Though we intended to have a shakedown trip in the campervan somewhere close to home to figure out the things we needed and those we didn’t, we never made it happen. So, our first night sleeping in old Oscar (Cooper’s other name for the campervan) was all-in at Sebastian Inlet. We slept great despite a decent decline – the first of our many uneven campsites. Ryan was excited to get up and surf the next morning. The paddle out to Monster Hole is a loooong one; long enough that between conscious reminders of “keep your arms moving and you’ll eventually get there”, one’s thoughts begin to drift to the creatures lurking below that give the break its name. An uneasy and tiring paddle, but one that was rewarded with good clean surf. Meanwhile, Jennifer was stuck in the campervan with the kids. They ate cereal, using our shoe bin as a makeshift table – something we’ve done countless times since. Once Ryan was back, we unhooked everything (power and water) and headed for the other side of the inlet. Here we parked under the overpass and had a gourmet picnic in the RV – canned tuna fish for us and cold leftover mac and cheese for the kids. After walking out on the fishing jetty, we drove back under the bridge to the sheltered beach that is inside of the inlet. It was here that we happened to park next to our temporary neighbor, George. George has lived here – in a van down by the river – for 12 years. 12 years. His van had recently broken down, but George assured us that since he had food, smokes, booze, and books, he was a happy man. And so he was. George dug our good vibes (his words) and assured Jennifer and the kids that he would have gifts for them when we were done with the beach, IF they signed his book. Cooper and Brooks had a blast playing in the sand and working up their bravery to wade into the water, only to run screaming in retreat as the waves washed in over their feet. Once they were worn out, we headed back to sign George’s guest book and pick up the promised trinkets. True to his word, George had an egg-shaped noisemaker for Brooks, a star clip thing for Cooper, and a round pearl pin for Jennifer. As George accurately pointed out, I had all I needed in a beautiful wife and kids, so I got nothing. We liked George, and dug his good vibes, too. After a nap in the campervan, we took the kids to the playground at the tip of the park. It was a perfect evening outside – temp, breeze, sky, happy kids – all of it. A great first day to our new adventure, for sure. After another night in the park, we packed up our things and headed up the coast for the next stop.
