Uggghhh...

Well, I am officially out of the running for mother of the year.  Saturday was Charlie's first off-shore fishing trip, and Jason and I made the grave mistake of thinking I could handle the calm seas at the Off Shore Reef and the Charleston 60...uggghhhhh...

I was fine until we made it past the jetties, but as soon as we hit the rolling waves my stomach hit a wall.  For the next two hours (and/or 2 million years...depending on your perspective) I felt like I was trapped in that moment immediately before you get sick.

Apparently it had been so long since I'd been out in rough water (since I was pregnant with Charlie, actually) that Jason and I had both completely lost touch with reality.  In addition to it being Charlie's first off-shore fishing trip, we took friends and their kids, so their was absolutely no turning back.

For about two hours (aka 2 million years) I was the absolutely worst host ever as I just stared off at the horizon wondering what on earth I had done to make Jason hate me so much and I how I could live with myself realizing that I hated him even more.

As we were circling over the sunken barges, (Yes!  Circling in Rolling Waves!!!),  and I contemplated suicide and/or murder, Robert got a bite and reeled in a nice black sea bass that all three kids took turns touching before they let him go. 

Moments later, Jason noticed a tug on his line, and as soon as he mentioned it Charlie shouted "Fish On!!", raced to the rod and started reeling.  He got the second black sea bass all the way into the boat on his own, but declined to touch this one since the first was slimy.  All the while, two tremendous barracudas were circling the boat -- it was picture perfect. 

Sadly, though, there is not a picture to be had.  There wasn't enough money in the world to get me to stick my head underneath to find the camera or look at that tiny screen.

Finally (and yes, I know that is horrible, but I'm just being honest), sweet little Alice started to feel the waves, too and burst into tears.  All I could think was that she was right, that was the only appropriate response, and I should have started crying long before.

As we turned and headed back in, the ride smoothed out since we were going with the waves and by the time we beached just across from Fort Sumter I was talking again and even ready for some lunch.

I am terribly sorry that I didn't get pictures of Charlie's first ocean fish, and a little bit sorry that I won't be able to help out with him on future expeditions, but to be honest, not that sorry about that.  I've made Jason promise to never ask me to go out again, because I fear that I will stupidly agree thinking it will be better.

Of course, he did mention that even though Dramamine, Bonine and the bracelets have all failed for me, there is prescription nausea medication available.  He then quickly agreed to not mention that again for at least a couple years -- when the horror of Saturday has worn off a little...