March 16, 2023

In the morning, I’m looking for things to do in town and stumble upon a restaurant (TW Graham and Co) that just posted they have fresh softshell crab. Guess what I’m eating for lunch?

Only problem is, we need two dinghies. For safety sake, Captain Boris and Matt are staying with the fleet while everyone else goes to town, which means I have to drive the dinghy. Sad emoji. Crying emoji.

I haven’t mentioned it before, but I’m a bit wary of driving the boat and dinghy by myself. My primary concerns are if something happens or I get lost. Before you think that these fears are irrational…Have you met me? I get lost going around the block. This is my superhero skill: if you ever want to get lost, take me along and I will make it happen!

Well, if I want crab, I have to get over my fear and make this happen. I pile all the kids into the dinghy and we head to the dock. Anxious and nervous, we make it there in one piece. Looking back, I don’t think that it was that bad, but don’t tell anyone.

Some interesting things about McClennanville: it’s a small shrimping town with VERY CHEAP FUEL, a small street of shops, old churches, and a 1,000 year-old oak tree. There’s even little plaques around town with planets spaced to scale of the solar system.

Michael Tree-Climber Hodak races for the tree to see how high he can get while I’m threatening him to not go any higher as we don’t have time for an ER visit. I swear, that boy loves climbing trees more than he likes eating cereal, and he LOVES cereal.

We stop for lunch and I get my crab. In all my excitement, I forgot to take a photo of my food. You’ll just have to image two delicious fried soft shell crabs and a very happy me.

It’s finally time to head back. The kids returned earlier with Steve so it’s just Barb, Tonia, and myself. I’m feeling a bit more confident in my dinghy driving abilities and we head back to the boat.

The boat comes into view and the kids are having fun kayaking around. I slow the dinghy down and move towards them so Tonia can take a few photos.

I’m getting closer to our boats and see the men shouting and waiving at us. They must be cheering for me. Yea me! I’m making it back in one piece and feeling good. I can drive a dinghy!

But I guess that’s not what they were shouting about. I’m getting too close to land and it’s shallow. Boris is already known for his sandbar landing skills and I don’t need to follow i his footsteps. I quickly veer to the right and safely get the dinghy back.

Next time I should stay in between the red and green stick thingies (yes, I know they are channel markers).