Went to St. Augustine FLA for the annual visit to moms on the beach. My sister, bro-in-law and the three kids meet me there. Good times. The kids are a little more grown up so less tantrums, more fun and great conversation. THis is how i know they are related. After eating at about 6ish we took a walk on the beach. Of course the kids all want to go so i take them off my sisters hands for a bit. We are walking when my 6 year old niece pick up a sand dollar and asks me "Uncle Jeff are sand dollars money for fish?"
Yes. Yes they are.
Great kid.
We went to Marineland to see some dolphins. We sign the kids up for the paint with dolphins program. They actually hang out at the edge of the tank and hold the canvas over the water. The trainer gives the dolphin a bottle of paint and they go at it creating some sort of abstract art which the kids get to take home. Of course i leave my camera at home. Idiot.
I find an Irish pub on the way back so we drop the kids off and i take my brother in law out to lunch. if you are ever in the are check out Finnagins Wake. Awesome fish and chips and even better assortment of Irish whiskeys. Malt vinegar right on the bar. i didn't even have to ask. It's the little things that make my day.
I got to cook for the family a couple nights which surprises everyone but my mom. "I told you he cooks better than you girls ever did" referring to both of my sisters. Just a note on that: my oldest sister burned spaghetti once. She was in the kitchen the entire time as well. So really, boiling hot dogs could really out do her on the cooking front.
Kids are being really good so we take the 2 oldest ones on a sea kayak voyage for about 2 hours. We stay in the estuary which is where the sea and fresh water meet. Apparently it has the more biomass than anywhere in the world. Things growing everywhere especially the water. The guide is great and i got a list of the tours he runs. I think next year its going to be the astronomy kayak tour. Go out at night and the guide lets'er rip on all the constellations and how the sky moves season to season. I cant imagine it being a whole lot different from here but seriously how bad ass would it be to see dolphins and manatees from a kayak at night? Very. Thats how bad ass. Hopefully the youngest will be able to make it by then too.
The next day we rent a pontoon boat by the Lions bridge and take it down the intercostal waterway. Or intracostal water way. how ever it is was spelled. After seeing about 8 dolphins one of which being a baby one we get to the opening to the ocean by fort Mantanzas. Cool little fort that acted as a look out for the bigger fort castillo de san marco. As we approach the mouth of the waterway we anchor to get out and swim. As i am swimming i notice a large shadow approaching the boat. It turns out to be a manatee. So technically i swam with wild sea cows. He probably thought he knew me or something. It was so big but moved so slow so i just said "hi" as it passed. I was a little scared at first but it was pretty cool anyway.

All in all it was a fun time and as usual my mom asks me about when im getting married and did i stop hating people yet. Not sure and not really but im getting better. I would feel much worse if she didn't already have 5 grand kids. One great thing that came of this is that i did decide i wanted to go into a shark cage so i think that trip is going to get booked soon for next year. Anyone want to come?

Anti-shark cage. You go inside the cage? Cage goes in the water, you go in the water. Shark's in the water. Our shark.

Yes this I will be dropping Jaws lines like a fucking mad man.