August 17, 2009

(The photo above is me on a winter beach walk in 1980, right here in Neptune Beach.)

This morning as I crossed the boardwalk over the dunes, I was greeted by a flock of hungry seagulls being fed by a family that was allowing their toddlers to run naked on the beach. In today's society, I'm not sure that's the greatest idea, but to each their own. The ocean was gray and fairly calm. Many wispy clouds in the sky, mostly cirrus, a few cumulous and some jet trails from early flights along the coast. Few shells on the beach, but a couple of de-tentacled jellyfish that looked for all the world like the bottoms of glass coke bottles. As I walked, I noticed the beginnings of several tidal pools and sloughs that may turn into dangerous runouts once Hurricane Bill passes us (hopefully offshore) this weekend. On my way back across the dunes after my walk, I noticed a small cherry tomato bush growing amongst the weeds on the dunes, with two ripe red tomates on it, an odd anomaly. I must remember to take my camera on future walks.

So, where is Neptune Beach, you may be asking? We're in the northeast corner of Florida, just south of the St. Johns River's mouth, on what nautical charts have traditionally called San Pablo Island. The island doesn't seem much like one, as it stretches all the way from the south side of the St. Johns River down to Vilano Beach, which is just north of St. Augustine, and is several miles wide in places. Jacksonville is to the west of us, Atlantic Beach to the north and Jacksonville Beach to the south. We're an unusual oceanfront community for Florida, in that only a couple blocks of our oceanfront is commercial; the rest is all single-family houses, with no high-rise condos.

Why am I blogging about Neptune Beach? Good question. I'm hoping that posting something each morning will keep me motivated to continue my daily walks. It's a habit too easy to let lapse. Early meetings, feeding the cat her breakfast, pending work projects, reading the daily newspaper over breakfast, and social networking online have their ways of pushing my beach walks aside. At this time of year, if one waits too late, the day is already too hot to get out there. But with my mother's death last month, my role as caregiver went away. Working from home as a writer and editor gives me more flexibility in my schedule than most, so my excuses for missing a daily beach walk have become fewer. Perhaps by blogging about the beach, I will find an audience that keeps me going on these daily walks that renew my spirit and keep me healthier. The walk may be in the morning or early evening, depending on the time of year and weather.

It seems odd to need an excuse to get out and enjoy God's marvelous creation, doesn't it?