July 4th (known as "Liberation Day" here)

We started the day with a hike down to a cove and island where there are crystal clear tidal pools...

 

(we have to travel down long unpaved roads to reach these trailheads)

hmm, what is so interesting that everyone stopped hiking?



Ahh...

 

 

And views like these seem to always lead to family selfies:



we look happy, but we were disappointed that the water was
too rough and we had to turn back. 

next time, Forbidden Island, next time...

So we had to cut the hike short and we didn't get to swim.  But that's okay because...oh wait, now we are locked out of the car.

Which led to this: 

 



 

 

and this.  (if you travel with a machete like Alex does)

which led to this....

which inspired this...

and so then J. volunteered to stay behind to figure out the whole the-key-to-our-crappy-car-doesn't-work-anymore problem...

 



(have fun snacking on pancakes!)

 ...and our friends dropped the kids and me off at the beach where we played for the rest of the day.

...which, it goes without saying, leads to more sunset-over-the-ocean photos.

 

And that led to A. and BR joining in the hot dog eating competition

And then we all watched the fireworks.  Which lasted a full 20 minutes and were launched from the beach where we were, just about 100ft. away from where we were standing. 
It was cool!  And loud! 
Probably the best fireworks J. and I have ever seen.

Happy Liberation Day, everybody!