Deadliest Catch

Monday, 3/28/2022 was the start to another work week.  However this one started with me up at 6AM going for a walk.  The Aruban air was warm and humid - there also was a slight breeze which seemed to gently push me along my way.  The sun was rising in the east so the sky was varying shades of pink and blue.  After about 1.5 miles I arrived at Eagle Beach.  Eagle Beach is known for having the Divi Divi trees on the beach.  It is reported to be a very popular instagram spot.  No one was there so I took a few pictures.  Hopefully, PB will have some constructive criticism for me.

Divi Divi trees

Black and White?? 

You love this tree/shrub and you know it.  Am I an influencer yet?

Following the walk and a little work out I proceeded to crush the buffet at the Hyatt.  The morning was spent on the beach reading and relaxing.

Not a bad view if you can get it.

Palm trees and Palapas 

After a relaxing morning, it was time for a little adventure. 5 brave souls signed up to do a little charter fishing with me.  We arrived at the marina and we were greeted promptly by the crew of the Driftwood II.  A quick safety meeting and we were off.  

The first 45 minutes seemed fine but as we progressed into deep waters the swells and the 22 mph easterly winds conspired against us.  We made it to about 2 PM, no fish and swells  that would drop the boat down where you couldn’t see the shore or the oil rigs near Venezuela.  The situation was worsening on the boat. 2 were surviving and willing to grind, 1 was uncomfortable from the bouncing but otherwise OK,

I became bored and rapidly lost interest in bouncing around for another 2 hours and MC was about to lose his lunch.  After a brief discussion we decided to cut our loses and head for home.  We would troll for a while back, just for fun.

Then it happened all at once.  We hooked a fish on the hand line.  GB reeled it in with minimal effort and our first mate gaffed it like a pro.  One King fish was onboard and bleeding profusely.  In order to catch the fish our captain had cut the throttle abruptly sending us bouncing around the back of the boat.  At the same time MC finally gave in a and spewed chucks all over the side of the boat.  The amount was surprising. (Think pie eating contest in Stand By Me).  So 5 guys are bouncing around the back of the boat trying not to….fall out of the boat- fall into the puke- fall into the blood - fall into each other’s arms.  A few red club strikes to the head and the fish was in the cooler.  The deck was clean and we were hightailing it for home.  Back on dry land we recouped, had our fish filleted and finally headed back home.  None of use will be signing up for the Deadliest Catch anytime soon.

GB with the King Fish

Getting the fillets. This guy didn’t trust me with a sharp knife.

We got back to the Hyatt for a little rest and relaxation before a big Holy Family dinner at Matthew’s. It is a great little spot by the beach.

Holy Family senior girls rule. OS,CC,BB,KT & ET

Let’s get the moms in on the action

Should we just make this dude student body president at Ole Miss right now?

HF seniors on the beach.

We had a great dinner and the King fish was made into an appetizer by the chef.  Lots of laughter, a few beers and a few Ariba Aruba drinks. You hope you kids will find some good friends to go through life with and will cheer them on and help them up.  We are very blessed to have these kids and their families as friends.

The night ended at Moomba where the kids danced and at the end, I had to raise the roof.

I walked home on the beach.  I took some picture for people and headed to bed. 50 texts  and 12 work emails didn’t bring me down but they tried.  In the end, our kids, our friends, the weather and the fun overcame the obstacles for another great day on this “One Happy Island”.

Beach Life

Sunday, 3/27/2022  started as a very relaxing beach day.  Everyone slept in a little and the we all enjoyed a little buffet breakfast.  No one wanted to sit with me so I had a table in the corner by myself.

After breakfast I was a difficult 100 yard walk to our palapa.  Sunshine, a little breeze and a little shade all combined for a beautiful morning.

Not a terrible view for the day.

Practicing my social distancing

Just chillin on the beach.

A book and some beers.  So far things are going alright.

Ceviche!!! My man Raul hooked me up with some ceviche on the beach.  The fish is grouper in this version of the ceviche.

After the beach we went back to the room to assess the sunburn totals for the Anseth family current leaderboard from least sunburned to most sunburned is

Katie

Scott

Kari

Grace

No one is really bad but we are now on notice in 🇦🇼 

After getting cleaned up we enjoyed a few drinks with the other parents at the resort bar.  We watched  St. Peter’s finally go down and we watched the USMNT qualify for the World Cup in Quatar.

You could also choose to watch this.

Look who agreed to take a photo with me. KT is having fun in Aruba.

Airba Aruba

Saturday, 3/26/2022 was our departure date.  The Anseth team was head back out on spring break.  Where to you might ask…..Aruba.  We decide to run it back with some of Katie’s Holy Family classmates.  Not every Anseth made this trip.  One had to return to the frozen tundra of Madison.  The traditional 5-pack was down to 4.  We will try to make the best of it here on this “One Happy Island” where it is almost always 80 degrees and ☀️.

The bus is a rocking.  Plans are being created and deleted.  Let’s Go!!!

We arrived at the Hyatt and everyone had a relatively smooth check-in which allowed time for some beach 🍺.  A pretty laid back evening of dinner and conversation among the parents.  The kids definitely like the weather.   Seems like a good start.

Little quick sunset photo 

🌴 and 🌅.  Must be doing something right.

Lobster 🦞 time!!!

Thursday, July 1 was our last day on this little island known as Nantucket.  Like most days it started slowly with a morning walk and some light breakfast.  I had mild desire for another big fat tire bike day. We all mostly milled around Nantucket in the morning.  

We returned to the VBRO and decide that a trip to Cisco Brewery was in order.  One group took the jeep.  One group led by TB missed a turn and ended up on the wrong road.  There is some debate on whether or not the lady on the corner intentionally sent them the wrong way to test their spirit. Oohhh was their spirit tested.  This incredible journey against space and time eventually led to a walk across the dunes while pushing their bikes and sweating profusely in the midday sun.  There was a 🐝 sting that almost incapacitated a member of this Donner party.  Eventually Cisco Brewers rose like an oasis out of the dunes to provide salvation.   The final group involved Ashley and I. We also missed a turn fortunately for us we just ended up riding around one of the cemeteries for and extra 5 minutes (Ashley say. 10+ minutes).  Eventually we arrived at Ciscos for a few beers and a light lunch.  To no one’s surprise Troy and Kari knew people at Cisco and struck up conversation with them. Everyone grabbed a little merchandise and head back to the house.

Katie and TB at Cisco

Hello 🍺 

The executive committee at Cisco

Time to take the fat tire home.  Will this beer make it back to the house or not?

Kari ended up riding back to the house with me while Ashley rode back in the keep.  

Back at the house we relaxed by the pool and read a little. I was just nice to be outside and be warm.  I the late afternoon we all cleaned up for dinner.

After a Cisco and before the lobster bake.

Dinner was amazing. Lars contacted a local chef who came to the house and prepared a lobster bake for us.  There was also a some guacamole and some ceviche.  It was all amazing. 

Guacamole and shrimp

Shrimp

Look at this spread.  So good.

The crew and the Chef.  Amazing food and amazing conversation.

One more for good measure.

The crew crushing dinner.

Chilling by the hot tub 

A contentious game of salad bowl to end the night.  We may need to implement the “Abby Hyperspecfic exclusion rule”. So much fun.

It didn’t take much to fall asleep.  The next morning we cleaned things up and headed to the ferry ⛴.

 Clean as a whistle.

After we left Nantucket it was beset with hardships. Return of the mask mandate, great white sharks, jellyfish and eventually a hurricane.  Nantucket is always a beautiful island that invites relaxation, rest and some poor decisions on a fat tire bike.