Travel Blog - Day 7: Crabbing, Crepeing and a little disappointment
Christensens are early risers. I don't get it, but by 7 AM the house is bustling and breakfast is ready and by 8:30 these people are dressed and ready to hit the day. I do not come from this early riser stock, but after almost 12 years, I've started to get used to it.
They are also breakfast eaters. Another quality, which is not embedded in my genes. But even I like Tuesday's breakfast. Uncle Aaron makes the best crepes. He's known for it actually. I take mine with lemon juice and a little bit of sugar. Grace LOVES crepes and has asked everyday when Aaron will be making crepes. The big day finally came and she was so happy. She was probably the first one at the counter ready to eat. There were lots of options for decking out your crepes, but Grace went with chocolate pudding and nutella. She'd never eaten nutella before, but I'm pretty sure I'll be buying her a jar in the very near future. I can always count on Aaron to introduce her to new culinary delights. Last family vacation he gave her the first soda she'd ever had (root beer) which she loved and this trip nutella. Since breakfast on Tuesday I've seen her eat it on leftover crepes, pancakes, bread and ice cream. Yep, think she's in love with the nutella.
After breakfast, we packed up the troops and took everyone crabbing. Crabbing is like fishing, except the object is to catch crabs. There is a big public park on the sound side of the island in Duck. We'd been told that the area along the boardwalk was a prime crabbing spot, so armed with our crabbing lines and out bait (chicken necks) we set off.
Once we decided on a spot, we baited our lines. You don't need a hook to crab, because when presented with the right enticement, crabs will hold on with their pincers. At first the girls were totally grossed out by the thought of chicken necks, but pretty soon tough girl Brynn was picking hers up and tossing it out in the water like she'd been crabbing for years. It took a few minutes, but Grace and I caught the first crab and then we started pulling them out of the water every couple of minutes.
We were catch and release crabbing, keeping them out of the water long enough to let everyone look at them. There was a local fisherman out crabbing as well, though he wasn't having as much luck, so we let him choose from our catches and he did end up taking a few of our big ones home with him. He also helped us out a little, using a pair of pliers to help free a couple of crabs who got stuck in the net. One of the kids asked him what he was going to do with the crabs he was taking home and he said "eat them." The kids were totally grossed out.
I'm pretty sure the crabs we were pulling out are the blue crabs (softshell). I've never eaten a soft shell crab, but apparently they are delicious. The idea of eating the whole crab, shell and all, is a little much for me.
It was a fun morning and a pretty unique experience. I've never been crabbing before.
We were supposed to take a beach tour last night out to see the wild mustangs, but when we got there the guy said "listen, I'll take you out tonight if you want to go, but since you have your kids with you, I think it is too dangerous." There was a huge thunderstorm out in the area where we were headed, even though it was only sprinkling where we were, we decided not to take the chance. When the guy looks at you and says "if it were me, I wouldn't take my kids out there tonight" then it is sort of a no-brainer. We rescheduled for Thursday morning, when it will be clear, but not too hot.
Needless to say, my people were very disappointed. They didn't seem to understand that we rescheduled, meaning we would do again, but on another day. So we decided to make our souvenir stop a little early and took them to the Kitty Hawk Kites in Corolla. We had fun wandering around and I always love watching the girls make careful, reasoned decisions. They both ended up with little beach print LED flashlights. Grace choose a game of travel checkers and Brynn a wooden, flexible snake. She wanted one with a tongue sticking out, but decided on a "sweet, green one" instead.
I watched Chase (Brandon and Amelia's youngest son) for a little while last night, while B and Amelia ran a few little errands. While I was babysitting, Chad took the girls and their new flashlights out on a crab walk. The sand crabs seem extra active at night and the girls came back to the house with wide eyes and tales of millions of crabs. Apparently, it was both creepy and wonderful.
The trinkets and crab walk seemed to abate the kids' disappointment, but it didn't do anything to invigorate them. They came in after their walk and I herded their zombie bodies to bed.
