Saturday at the Beach

Since the UT Vols were playing the Florida Gators at noon today, we wanted to get out to the beach early today.  Of course, when you are in a hurry to do anything, that is when something goes wrong like all the sunscreen spilling out of the tube.

We got out to the beach before 8:30 and Chuck had caught his first fish by 8:38.

Then, the dolphins gave us a couple of "good morning" jumps. :)

Even though it was 66 degrees, the sun made it a very pleasant morning.

One of the biggest black clumps I had seen washed up on the beach this morning.  We have seen lots of smaller black clumps scattered on the beach and have wondered if it was from the BP spill a few years ago.  The clumps are not real hard and leave black on your hands when you try to break them apart.

We later found out from a local Carrabelle couple that these black clumps are from where the surf from previous hurricanes have come in and torn up the roads and pulled the asphalt back into the water.  They said BP investigated thoroughly the waters off the coast and found no damage from the spill that occurred several years ago.  

I decided to walk down past the stumps to the boardwalk at some private condos.

After I walked past the stumps again on the way back,

Gimpy joined me for the walk part of the way back.  :)

Chuck didn't catch any fish while I was gone for my walk, but he caught one as soon as I got back.  Hmmm, maybe I bring him good luck?  No, he said he had changed his bait from shrimp to squid.  

Anyways, whatever the reason, the fishing did pick up for the rest of the morning.  He caught 6 catfish, one ladyfish and this....(watch the video):

That was a first!  Some kids playing on the beach ran down to see the sea turtle.  A sea turtle is something you don't see very often on the beach!

By 11:30, we packed up all our beach and fishing gear and headed back to the camper because IT'S FOOTBALL TIME IN TENNESSEE!!!!  And in Carrabelle, Florida!  :)

Neyland Stadium was all decked out in checkerboard orange and white.

Unfortunately, our young Tennessee Volunteers just made too many mistakes and the Gators beat us 10 to 9.  :(

We went back out to the beach around 4 pm.

And once again, Chuck caught a catfish with his first cast.  The tide was out and I walked down to the point to the east.  The tide was so low, I was able to walk about another 100 yards out off the point.

The low tide left these ridges in the sand.

I walked back to Chuck and he caught another catfish within about 10 minutes.  Maybe I bring him good luck after all?  :)  Chuck released the fish.........

...and we headed back to the camper to watch some more of the other good SEC football matchups today.