Steve and I made our third annual trip to the Keys for Mini Lobster season last week. This year we (well cough, cough, Steve) chose to drive and take our boat. We also have amazing friends in Atlanta that took our kayaks for us. The drive down took about 15 hours, but we did make several stops. On the way home we made it in 13.5 hours with several fewer stops. It was a long drive we to occupied our time sleeping, having sing alongs and playing on the computer.
Most of the trip was spend sports fishing. We both only fished with the fly rod the entire trip. I was able to catch a shark and Steve caught a snapper, and hooked a shark and tarpon. Even though we did not catch much we saw so many cool things. We swam with seven manatee, saw two sea turtles, dolphins, tarpons, lots of sharks and tons of beautiful reef fish. We had many long days, getting up around five to fish and staying up past dark. By the end of the week I was totally exhausted and even took naps. For those of you that know me well, you know I think that naps are for losers. Well I was an exhausted loser. We are looking forward to returning again next year.
Steve getting ready for a day on the water.
Our boats home and new friends for the week.
The keys have amazing sunsets.
Islamorada Fish Co.
Steve is marking our spot in the hand held GPS just in case we get lost.
Wow, what a view of the dock and tiki hut.
Our view while fishing the flats.
Ohh, I love the sun screen oily face...
Mangrove cut thru's
A small shark on the sandy bottom. Steve found it while lobstering.
After snorkeling at Hen and Chicken with Reese and Julie we got caught in a nasty rain.
I had so much fun snorkeling!
Big fish Steve.
Jimmy caught a tarpon so I had to have my picture made so I could "pretend" to have caught it!
Steve poling the boat, while I fish!
Fishing ... Here tarpon, tarpon, tarpon...
Well at least I was trying to fish, but my guide did not clean and untwist my line. Needless to say Guide Steve did not get a tip that day!
Then I have to be the guide to pole and look for fish.
Still poling... no fish yet...
reef fish
reef fish, Kelly
reef
Big reef fish, Kelly at Cheeca Rocks
big reef fish Steve at Cheeca Rocks
Still looking and casting
My GQ guy!
Even when we were not catching fish, I was in awe of the amazing beauty of nature.
Yep another storm!
At least we were already wet from lobstering.
Our manatee friends. That was such a surreal experience. I am so glad that they found us and shared their time with us.
I loved that you could see the whiskers on its nose!
Such beautiful creatures.
This young one really liked Steve. It kept following him around.
Such an amazing experience!
When I caught my shark (pictured at the bottom), Steve was on the other side of the mangrove island. I had already fought the shark to the kayak before Steve came to help.
He search for the boga grip, finally found it and had the shark, so he thought.
Then he somehow fell out. It was too funny. Here Steve is in about two feet of water with a less than happy shark! Well at least no one or animal was harmed.
Steve's snapper, caught on the fly rod.
Kelly, Steve and Julie
at Cheeca Rocks
Stingray at Cheeca Rocks.
Steve attempting to sight fish.
My blacktip shark just before it was released to tell its adventures to its little and big shark friends.
