Sandestin
September 2016
Three King Mackerel and a Mahi-Mahi, sounds like a book title.
I don’t normally post family, but hey, I took Hemingway with me this time.
This is an extraordinary photo, let me tell you why. Standing in the kitchen looking out towards the ocean view I glanced in the hallway mirror and found this angle. I loved it. What a beautiful reflection hanging on the wall!
I ate shrimp tacos for the first time. (Why not? I was near the ocean). I loved ’em.
Did I mention this ended up being a guys trip? I was the lucky one for sure. There’s something about a perfect storm where you just couldn’t have planned it, however hard you might try. This was one of those perfect times in life. Magic maybe.
Summer in September.
Photography by Kim Troike
Fort Myers
April 2016
I joined my husband on an educational-business trip to Fort Myers. He’d been going for three years and decidedly told me it was not a vacation. Oh yea, right. I didn’t believe him that it was no fun but finally I met him there. Over the phone before I arrived, he said, “You will love the view.”
I took a walk among the palms and wandered about after I let go of my horror moment that I might come upon an alligator! None seen. You see I find adventure in everything.
I consider this lovely photo the best one I took. Simple, decisive and true, nothing else needed. Stalwart and weathered, I could write a book on the palm. Maybe I have. Lol.
And finally the daily oasis filled with cool water, unlike the salted sea, allowed us privacy and old friends. Smiles, too. Thanks honey! I enjoyed your no frills not a vacation meeting in sunny Florida. PS-love the view from my room.
Photography by Kim Troike
The Gulf of Mexico
August 5th
I’ll take everything on this welcoming sign! How about you? This and so much more is probably why I’ve been to the Gulf Coast and its Emerald waters at least 13 times since 1986. Seaside and other cities keep the Southerner coming back for more. We tried to keep it a secret but to no avail …
Sugar sand beaches and waters the color of a precious stone, except when its stormy as you can see. This particular week had three days of ill-beach weather, that meant rain, storms, wind and high seas, no swimming. This is the first time this has ever happened to us. The winds came from both directions, east and west, and that is highly unusual.
This is the double red flags set out to let the patrons know swimming is not allowed. Then when people still go into the sea the beach patrol comes along and uses the bull horn to get their lacking attention.
Yes, a blurry picture of my painted toes. People send their toe pictures from all around the world, unique idea but feet, oh my goodness. They do carry us everywhere, so I suppose they are due for center stage.
The hotel industry, condos, etc. know exactly what they are doing. One feels like they’ve gone to paradise just walking around. Streams, ponds and beautiful horticulture perfectly manicured, set amongst walking bridges takes your mind away from the mundane.
Stars retrieved and bleached are beautiful reminders of the ocean and all she contains. Let’s preserve that mighty sea!
The Emerald Coast is truly God’s gift to us in the South. Now you can see her gorgeous colors even in this grainy photo. I’m using my iPad and don’t always get it right. That camera purchase is right around the corner as I love telling a little story to wonderful pictures. Who knows where I’ll go?
Adirondack chairs for seaside sitting placed on a brick pathway for shoppers and people watchers, maybe even those filled from a Seaside lunch at Bud and Alley’s. Pictures are from Panama City Beach and Seaside areas in the panhandle of Florida, which are now quite popular and no longer the hidden gem for us Southerners.
~Kim Troike/2014
Pictures are mine taken w/ an iPad on vacation. I know I’m going back for more.
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The Fishing Trip
This beautiful creature awaited us upon our return after a successful boating adventure on the high seas. Certainly he knew what was in store for him after we departed.
The rods for reeling in all living things from the deep.
The first fish of the day, a Spanish mackerel, caught off the back with a trolling line.
Life preservers, well, for the first fifteen of us anyway. Lol.
The biggest catch of the day! A grouper big enough to keep, yeah! These by the way make the BEST sandwiches in Florida according to me.:)
And this my friends is the boy who caught the BIGGEST fish of the day(see pic above). He had a very memorable day, I’d say as the whole boat clapped and shouted for joy in his honor.
A few bicycles in case you need transportation in paradise.
A few places to go if you want to travel or need directions!
Yes, we did catch many fish that morning. I used squid for bait, baited it myself, lowered the line to the bottom; and reeled it in just a bit and waited. The wait was short as the captain used a fishing radar mechanism, which lets you see all the fish just waiting on the bottom for us. When we landed one we yelled “Fish On” and our deck hand came running. We caught grouper which we had to throw back as they were not big enough. Still the thrill was had. That’s it! One of these years I’d like to go for the really big fish!;)
by Kim Troike
~vacation pics by me
This entry was posted on August 5, 2013 and tagged bait, fishing, Florida, grouper, high seas, line, radar, reel, rods, spanish mackerel, squid.
Caroline Clemens 