Life at the Beach

Life at the Beach

“In a hundred years this all won’t matter….how you played the game…” (Jimmy Buffett)

Walking barefoot down the hard abrasive cement steps past the hotel restaurant, I observe a young female employee hosing down the multi-colored plastic beach chairs readying the beach bar for the morning breakfast crowd.  We exchange “good morning” greetings as I continue my casual stroll towards a small wooden walkway which leads me to my desired destination – The Beach.

Stepping on the beach, the cool dark colored sand immediately sends chemical electrodes to my brain which my heart immediately interprets as “I’m Now Happy”.

It is dawn. I gaze upward to witness a larger than life painting in the sky consisting of indigo, crimson and white clouds frozen in time high above the Atlantic Ocean.  Sandpipers play in the surf at my feet, using their small legs to race away from the oncoming surf, much like little kids running away from incoming waves.  At a nearby jetty, a relentless stream of waves crash into the dark black and lime green moss covered rocks, causing large white blasts of ocean spray to explode into the air like fireworks.  Mesmerized I watch these proceedings continue, occasionally breaking my daydream only to glance up at the sky in anticipation of the sun’s scheduled appearance at 5:53am.

Instinctively, my camera’s lens follow the ocean waves rolling towards the jetty, then upwards to the sky now a canvas of pale blue and pink hues.  Suddenly on the other side of the world, a faint orange half circle appears on the horizon. For a brief moment time stands still, minutes later a perfectly formed bright orange ball rises from the bottom of the sea.  The salt air fills my lungs while the music of the ocean fills my ears.  As if I needed any physical evidence, I stand on this beach bearing witness to a brand new day.

I continue to walk slowly north on the island foolishly believing that if I can walk far enough and fast enough towards the sun, it will eventually be within my mortal grasp.  However, with each step I take towards the sun, the sun slowly inches further up into the heavens.  My feet quietly splash the warm shallow foamy water at the place where the wave meets its eventual demise in firm sand to my left.  These simultaneous sensations bring me simple pleasures that are extremely difficult to explain to the unenlightened beachcomber.  My five senses are suddenly in sync with the rhythm of the ocean and sun.  I find myself alone, but somehow connected to all that surrounds me.

My camera remains randomly pointed at the sky, ocean and shoreline looking to capture unique images of life at the beach.   While I hope to witness and capture some amazing beach image with my camera, I am more than satisfied to walk this beach this morning.  I am content to photograph what the “Beach Gods” will give me this morning.

An older gentleman dressed in jeans, a long sleeve sweatshirt and floppy beach hat approaches me busily scanning the soft white sand with a metal detector.  We acknowledge each other with a quick nod.  Is he looking for money or a misplaced watch? Or perhaps he is not concerned with these material things, but instead takes solace in being outside in the elements today simply basking in the abundant sunshine and salt air?  Maybe he is never really concerned with his “find” but only thankful to walk this beach like me. 

Beachcombers in all shapes and sizes, alone and often in groups of two pass me as I walk alone in the opposite direction.  Many are runners and walkers seemingly concerned with exercise.  The serious ones barely notice me, no doubt focused on their personal fitness goals and times as they speed on by.  However, the casual athletes will nod and say “good morning”.  Are they running/walking to get their heart rate to an optimal “level” or is this morning’s run or walk more about “escape”, both literally and figuratively.  Are they searching for the natural high that is found in “letting go” or the satisfaction of bettering their previous times.  Maybe they will attain both goals this morning?

Eventually I make landfall at the 10^th street life guard station.  Climbing up my own personal wooden “fort”, this will serve as my new vantage point, allowing me to witness the beach world around me, raising my camera to my eye when the moment moves me.

Sitting in my life guard stand, I acknowledge my fellow early morning beachcombers as they pass me by. They in turn acknowledge me.  I sense each one of us is searching for something today. The sun is up and the doctor is in. For me, another beach therapy session has begun.  Scott – remember to breathe.  Ahhhhhh......

