We spent seven glorious days sheltering in place at the beach last week. Lounging in the sand that long was well beyond my husband’s capacity so we had two excursions (besides three morning runs, daily beach walks, bike rentals, kayak rentals, and a paddle board rental). That list makes me tired!
Our last excursion was in-shore fishing (fishing between the peninsula and the mainland). Having no interest in fishing, I declined the rod but instead snapped pictures of the kids and my husband as they fished.
My daughter caught a fish right away- the slick scales shimmering in the on-board cooler- but that impressive start fizzled and our captain snaked the boat along the shore searching for hidden fish. Eventually, my husband felt a tug on his line and we all watched him reel in his catch.
He caught…. a seagull.
The live bait he was using had swum to the surface and caught the eye of a hungry gull circling overhead. The bird swooped down and hooked a bad surprise. Several minutes, lots of wing flapping and a pair of pliers later our captain managed to release the bird who floated along the surface for a few stunned seconds, then flew away from the worst snack he’d ever had.
A few other small fish finished up the afternoon (not enough for dinner) and we headed back to our condo, sun-kissed and a little defeated by the fruits of our labor.
That’s where the stories lie though, don’t they? In the unexpected, sometimes ridiculous turn of events that leave us laughing, shaking our heads and anxious to share what happened with others.
If we had had a typical fishing trip, about what would I blog? What would I have learned?
It’s my prayer that my life continues to be filled with surprises, with unexpected outcomes and God’s provision in even the most mundane occurrences. (It would be OK though, if what we caught on our next fishing trip didn’t have feathers.)
You could have pretended you were on Naked and Afraid and then had the seagull for dinner. Hope that made you laugh and thanks for the smile you always bring to my face!!!
Even if I were naked and afraid, I’m not sure I could’ve eaten that seagull! 🙂
The photo you did not capture is burned into my brain. Thank you for the laugh. I needed it today, sweet Jennifer!!
I’m glad it brought a smile to your face! 🙂
Loved the story!! What a wonderful vacation with a lot of fun memories!!
Thanks!
I would expect nothing less from your husband. A seagull? love it!
I agree, the surprises are where the memories lie 🙂
Right? Though I heard that Alex C also had similar luck while fishing recently, so this is a thing? Thanks for reading the post!