MONKEY ISLAND!

(sans monkeys - unless Jared and Ethan count)
(aka Sarushima Island)

Jared and Ethan loved the ferry ride to the Island. I was not as thrilled - the water was a little choppy. Scott bought me a Sprite and told me to tough it out! Thank goodness it only lasted about 10 minutes. Monkey Island is the last natural island in all of Tokyo Bay. According to legend, a famous priest was guided by a white monkey, to the beach on this island and that's how the island got its name. Just a five minute walk from the Womble Gate on the base and then the ferry ride, Monkey Island offers a black sand beach complete with seashell shards (shoes are recommended - by me) cliffs, tide pools, fishing, and old (Tokugawa Shogunate era) magazines and tunnels. The island is about 5 hectares and is about 1.7 km from the Yokosuka coastline. So here we are enjoying a Saturday afternoon away from the city!

Do the boys look like they are having fun? Jared was having so much fun that he decided he had to go to the bathroom just as soon as we climbed down all the stairs to the rocky shore where a bunch of people were fishing - impeccable timing - so the little cave in this picture became our lieu! Ethan and I sat in front of the cave to provide cover...better door than a window, eh? Finally a positive connotation for that old saying...

Jared loved the crabs and anemones, fish, and shellfish in the tide pools.

The "lieu" also turned out to make a pretty good picture!

One of several old brick lined tunnels on the island opening into one of the magazine corridors. Kanji and dates were carved all over the moss covered walls - reminded me of home - except I couldn't read the graffiti.

I saw this wasps nest on the ground and thought the colors and the swirling pattern were so cool that I made Scott take a picture of it and since I am doing this post I got to stick it in - so if you think it is lame - I take full credit with a big smile!

Scott liked the way this man had his hands clasped behind his back - thought it made him look contemplative.

The trees are so interesting here...Scott just had to take a picture of this tree because it framed the ocean (although the lighting didn't work quite right to see the water where that bright spot is.)

Scott hogs the camera so he is only in this picture as we were leaving the island. Okay, not really. I make Scott take the pictures because I am usually chasing the boys and telling them not to climb trees or throw rocks, or jump off cliffs...Thanks for all the pictures and Saturday adventures Scotty!

Little E's Big Moves!

(Heidi pointed out that Jared loves the camera a little more than Ethan so we had to find a way to keep him in front of it long enough to get some live footage...Heidi, this one's for you!)

Here's Ethan working on his Napolean Dynamite moves to Dog Train, a CD Grandma Julie sent him for his birthday...he loves it. Love you all! Heather and boys