The other day, I was dealing with as much weird stuff as any person can take. I needed to get away from work. My wife and I took the ten minute trip that it takes to get to our favorite beach.
Having a beach ten minutes away is one of the advantages of living in Carteret County.
This is the take off point for the beach. It is the end of a board walk that brings you over most of the dunes. We usually leave our sandals on the bench and pick them up on the way out.
The day we went, we didn't run into a single person on the beach. We saw someone far down the beach exercising a couple of dogs, but that was it. We had the beach to ourselves. We enjoyed it for an hour and a half.
I waded out until the water was up to my knees. I was pleased that the water while cool was actually very pleasant. I splashed along the shore taking pictures and looking for fish while my wife tried to find a few shells to interest her.
As usual I took lots of pictures and posted a slide show of our adventure on the web shortly after we got home. It was a great afternoon on the beach.
However, the best part was when we left the beach. We sat down on the bench where we left our sandals to brush the sand off our feet. We could feel and hear the wind while sitting on the bench. Of course we could hear waves crashing in the background and the setting sun was beaming into our faces.
Then there was the occasional mournful sound of the wind whistling through one of the Bogue Inlet buoys.
We didn't talk about it, we just sat there and closed our eyes. It is actually hard to say how long we were on the bench but it was probably thirty to forty five minutes just feeling the wind and sun on our faces and listening the waves and the sounds of the beach.
I managed to practice some of those sleeping while sitting skills that I learned so well in chapel at McCallie School where I attended military school during high school.
It was actually really hard to rouse ourselves from the trance that had been created by the beach, wind, and sun.
When we did finally leave, we both agreed that our minds had been cleansed, and we were ready for a few more of life's challenges.
Given the way things are running, I am glad the beach is so close by.
You need greater spiritual fulfillment. I recommend boarding the Orange Line (affectionately nicknamed "The Orange Crush") westbound at rush hour from Farragut West to Vienna. You can just quietly stand there, nothing can disturb your tranquility for probably 30-45 minutes just smelling the stench of bodies all pressed together. Sometimes it is almost hard to leave the train, and you ride the escalator up feeling refreshed and happy at such a pleasant experience.
Posted by: Stephen | May 16, 2008 at 10:59 PM
I think traveling around the world has seriously messed up your senses.
I don't do underground tunnels anymore. I prefer a view that is expansive.
I can suggest that you try a little of my beach shoe leather to give you some true perspective on the way the world should be seen.
http://ocracokewaves.wordpress.com/2008/05/18/beach-shoe-leather/
The visual images and smells with your comment are troubling.
However, the cool breeze is bringing nothing but the smell of a coastal night.
The day ended with my kind of beach meal.
http://coastalnc.org/mykindofbeachmeal
Burgers and grilled shrimp from the grill. A beer, beans from a can, and even a brownie for desert.
If the wind had died down in time for some kayaking the day would have been perfect.
Is this orange crush of which you speak a distant relative of the beverage of the same name?
Remind me to google Orange Crush.
Posted by: ocracokewaves | May 17, 2008 at 11:14 PM