The city worker responsible for grooming the sand before the sun worshippers inhabit the beach in just a few hours waves to me as he drives by.  I return his wave.  Performing a task that would make Sisyphus smile, he could not be more content, driving his oversize truck up and down the beach.  Maybe he was that kid with the red Tonka truck now getting to live out his childhood dreams all these years later?  Where do I sign up for this gig?

Two young surfers walk past me, giving me no mind, intently focused on the waves directly in front of them.  A few minutes later, a middle-aged fisherman has begun to setup his surf fishing equipment to my left, carefully going through his checklist of specified procedures before making his first cast of the morning.  Both groups enjoying the “off-hours” freedoms the beach offers before the life guards and beach rules take effect.  The pure joy of being able to enjoy a hobby or pursuit without some “stupid” rules.

Just when I’m ready to head back to the resort, an older couple walking hand-in-hand catches my attention.  Their beach chairs slung over their shoulders, carefully carrying their Wawa coffee and morning newspapers they stroll by.  Catching each other’s glance, we wish each other a good morning.  I watch them as they walk directly to the shoreline marked by the presence of low tide.  He fixes her chair and within minutes they are seated escaping into this “we’re the only people in the world” existence. 

Would the health that Marie and I currently maintain allow us to do this very same thing in another 20 years when we are staring down 50 years of wedded bliss in our early 70s?  I can only pray that we will.  I think to myself…”there will certainly be a time in my life when I will not be able to walk this beach, and I’m thankful that day is not today”.

                                      ***************

The 14^th street life guards now standing in their stations blow their collective whistles signaling the end of their shift.  The beach exhales.  In this exact moment, the hot summer day relinquishes its control to the cool summer night.  Gone is the hot summer sun, replaced by a cool ocean breeze.  The torch has been passed.  The night awaits us beachcombers.

Dusk will soon arrive and we beachcombers will be transformed.  Slowly one by one, the beach people trudge by my beach chair, making their way back to their respective homes, hotels and cars to begin this nighty ritual.  Bikinis and board shorts will soon be replaced by cotton summer dresses and pink floral shirts. Within a few hours, a new gathering of beachcombers will happen over Margaritas and Coronas.  The energy that we conserved relaxing on the beach today will be expended in the bars and restaurants tonight.  Suddenly recharged we race into the unknown darkness.  Memories made by the ocean today will be celebrated late into the night. 

It remains a mystery why we are drawn to the Beach.  However, we all seek out the beach for different reasons and we all leave the beach with different memories.  Maybe that is the magic of this special place?  Maybe we are not supposed to know or understand this magic spell that is cast over us when we reach these sandy shores.  This oasis where our problems can be put on hold (temporarily), where family and friends can interact and connect amid this high tech world in which we live, where the dreamers can still dream and the seekers can still seek.  The beach offers us freedom in a world where we are increasing controlled by deadlines and tethered to technological devices that often reinforce those restrictions and limitations.  The beach lets us forget this “programming” if for only 24 to 48 hours.  

My sun from 12 hours ago that had originally started its daily path over my left shoulder high above the ocean, is now behind me starting its slow decent over the bay. The wind is brisk and feels good on my sun baked and sandy body. The beach once active is now calm, ready to take its rest before its encore performance tomorrow, and the day after and the day after that. Tomorrow, it will entertain a whole new group of beachcombers. For now we are left with only our photos and memories to mark this moment in time.

And so it goes....life at the beach.

Someday I will experience this world on a daily basis……….

