Tybee Island Wed march 29th

The campground we were at in Tybee Island had a pool and since it had been rather warm out the pool was open.  The water was cold but the pool was open and the kids felt that they had to swim in the pool.  Late Wednesday morning I finally decided to give in and let them go swimming so I didn't have to hear about it any more.  I was still secretly hoping they didn't want to do more than stand on the stairs because I didn't feel like getting in.  It was a warm sunny day in the mid 70's but the water was too cold for me.  Joel and Cecilia jumped right in while Dean and I slowly got our feet and legs used to the water.  After awhile Brad and Vince joined us at the pool and Vincent jumped right in.  He didn't stay in for too long.  About the time Joel and Cecilia were done swimming Dean decided he wanted to get in the pool, which meant I had to get in now.  It wasn't awful and Dean didn't last more than 10 min and they were all thrilled they got to go swimming!

A critter Brad and Vince found at the beach in the morning.

Before we left for our afternoon adventure Brad taught the kids how to oil the chains on the bikes.  The only oil we had was olive oil, so that is what they used.  Dean even attempted to oil his balance bike.  It was fun to watch them learning from Brad.

It started with Brad and Vince.  Dean quickly realized that is help was needed.

After watching his big brother Dean went and got his bike from behind the RV and dragged it up to work on it.  He even put it upside down by himself.

Vince was nice enough to pretend to help Dean.

Cecilia realized the boys were learning about something and she wasn't so she joined right in.

I have no idea where Joel was during all of this but he had no intention of joining them.

Cecilia working.

After a late lunch we decided to head to the South beach and to go past the pier and explore more of the island.  We weren't 100% sure both Cecilia and Joel could ride their bikes the whole time so Cecilia rode in on of the bike trailers and she was happy to switch places with Joel if he got tired.  When we made it to thru town and to the beach we discovered it was almost low tide.  People were out walking on sandbars and exploring tide pools.  Dean and Cecilia were asleep when we first arrived at the beach so we stayed close to the shore and explored tide pools.  We saw little crabs and even found a sand dollar.

Cecilia and Dean sleeping

Dean woke up and was happy to join his big brothers 

He found a crab

You would see pushed up sand everywhere and it was these crabs digging a tunnel back into the water

Another creature...not sure what kind.  Thinking sea cucumber.

Once Cecilia and Dean woke up we decided to explore the sandbar and walk out as far as we possibly could.  The pattern on the sand was amazing and unbelievable.  I don't even know how to explain it but it looked like you were walking on a different planet.  I kept telling the kids we were walking on the bottom of the ocean and how amazing is this?!  They weren't as impressed in the moment and were having fun running and jumping at high speed from island to island.  Brad and I took turns running with them and walking with Dean.  It was a lot of fun, but the sand is so hard and has beautiful ripples in it but it is as hard as a rock and hurts your feet.  I have no idea how the kids weren't complaining about it.

Running with reckless abandon.  I did it to and it was fun!

A brief pause to humor me.

Looking out to sea

Looking back at shore around the 1/2 way point

The beautiful pattern in the sand

I stopped to wait for Joel, Brad and Dean and quickly lost Cecilia and Vincent.  I figured they would stop when they hit the deep water.

Dean was determined he was going to find Dory and Nemo

We got all the way to the edge of the sandbar at the exact moment of low tide.  I walked into the water to get a picture of the kids and Brad and Dean started panicking that I would get eaten by a shark.  I asked why he was following me if he was scared and he said "to stop you!"  I love him!  The kids understand tides and know that low tide is followed by high tide.  Unfortunately they think it happens faster than it actually does.  Once they heard it was low tide and that there was a 9 ft difference that day between low and high tide they took off running for the bikes where we started.  They thought high tide was coming immediately and that they would drown if they didn't get back fast.  It was a 1/2 mile run back to shore.  After they got half way there I figured I better catch up so no one wondered who the parent-less children belonged too.

We made it all the way out to the edge and Brad got a work phone call. 

We were the blue dot and low tide

Family picture!

Brad

I walked into the water to take a picture of Brad and the kids

Dean stopped yelling at me about sharks and went to join the picture

Brad had just told them this was low tide and next was high tide

They took off running for their live.  Dean stayed with us.

The three oldest running toward the beach

I got a picture with Dean

Working together to build something.  They didn't care their parents weren't there.

Riding bikes makes this kid happy!

Tide pools filling in

We played on the beach for a couple hours and once the water covered up all the tide pools we decided to head toward the pier and check it out.  That is when we saw a container ship and Brad thought we should race it to the beach near our campground and see it close up and also see sunset at the beach.  We stopped at the grocery store on the way for popsicles.  As we road back to camp we learned that Cecilia is too young to ride a bike and eat a popsicle at the same time.  She had to keep stopping at the stop signs to take a quick bite.

The pier

A container ship

We also learned that Brad, Vincent and Cecilia can all ride bikes faster than me when I am dragging a bike trailer behind me.  I don't know what happened but about half way back to camp I felt like the trailer was getting heavier and my legs were getting weaker.  They all made it to the beach before Dean and I got there.  They caught the tail end of the sunset and Dean and I missed it completely.  We ended another fun and exhausting day with a late dinner and movie. 

The sunset I never saw

We went back the next night but it was cloudy and raining to the north and it wasn't this pretty.