I prepared the night before making sure not to leave anything behind. I did not want to have a disaster on my hands. Diapers…check, butt cream… check, sippy cup… check, snack… check, toys… and the list went on and on. Kind of felt we were moving. I get up at around 5:05am and get everything ready before I get Mia. By 5:45am I am in her room changing her. She was in a daze. I did things quickly so that I could get her into the car seat without her really waking up. Mission accomplished. We drove silently to the bait shop and being that it was still dark out, she was lucid.
As soon as I got the shrimp and got back into the car, I handed over her warm milk that she usually drinks in the morning. I began to talk to her about what we were going to do. She looks at me and smiles. Anything sounds good when you are drinking warm milk.
I park and get the gear ready. I put her into her beach stroller and we head for our mile hike to the “Hole.” Still dark, still lucid. She hasn’t really said much so neither do I. It’s around 6:30am and the sun has begun it’s ascend. The water is flat calm and there is no breeze. 10 years of fishing memories at this place flood my mind and I stop and thank God for yet another beautiful day. It is as He has reserved this special spot for my friends, my family, and me.
As soon as Mia sees the beach, she let’s out a strong… “agua?” I said… “Welcome honey, to daddy’s favorite place… the hole” Now, for secretive sake, all I can tell you is that “the hole” is somewhere in Key Biscayne but that is it. My mom told me the other day that it’s been my favorite place to go since I was a kid. Anyway, I try pushing the stroller through the beach but that wasn’t a good idea. I turn the stroller around and pull it. Thighs are burning… was this a good idea? We arrive… finally. I put the gear down, grab Mia, the rod, the shrimp bucket, and head for the water. I put her up on my shoulders and I go into the water to wade. For all of you who don’t know about the hole. It’s a really shallow area that I fish for bonefish. During low tide (which it was), the water is no more than ankle deep in most parts. By the 10th cast, I hook up. The reel starts screaming and Mia is focused on what seems to be a rocket that I have apparently hookup on.
Now picture this… I am out about 100 yards from shore (in ankle deep water) , the sun is beginning to rise, not a soul in sight, Mia is on my shoulders holding on to my hair, a shrimp bucket is tied to my hip, and my reel is screaming “zzzzzzzzz…what am I hooked on to…zzzzzzzz.” And I got a huge smile from ear to ear. Is this life of what? Mia is laughing away watching the fish rooster tail across the flats. Now, try landing a bonefish with a rod in one hand, ankle deep water, and a 2 year old on your shoulders.
After landing the fish, Mia asks to be let into the water. Watching her face as she felt the cool water and sand was priceless. To make a long story short… I know… too late, we caught about 10 more fish and we retreated back to the beach where we spent another hour and a half just playing on the beach.
After, we went to La Carreta for some breakfast and then we went to go see the big homes on Key Biscayne. I am gonna live there one day… on the water. I can go into much more details but I will let the pictures do some talking. Obviously, I couldn’t take any pictures of the fish we caught. But I did catch them… ask Mia.
Mia praying that we have a successful day at "the Hole."
Could I be any happier?
Ain't she a cutie?
Just having fun.
The house I am working on... it's just going to take a few years...
The boat that Mia wanted... March 2008
She was a little exhausted!