Scott & Marie

Lauren 1 & Lauren 2

Brigantine Beach

July 2013

 

 

 

Someday I Will

To Jimmy for giving me the musical inspirational “push” back in the early 90’s …….
For Danny & Nancy who recently made the leap, we hope to do the same soon……

Don't need to know who
May help you make it come true
Just say someday I will

I vaguely remember my first summer road trips, crammed into a small sweaty car with hot plastic seats along with my parents, younger siblings, beach toys, towels and clothes.  We would cross this large suspension bridge from Philadelphia into New Jersey.  Our lengthy trip would continue on some big highway full of cars like ours, passing numerous farm stands, peach orchards and fields of corn.  For this city kid, these images whizzed by my backseat side window providing me with a glimpse of some foreign land.  My parents would encourage us to the play the License Plate or Billboard Sign (“Alphabet”) game in an attempt to silence our oblivious excitement.  Eventually the hum of the car’s engine would quiet our excited behavior until we fell asleep in the back seat, only to be woken up when we crossed the Grassy Sound rickety bridge into North Wildwood.

This past week, Marie and I, Lauren and her college roommate, Stefanie, all took a road trip to Florida to enjoy our annual summer vacation.  Exactly 168 hours to forget about life back home, hoping for some sunny weather and if we got lucky, some memorable vacation experiences.  One week out of 52 doesn’t seem like enough time, but maybe we could cheat time and live out the fantasy before anyone found us out?

Admittedly, it took us Type-A “Northerners” a few days to unwind and learn the rhythm of the Gulf Coast.  This time next year, the girls will be college graduates starting careers and jobs, adult lives filled with adult responsibilities.  It seemed like a perfect time to take an old fashioned road trip.  While I was initially hoping for some downtime from the Rat Race and some cool photographs, it was the personal discoveries by the ocean that left a deeper and more permanent mark on my soul.      

Although I am barely able to make it to work on time these days, disengaged and disinterested, I was up at 5:30am every single day to watch the sun rise from the bottom of the sea from halfway across the world.  One morning, it was just me and a fellow photographer, Keith, being treated to grackles and pelicans feasting on some surf breakfast within 15 feet from where we were standing in the shadow of Sanibel Lighthouse near Lighthouse Pier.  After the nature show, we briefly talked “shop” and about how our travels lead us to be here this morning witnessing our very own National Geographic moment.  We exchanged business cards, said our goodbyes and walked in opposite directions down the deserted beach, never to meet again.

One evening we decided to check out Sanibel’s sister island, Captiva.  After a fun round of drinks and appetizers at the Bubble Room we strolled over to the Mucky Duck restaurant.   A large rainbow arc formed over the beach bar, the result of an earlier (typical) Florida afternoon sun shower.   We along with 50 or so “friends”, raised our drinks almost in unison toasting the pink and red sun setting over the Gulf.   The scene reminded me of Mallory Square in Key West when tourists and locals stop whatever they are doing and watch the daily sunset.  We all applauded the moment and then went back to our respective lives.

Midweek, we traveled south to Marco Island.  Lauren was only 7 years old during our first trip here, she’s now 21.  Nearly a decade and half has flown by.  She and I toasted our return to the island with some tequila at the water’s edge.  I told her “Look out at this ocean……this is what we bust our asses for, not many people get this view.”   “This is why you are working two summer jobs and juggled seven courses this past semester at college.”  “This is why I got home at 11pm most nights this past winter after working a full day, along with scheduled after-hour meetings with tax clients.”  “Work hard and play hard and you’ll have no regrets, honey…..”

Later in the week, we all tried paddle boarding (SUP) for the first time.  Jason was a local twenty-something good looking frat boy type and our immediate connection to this new sport.  He lugged our boards and paddles to the beach, and with a few brief instructions we were in the ocean.   What a blast to be walking (on our boards) on the ocean!  We lazily paddled around, occasionally letting the 2 foot ocean waves give us an easy ride to the shoreline.  When he returned to pick-up the gear we struck up a brief conversation.  He informed that he’s lived here on the island his whole life and he knows how good he has it.  I can’t be 20 years old again, but I can have his enthusiasm for SUP and life, it’s all up to me.  I thanked him for the paddle board experience, promising him our family would continue this sport once we got back to the Jersey Shore.  

