And today was that day. But of course, ever since I became an officially infatuated aquarist, the idea of coming to the beach without my aquarium gear is strange and alien. I didn't last long in the beach chair. Neither did my little sister Kira but then she's all of 8.
Wading through the pools left by the retreating tide, turning over rocks muttering for us to leave them alone, probing the large heads of seaweed lying flat and dull on the wet sand waiting for the high tide to return them to their ethereal marine beauty. Found four sea fleas and a few perfect rocks with barnacles and seaweed. Put those in the large white bucket with some fresh seawater to tide them over till we introduce them to their new home.
And then we saw them.
The first fish of the season. In a large tidal pool not too far from where we were. Mud minnows probably, or mummi chugs. Breathless, I called over to Andres and my mother who had joined us. Kira and I wasted no time. Got our green aquarium nets and in we went. But running (read: sloshing like a drunk elephant) after the minnows was proving to be frustrating—after all, they are made for this environment, are hydrodynamic, and much too nimble for our clumsy tools.
Teamwork, however, won the day. (Didn't I read that somewhere in some how-t0-succeed-in-business book?) Kira snuck up on one of the minnows, it panicked and raced straight into my net. Woo hoo!
Into the bucket my dear, you're going to have a very posh life now.
I relax in the beach chair, content with the day's achievements.
"Why don't you get another one, so it can have a friend?" Andres offers up nonchalantly. I sit there, looking at him like a fish out of water and peering down into the bucket at the now seemingly lonely minnow. Everything in moderation, right? But one fish isn't moderate, it's downright cruel and unusual treatment of animals to isolate the very sociable minnow.
Kira at this point is busy building a sand castle so I go to brave the odds on my own.
I am still not sure how I managed but I did catch a second minnow! It really just takes patience, faith that that little living thing knows you do not intend to harm it, and a little observation and technique.
And then a very careful ride back home, where the two minnows were gently welcomed into the wonderful world of our Aquarium.
Here is one of the minnows (although I do have to get a better shot. They just won't sit still for me.)
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