by Laura Read
For months now, we had our spring break vacation planned. We were to meet with several family members when COVID-19 came into focus. Due to a different illness, part of our party was unable to join. We were able to make the most of things and scurry down to our safe haven in semi-seclusion on a tiny gulf island in the house we rented.
Plan and Stock up
If you're planning to rent a place for your trip you’ll need a complete list to pack, a plan for meals and grocery list, coolers and sacks to carry, some extra detergents possibly, containers and baggies. I'm sure I've forgotten some, but you get the idea. If you have to take a water taxi to the mainland to buy items you need, it can be very expensive!
In the bustle of getting ready, I was sure to pack MY ESSENTIALS: my snorkel equipment, my camera, my camera case to take in the water (it's not one that's good for scuba diving, but it's fun to play in water with). I'm sure your essentials are different, but when it comes to combining two of my favorite things, water, and photography, I'M ALL IN!
Having games to play together at night is a great way to end the day or, in case (gasp!), of bad weather. Card games are incredibly portable, of course. Some places have books and games there on site, as well as some left behind our furnished condiments. One night while one of my dads and my husband were fishing, we girls did facials.
Listen To Your Instincts
DON’T ASK, JUST BRING YOUR CAMERA! I'd asked my dad if I should take my camera. He told me it wasn't very good visibility in the water with the amount of surf. I left it at the house. While walking the beach looking for shark's teeth with my daughter, watching her watch the tide play at her feet sinking to reveal small clams and sometimes shark's teeth, my husband was in another area fishing and he called to us. I walked over and there was a small pod of dolphins fishing too! One dolphin used the beaching technique to catch fish. IT WAS INCREDIBLE!!
Try New Things
The girls and I have always wanted to try Stand Up Paddleboarding. Even with one of my girls not with us, we kept it on our itinerary. Luckily, there's a place on the island that rents them along with kayaks. The guy at the rental place says that the mangroves are a great place to experience. On the last day of our trip, my husband, our daughter, and I rented a couple of SUPs and paddled around the mangroves. The water was shallow and muddy, so getting back up after a fall was easy. We had fun trying to stay on the board when somebody playfully shook it and trying to paddle against the wind. Looking for unexpected fun experiences can bring new joy to your world.
Story first published in Oak Ridge Neighbors