Marie and I visited our friends Lin and John on Treasure Island.  These are two of the most positive and inspirational people I’ve ever met.  Both are roughly my age, currently battling some health issues, although you would never know it.  We enjoyed a lovely day on their boat with a front row seat, watching the dolphins, manatees and pelicans play in their natural habitat.  Thank you both for your hospitality and welcoming us northerners to your sleepy FLA beach town.  We hope to visit again in 2015 for Lin’s very special birthday!

On our last day, Marie and I went kayaking on Tarpon Bay.  Steve helped us with our kayaks and told us about some scenic trails we may want to consider paddling to.  He appeared to be approaching 60 years old, a cagey old salt, dressed in a white Kalgoorlie long sleeve shirt and green safari hat.   He quickly pointed towards the 4 foot alligator near the dock.  It was 8am, just a normal work day for him, but he couldn’t have been more upbeat and informative.  He gets to do this every day.  He gets to help create vacation memories for tourists.  We witnessed alligators and flying fish during our two hour expedition.  Man, I would love to have his job! 

I think I finally figured out what vacations are about. Vacations are about the experience. Living your life for one week or 168 hours, it's not really that much time, but living like you may never travel these roads again. It’s about enjoying dinner with your family at the end of the evening.  Sitting er with your family at the end of the evening. Sitting at the table, taking photos, laughing and reliving specific events from the last 24 hours. Then everybody raises their glasses toasting each other and The Day. In that flash you create a memory to last a lifetime. And if you bring home a t-shirt and a small keepsake, that is a bonus...."Cowboy in the Jungle" From our family to yours - YOLO Cheers!!er with your family at the end of the evening. Sitting at the table, taking photos, laughing and reliving specific events from the last 24 hours. Then everybody raises their glasses toasting each other and The Day. In that flash you create a memory to last a lifetime. And if you bring home a t-shirt and a small keepsake, that is a bonus...."Cowboy in the Jungle" From our family to yours - YOLO Cheers!!at the table, taking photos, laughing and recalling specific events from the past 12 hours.  Then everybody raises their glasses together, toasting each other and The Day.  In that flash, you create a memory to last a lifetime.  And if you happen to bring home a t-shirt and small keepsake, that’s a bonus.

Why do we humans constantly fight our own human intuition?  I am convinced that a life at the beach is my destiny.  I’m not exactly sure when it will happen or what I will be doing there, but I can no longer ignore the call of the sun and surf.  I certainly do not picture a Hemingway type of existence, but perhaps life as an apprentice deck hand, tour guide photographer or small business owner living a simpler and happier life near the ocean greatly interests me. 

These are my immediate thoughts as I swirl the rum around in my glass, gazing out at the green and blue ocean waters slowly crashing on the white sandy beaches covered in sea shells.  This week my life has slowed to a crawl.  The hot sun feels good providing me with some much needed energy for my beaten down soul.  I’m watching four white ibis birds walk by my beach chair occasionally digging their bright red beaks into the surf looking for dinner.  I look up at the white billowy clouds being pushed westward by the warm summer breezes.  It is late in the afternoon and the sun is starting to make its daily decent towards the ocean causing the sky to turn pink and purple over the Gulf of Florida.

After living my first one half of a century on the mainland, this is where I want to drop my anchor.

Alas, my week in the sun has come to close.  The time has come for me to head back to New Jersey, crunch the numbers and formulate my Plan B.  It’s time to give away my earthly possessions, expect my bike, surfboard, camera and iPod, and head to the ocean.   Okay, maybe I’ll keep my skis, just in case I ever want to escape to the slopes, taking a break from my future tropical existence

It will happen…….

Whether it's big or small
If you have a passion at all
Just say, someday I will
Someday……..

Sanibel Island

Near the Gulf of Mexico
June 2013