The girls have slept in same room this entire trip without an issue. At home, we've had to move them to separate rooms to discourage nightly bloodshed. I couldn't figure out why we don't have problems here, but last night I think I've unlocked the mystery of our at home bedtime problems. I do not push them to the point of literal, physical exhaustion. I need to wear them out, so they don't have the energy to fight with each other at night. :)
They are also breakfast eaters. Another quality, which is not embedded in my genes. But even I like Tuesday's breakfast. Uncle Aaron makes the best crepes. He's known for it actually. I take mine with lemon juice and a little bit of sugar. Grace LOVES crepes and has asked everyday when Aaron will be making crepes. The big day finally came and she was so happy. She was probably the first one at the counter ready to eat. There were lots of options for decking out your crepes, but Grace went with chocolate pudding and nutella. She'd never eaten nutella before, but I'm pretty sure I'll be buying her a jar in the very near future. I can always count on Aaron to introduce her to new culinary delights. Last family vacation he gave her the first soda she'd ever had (root beer) which she loved and this trip nutella. Since breakfast on Tuesday I've seen her eat it on leftover crepes, pancakes, bread and ice cream. Yep, think she's in love with the nutella.
After breakfast, we packed up the troops and took everyone crabbing. Crabbing is like fishing, except the object is to catch crabs. There is a big public park on the sound side of the island in Duck. We'd been told that the area along the boardwalk was a prime crabbing spot, so armed with our crabbing lines and out bait (chicken necks) we set off.
Once we decided on a spot, we baited our lines. You don't need a hook to crab, because when presented with the right enticement, crabs will hold on with their pincers. At first the girls were totally grossed out by the thought of chicken necks, but pretty soon tough girl Brynn was picking hers up and tossing it out in the water like she'd been crabbing for years. It took a few minutes, but Grace and I caught the first crab and then we started pulling them out of the water every couple of minutes.
We were catch and release crabbing, keeping them out of the water long enough to let everyone look at them. There was a local fisherman out crabbing as well, though he wasn't having as much luck, so we let him choose from our catches and he did end up taking a few of our big ones home with him. He also helped us out a little, using a pair of pliers to help free a couple of crabs who got stuck in the net. One of the kids asked him what he was going to do with the crabs he was taking home and he said "eat them." The kids were totally grossed out.
I'm pretty sure the crabs we were pulling out are the blue crabs (softshell). I've never eaten a soft shell crab, but apparently they are delicious. The idea of eating the whole crab, shell and all, is a little much for me.
It was a fun morning and a pretty unique experience. I've never been crabbing before.
We were supposed to take a beach tour last night out to see the wild mustangs, but when we got there the guy said "listen, I'll take you out tonight if you want to go, but since you have your kids with you, I think it is too dangerous." There was a huge thunderstorm out in the area where we were headed, even though it was only sprinkling where we were, we decided not to take the chance. When the guy looks at you and says "if it were me, I wouldn't take my kids out there tonight" then it is sort of a no-brainer. We rescheduled for Thursday morning, when it will be clear, but not too hot.
Needless to say, my people were very disappointed. They didn't seem to understand that we rescheduled, meaning we would do again, but on another day. So we decided to make our souvenir stop a little early and took them to the Kitty Hawk Kites in Corolla. We had fun wandering around and I always love watching the girls make careful, reasoned decisions. They both ended up with little beach print LED flashlights. Grace choose a game of travel checkers and Brynn a wooden, flexible snake. She wanted one with a tongue sticking out, but decided on a "sweet, green one" instead.
I watched Chase (Brandon and Amelia's youngest son) for a little while last night, while B and Amelia ran a few little errands. While I was babysitting, Chad took the girls and their new flashlights out on a crab walk. The sand crabs seem extra active at night and the girls came back to the house with wide eyes and tales of millions of crabs. Apparently, it was both creepy and wonderful.
The trinkets and crab walk seemed to abate the kids' disappointment, but it didn't do anything to invigorate them. They came in after their walk and I herded their zombie bodies to bed.
The girls have slept in same room this entire trip without an issue. At home, we've had to move them to separate rooms to discourage nightly bloodshed. I couldn't figure out why we don't have problems here, but last night I think I've unlocked the mystery of our at home bedtime problems. I do not push them to the point of literal, physical exhaustion. I need to wear them out, so they don't have the energy to fight with each other at night. :)
Comments