Day 40: North Stradbroke Island; Straddie

 So Straddie is amazing.  It took a whole 15 minutes to drive the width of the island and there were at least 5 things we wanted to stop and explore along the way.  We made one stop—at a fishing bate and tackle store.  We bought two hand fishing lines and got the name of a surf instructor.  We’re set for the week!

The ferry ride over was a lot of fun.  We were one of only about 10 cars heading to the island and the crew was amused by the kids’ excitement.  X² asked if one hand-a guy named Jose-would introduce him to the Captain.  Surprisingly, he took X² by the hand and led him to the bridge.  

The Captain and his mate told us a bit of the history of the island, told us where the best fishing was, discouraged us from going to a few other places and really just made us feel welcome and special.  X² especially!  Oh, and the kids were so charming they were given I love Straddie wrist bands and bumper stickers.

 

I have a feeling that this week’s blog posts are going to be pretty boring.  Kids playing on the beach, π cooking great meals and me, sleeping!!

The kids changed into bathers the second we walked into the house so our first excursion to the beach was a lot of fun.  We walked along the beautiful deserted sand and kicked in the water a bit, but it was sunset and I didn't want to deal with wet sandy clothes before bed so we took it easy.  π had said he was coming to join us but when it was almost dark, we gave up and came back to the house.

In the end, π had tried to join us but he had a bit of an adventure instead.  He couldn’t tell which path we’d taken to get to the beach so he walked down the road to a seemingly inconspicuous place.  It was getting dark and he couldn’t find us.  He ended up getting lost, hopping not one but two different fences and smacking his head into a low hanging sign.  Half an hour after we got back from the beach, he walked in, sweaty and battered and laughing his head off. 

The perfect beginning for a fun filled week!