as Seattle was. *sigh*