Gwynn’s Island (Part 5)

One of new things we did this time was go to Hallieford Beach. It’s a short drive from the island but still in Mathews County. What’s different about it is that the water stays about the same depth for a couple hundred yards. Even Gwynn could stand in the water 200 yards out!

Luke played in the water, but just for a bit.

As usual the crab eaters wanted to get a pot of crabs to boil and eat. Our family doesn’t eat arthropods, but Pop and Aunt Jen love them.

We went to the docks to pick up the pot of crabs.

We had to keep the kids close so they wouldn’t jump/fall in the water.

Here come the crabs!

With the crabs in hand it’s time to go to Uncle Bill’s to cook ‘em.

“Get back! Get BACK!”

Uncle Bill has sent untold crabs to a watery grave.

While the crabs cooked Uncle Bill showed us his potato gun. This is something we couldn’t get away with using in our neck of the woods.

Mmmm… crabs. If, you know, you’re into that.

Luke enjoyed watching the crabs cook.

Once they’re cooked they take on the red color you’re probably used to seeing.

It’s a lot of work to get the meat out of the crabs.*
                          *not pictured – anyone with the last named Belcher.

The family that tears apart crabs together, stays together.

Gwynn’s Island (Part 4)

One of interesting things about Gwynn’s Island is that it has its own museum despite being a small island with only a few hundred residents. We decided to make the trip to the museum with our family and Grace, Kate and Pop.

Here is a whale bone Pop’s dad gave to the museum.

Kate sitting in an old fashioned desk.

High fashion on Gwynn’s island circa 1900.

The museum curator gave us a tour of the place. It was very illuminating.

Kate trying on old fashioned glasses. She looks like Ben Franklin.

Gwynn’s Island is named after Hugh Gwynn, an Englishmen who came to the island in the early 1600s. Before the Pilgrams came to America this guy was supposedly saving Pocahontas from drowning. In return he got the island.

A terrifying close up of the statue. He looks like he’s about to kill Pocahontas with his bangs because she looked at him wrong.

This is an artifact that was found on the island which may prove that it was inhabited thousands of years earlier than previously thought. Only daddy cared.

Kate was really interested in everything… for about 30 seconds. Then she’d go on to the next item.

One of our favorite habits on Gwynn’s island is an after dinner walk. There was about 1/4 mile gravel road leading from the main road to the beach house and we’d go walking each evening.

This was a morning walk – you can tell because the sun is facing the camera and the camera is facing East.

The bit of woods separating the main road from the beach was nice and cool.

We saw Aunt Jen out for a run on one of our longer walks.

A couple of strangers up ahead… or are they?

It’s Grandma and Aunt Connie. The kids are showing off their “treasures” from the walk.

Luke prefers to be carried on any walk lasting more than 10 minutes.

Almost every time we’d walk by one particular house there would be rabbits in the lawn.

Here’s a woodpecker in a tree.

Fun times.

Gwynn’s Island (Part 3)

One of the fun things we do at Gwynn’s Island is kayak. It’s a good way to burn off all the calories from the snacks we eat all day.

This time Gwynn was old enough to ask to come with daddy. She loved it.

Mommy did a little kayaking herself too – though she didn’t go too far from the shore.

Uncle Jack stayed until Wednesday morning and then headed back with Aunt Jennifer so daddy had to carry Grace and Kate in the kayak too.

Waving at us to come back .

A successful kayak trip to the hole in the wall and back. It’s the part of the island that is washed out and only connected to the island at low tide. Daddy didn’t realize it would take so long when he headed there. He also didn’t realize that Poseidon himself would try to make the current as hard to navigate as possible. At one point Daddy thought about seeing if Grace could swim back, but luckily that was only for a moment.

Luke wanted in on the action but he’s too much of a wild card. He’d jump out or catch a shark or something.

Pop and Daddy decided to make a trip around the island by Kayak one morning.  It’s about 8 miles around.

One last chance to give up.

“Bye. Hope to see you in 12 hours”

Pop took a picture of some boats while we were making our way around the island.

A picture of the bridge the connects the island to the mainland. No, they didn’t open it for us.

We finally made it back over 3 hours later (including a pit stop at the Seabreeze). It was not an easy trip.

  

Besides kayaking we had other things to do. Like nap.

Here the kids are watching TV in Grandma and Pop’s room.

Pop playing cards with Grace. Unfortunately she ran up a pretty big debt that she’s going to have to pay off eventually. Luckily Pop does installment plans.

Mommy and Daddy showing Grace how to play a card game. Go fish? Poker? Who knows?

Sweet siblings.

The house had a horseshoe game in the backyard. Some of the adults played but whenever the little ones were outside it made it impossible since they’d be in danger of getting whacked.

Luke can’t quite carry them as easily as his big sister.

A family viewing of something. Maybe Game of Thrones.

Playing on the porch.

Everyone is clean from a bath and watching Mickey!