Clark’s Cay-Lady Go Diver trip

Lady Go Divers invade Clark’s Cay Guanaja

 21 ladies spent a week diving and being treated like royalty by the staff.

Planes, a van, ferry, and a boat to get to Clark’s Cay! A long day of travel.

                                   

 

Sandpiper for the 4th

Dale and I checked into Sandpiper #604 for the 4th of July!  

We stopped in Rockport on our way down to Port Aransas to enjoy a late lunch at Paradise Key.  We enjoyed the pool most mornings with walks on the beach before sunset.  

                     

                     

We did venture into town for lunch at Fins before driving the beach to see the crowds enjoying the beach.  We celebrated the 4th with ribs, potato salad, and beans for lunch. Just after sunset we had a great fireworks display off our balcony thanks to some of the tenants. 

A squadron of seagulls fly over!

Packed up we checked the ferry line app, it said 15 min wait but we drove directly on…..quite a pleasant surprise!

Solo in Costa Rica

 Arriving solo in Costa Rica I grabbed my bags and headed outside the terminal to find my driver, Sherman.  About the same time a big thunderstorm hit and it was pouring down rain, thus this is called the rainy season.  Sherman grabbed my bags and escorted me to our van for the trip across the country to the Pacific coast.  Arriving at Esterillos Este and Encantada Beach Resort, I checked in, had dinner, and pretty much crashed in cottage #4…..no unpacking as I was too tired.

After a great nights sleep I settled in, enjoyed breakfast, a hot cup of Costa Rican Cinnamon  coffee, and had a long walk on the beach which became my morning ritual.

My days were filled with beach time and pool time…. taking photos, long walks, and reading!  This was a unusually slow pace for me, as I usually like to be on the go. 

One day I walked down the beach to a restaurant called Don Toro for a late lunch or early dinner with a yummy Pina Colada.  It is a outdoor beach restaurant, with tables set in the sand under the shade of some big trees. Service was great and it was a great way to enjoy a local Costa Rican dish.

Several nights we had thunderstorms and heavy rain, but most days were sunny with few clouds.  Most mornings I took a long walk on the beach, which most days I had all to myself!

My trip came to a end with my transfer back to San Jose, a Covid test, and a night at the hotel. My flight was smooth and on time, the only issue was my suitcase being damaged between Houston and Austin.

Sand Blast 2022

Karen, Seda, and I headed to Port Aransas for our beach cottage, The Blue Pearl.  I managed to get some shrimp off a shrimp boat before they arrived, and put them up in the freezer.  We picked up our golf cart at Bron’s, and grabbed a yummy seafood lunch thanks to Dale, at Fins with margaritas of course.   

Purchasing our 3 day pass we entered the area where the sculptors had begun their works of art.  The giant sand piles began to take shape and we guessed what the artist had planned. The wind was blowing all day, but the the temps were about perfect.  Walking along the vendors we made a few purchases…I got a new Port A Low Life cap as my old one was well worn. Arriving back at our cottage we decided to just eat some snacks for dinner.

On Saturday the wind blew even harder.  The sand sculptors were busy all day as their works of art began to take shape. I tried to capture some photos of the artist to show the intensity with which they worked. Lunch today was at Irie’s and then we cruised around the island.  After stops at the birding center to check out the local alligator and Charlie’s pasture we headed back to the Blue Pearl. 

Sunday the winds were howling with gust up to 40 mph.  Riding in the golf cart while being sand blasted was not the best.  We walked among the sand sculptors to admire their finished works and picking out our favorites.  We took a break for lunch at Stingrays before returning for the awards announcements.  Some of our favorites won, others did not! We wrapped up SandFest, or Sand Blast as I renamed it in my car! Coated in sand we ended Sandfest with a gelato at Coffee Waves.  I will be digging sand out of my ears for weeks!

Slurping Oysters

Dale and I headed to Fulton Beach for the annual Oyster Fest.  We made it in time to take in the parade with lots of bands, kids, and fire trucks.  After the parade we entered the big tent to chow down on some fresh oysters.  I had some yummy raw oysters, while Dale had a dozen fried oysters with French fries.

F

Thought this sign on a float was a relevant statement with the craziness going on in the world!