2019 Life Logs, Day 228: Cap’n Kids Fishing Adventure
Date: Friday, August 16, 2019
Weather: Mostly Sunny; High 77, Low 65 degrees F
Location: At Home in the Cottage, East Falmouth, MA
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Today was the last day of Camp Oma for the summer of 2019, so Oma decided to take the Goldpebbles for a fishing adventure. And a grand adventure it was. Cap’n Kids is located in Harwich Port which is about an hour from here. Ollie, Jonah, and I started our day with more casting practice on the docks here at the cottage while Jed and Sam went to Hyannis in search of new bicycles. We met in Hyannis at 11:30 and then the boys and I traveled on to Harwich Port. It is quaint community on the Vineyard Sound side of the Cape. When we arrived, we checked out the location of the kiosk where we were to check-in for our trip at 1:30 and then walked across the parking lot to have lunch at Brax Landing Restaurant. The restaurant is on the harbor and has great views of the water which we all enjoyed. Our personalities were evident in our lunch choices. I had a salad with baked salmon, Sam had a cheeseburger with fries, Jonah had macaroni and cheese, and Ollie had an order of steamers. Steamers are soft-shelled clams, rather than the quahogs we normally have, and he loved them. We then checked in for our trip and still had a 45-minute wait. But the Goldpebbles were patient and creative. They found a spot on the dock with a corn hole game and played that while waiting. At the appointed time we met Captain Chris by the kiosk where trip rules were overviewed and then about 35 of us got on the boat. It was a 50-foot fishing trawler with plenty of room for the six or so families. Three teenagers served as crew and they were tremendously helpful. We knew our catch would be limited to small fish, but we were hoping for black sea bass rather than pogies. Unfortunately, it ended up to be a pogie afternoon for everyone on the boat. Jonah caught the first fish and won the day with four catches. Sam and Ollie were right behind him and I brought up the rear with only one catch. But just being on the boat on a beautiful afternoon was what it was really all about. We were taught how to set a crab trap and at the end of the trip we hauled in the results of that effort. I think we all had a great time, but Sam stopped fishing after his first three catches as he felt really sorry for the fish. Catch and release seems humane until you see up close the damage to the fish. All three Goldpebbles agreed that they would rather fish for larger fish that could be eaten. They are hoping their fishing expeditions in Maine over the next ten days will provide that opportunity.
Summer didn’t end today, but the remainder of the summer will be very different for me. I am going to miss being with Sam, Jonah, and Ollie every day. No doubt there are frustrations in dealing with the needs of boys that are seven, ten, and twelve years old, but the joy of being allowed to watch them grow outweighs any of the frustrations. I am going to miss those feisty Goldpebbles!
