Camping and Crabbing on the Chesapeake

okay, okay, technically it wasn't the Chesapeake, but close enough, and that sounded better (on the Patuxent, but right at the mouth where it joins the bay)

The kids have been looking forward to camping on the beach since they found out we were moving anywhere near a beach, and they've been equally excited about going crabbing (though strangely enough, not wanting to eat the crabs, just catch them) since we went to the beach this summer and they saw someone else crabbing... I guess it looked like fun.


Saturday morning, when I remembered my camera and started taking pictures.
This was right by our campsite

So about three weeks ago a couple families from church sent out a group invitation to just about everyone from church they could think of inviting everyone to a navy rec center to camp and/or join them for a crab-fest. The boy scouts were doing a lot of the crabbing, but basically anyone that wanted to could come. fortunately living in MD, there's a lot of cool beaches within about an hours drive. Naturally, having a 2-week old baby didn't slow us down, so we jumped at the opportunity and joined everyone Friday night for a big bonfire and camping. The fire was just perfect, it wasn't too hot for it, and it was cool enough of an evening to appreciate sitting close to it!

we weren't literally camping on the beach, but it was only about a 10 minute walk from our campsite to this little beach and promontory where the scouts were basing their operation.

we all had fun clambering about on the rocks 

the girls played for hours on the beach with their friends

we did bring their suits, but I thought it was too cold to get wet... silly me! I know Afton! and Rayna didn't hesitate to get pretty completely soaked either.

first campout!

the boys were both pretty tired by lunchtime, and one of our friends let them crash in their double bike-stroller. with a warm towel for a blanket :) it seemed somehow appropriate.

the girls got a chance to go crabbing with Dad! they came back with 9 I think.

This year was supposed to be a bad year for crabs, and they had to let all the female crabs go, plus all the too small ones of course, but with 2 boats (the other was a hand-made canoe I wish I'd gotten a picture of, it was BEAUTIFULLY made by a guy in the ward when he was in his last year at medical school, because he was getting bored... I thought med school was supposed to be hard and time consuming!) I think the final haul was 3/4 bushel, more than plenty for everyone that wanted some, and we had probably 25-35 people eating them.

and that's not counting the kids that each had a couple bites... I was proud of Afton and Chi for trying it, Rayna wasn't feeling too adventurous, I think chi just wanted the bib :)

and no large group activity is complete without a bunch of kids wrestling an Uncle to the ground with much accompanying shrieks of laughter, and an appropriate amount of tickling and wrestling. 

I'm pretty sure it doesn't matter whose uncle it is either... this one only had one nephew there, and that boy isn't even in the dog pile!

thanks to all our friends that invited us along! it was a great weekend!

 

and crossed at least 2 items off Afton's MD-bucket list!