Babbitt

We just spent a week at my dad's place in Babbitt.  When we first got there, we fished and then we fished.  After we fished, we fished some more.  Sam and I fished for two days and then we spent some time reading and playing cards.  Dad, Steve, Ben, and Isaac went out everyday.  When we weren't fishing, we watched movies, played cards, and spent some time in Ely.  It was a much needed break and a lot of fun.

Actually, my dad doesn't get to fish when we come and visit.  He is tour guide, boat driver, and netter.  He has a big job to do with 4 or 5 lines in the water!  And he performs his job with patience and grace...even when he hears the words, "I think I'm snagged.".  He hears that quite a bit.

There are not a lot of pictures of me unless I take one of my hands or my feet.

 

I get to be in a picture when Sam grabs my camera, turns his back to me, whips the camera over his head, and snaps a picture. I'm upside down but at least I'm in a photo!    

Isaac sits in the front of the boat when I'm along.

Ben's first fish:)

Ben's second fish.  wow!  36" Northern caught in the bog in Kramer Bay.

Happy Ben holds his monster while grandpa prepares to fillet it for supper.  We had 3 meals of fish while we were there!

Isaac caught a nice size bass.  It's not as big as the one he caught last year but it tasted good!

Grandpa is a pro when it comes to filleting fish.  I'm glad Isaac watches and learns.

The occasional nap is also one of the nice things about vacations.  Ben has been working two jobs this summer and so it was good to see him rest when he could.

Fishing in dad's nice boat is great.  Isaac also loves fishing from the dock.  He didn't catch anything but I swear he could sit there for hours. 

I love this shot!  That fuzzy image under the berries is Sam sitting on the dock. 

Look at Sam fish!  Fishing is not Sam's favorite activity:)

...and Sam caught a fish!  He was the only one who caught something off the dock.  This little fishy went right back in the water.  This was Sam's one and only catch of the week!  Didn't bother Sam...

After a couple of days of fishing, Sam and I spent time inside playing cards.  The game of the week is "3-13"... I'm actually not sure if that is the technical name but that's what it is called by all of us.  And Sam got the best score of the week...the low score.  And he got the worst score of the week...the high score:)  We played it for hours.

Grandpa took Ben and Isaac to the range to shoot his new gun...and try out of few other guns. 

Sam enjoyed soaking in the sun and reading his book while we fished.  He is a trooper.

:)

Boys can fish and fish and fish....

Docking the boat after an afternoon on the lake.  Suppertime, another round of evening fishing in the bay, and then movie time!

The work begins for grandpa when we get back.  He fillets and fries the fish.

The last day there, the wind settled down and Sam and I went kayaking.  I wanted driftwood and pretty rocks.  Sam helped me lug back driftwood.  We found some great pieces!  My kayak was full of rocks.  It was a little tricky navigating through the water with a load of rocks and pieces of driftwood balancing on the kayak.  I went kayaking again that evening.  Sam didn't want to go so I went by myself while the others fished.  I told him to meet me back at the dock at 8:00.  I can lower myself into the kayak from the dock but I can not get back out.  I learned that earlier in the day when I almost fell in!  Sam came to rescue me right on schedule.

Grandpa's deck is one of our favorite places.  Morning coffee on the deck is wonderful.

Ben also caught a 25" walleye! 

The week went by so quickly!  We spent a lot of time together and relaxed.  It was just right.

 One of many gatherings on the dock.  Dad, Jo, Steve, and Isaac...

Every year, we drive into Ely and eat supper at Stony Ridge Cafe.  It is the neatest place... rustic and cozy with amazing burgers!  Whisky Jack is the popular burger in our group.  Jalepeno peppers and pepper jack cheese on this huge hunk of burger!  Sweat just rolls off Ben's face when he eats these:)

 Another filleting session...

And the week ends.  Those are my tanned and dirty toes resting on the kayak.  It was just me and my camera in the bay that evening.  I was waiting for my 8:00 pick up from Sam.  Remember I can't get out of the kayak by myself...when I'm climbing out and onto a dock, that is.  I guess that should be clarified!  I can certainly run-aground and hop out.  But heaving my body onto a dock while the kayak is drifting on the water?  That doesn't work. 

See you next year, Kramer Bay.