What a great day!

Sealife Encounter Charter: What a great day! A bit breezy..but beautiful. Nice family aboard Sun Princess. On the way out of our channel, we got to see two Dolphins chasing fish nearby..they were really stirring up the water.

Stopping to look at our babies (Osprey), we worked our way toward Picnic Island. We found some very sociable Dolphins on the East side of Merwin Key. After spending some time letting the Dolphin get a good look at us, we landed at Picnic Isle. The 14 adventurers, led by naturalist Josh Stewart , really enjoyed dip netting for the baby residents under the waters surface.

Sealife Encounter: We again checked on our babies (Osprey), and again found the Dolphins almost in the same place as earlier by Merwin Key. We got a real close up look at them..and they at us. Most fun and very productive at the shallow dip net fishing..sorry, no Sea Horses this time, but just about everything else. Did the folks have a good time? Here they are at the end of the trip.

Capt. Bob

Ready for some adventure!

Fishing: Just no way to get away from the strong East wind , but we did manage to catch some fish; several Spotted Trout, a Southern Flounder, and ugh! catfish.

On the Sealife we had a great trip. Here we are, ready to go on our adventure.

Folks especially enjoyed dip net fishing in the shallows and picking up many of the residents: several varieties of shrimp, pipefish and other fish species. The deep net drag produced a lot of pinfish, sugar trout, a big Striped Burrfish (puffer), and a couple of Blue Crab.

A brave little girl with a Blue Crab..without pinchers.

We always check on our baby osprey. By now, probably about 12 years old in human years (relative size). Soon it will be hard to tell them apart from Mom and Dad.

Here is a nice sunset beyond Merwin Key mudflats toward Pine Island. After Sunset we found some Dolphins milling around close by the boat. Mission accomplished.

Capt. Bob

We had a great "fisher girl" on the boat today!

Fishing: Birds are always watching as we pass under the Sanibel Causeway Bridge A span.

Not as many anglers today, but fish for all! Atlantic Sharpnose Shark held by mate Max Moore.

Little girl with a little Crevalle Jack.

Nice keeper Spotted Trout with little girl and Max.

In the last few minutes our "star fishergirl" landed a nice Spanish Mackerel. So for the day: Shark, Trout, Mackerel and, of course, a couple unwanted hardhead catfish. Everyone caught fish and had a good time on an excellent weather day.

Sealife: The weather sublime (85 degrees and nice breeze), we first checked on our fledgling Osprey (3 babies). We will get some good photos in a few days as they become more visible in the nest (bigger). We enjoyed seeing the Dolphin during several locations along the way. We caught many of the usual creatures both dip netting in the shallows and with the deep net drag, but Max found a fish we hadn't seen before.

This will have to be researched. Every so often we get a fish or creature unknown to us. For example this "Spotfin Jawfish" from back in January that we caught on a fishing trip. We finally found out what it was from the Sportfishing Magazine folks.

Capt. Bob

Fishing great! No April Fool's joke!

We had a very active fishing day. In spite of the strong NW wind, a lot of Spotted Sea Trout, several Ladyfish, several Spanish Mackerel, a small Blacktip shark, and several Jack Crevalles

Sealife: Checked on our baby Ospreys.

Mom and Dad were there watching over them and keeping an eye on us. There are 3 chicks, but only 2 made an appearance. Another week or so and they will become much more visible. This different from the usual creature was acquired at Picnic Island. It may be a "Gulf Coast Box Turtle"

A lot of creatures were also scooped up at Picnic Isle, including a pygmy Seahorse.

Sunset: Dolphins although we saw many, seemed a bit aloof and not very interested in us. This is tonights Sunset over Merwyn Key.

Captain Bob

Beautiful Day Out Here!!

Just being here is great..the fishing a plus. We caught many Ladyfish, some Spanish Mackerel, young girl caught 2 nice Spanish. Young man caught a fighting small Bullshark

and Lady with a regular resident Sea Trout.

We had several Dolphins swimming around the boat, but apparently they didn't scare off all the fish.

On the Sealife Encounter alot of baby creatures scooped up at Picnic Island and put in the Touch Tank.We got a nice Dolphin show nearby Picnic Island, then did the deep grass net drag, and caught pretty much the usual suspects. On the way back to the Marina, noticed some young people studying the shell charts. They had been to Shell Museum and were very interested. Found a box of sea shells under the console, so we had a game of identifying shells and winners received the shell. It was fun for them and me.

Sunset: Overusing the word Beautiful..but that is what it was, along with spotting our amazing Dolphins in several spots along the way. What would one call this Sunset over Pine Island? Beautiful!

Capt. Bob