When the Surf Fisherman Decides Not to Wade In

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Beach, Black and White, Dawn, Fishing, Florida, Nature, Ocean, Photography, Sea, Seabirds, Sharks, Sunrise, Surf, Video, Waves

(Some feeble footage above of some hunting bull-shark chums of mine as they spilled up into the shallow swash as the tide began to recede. Is there anything better than having a shark swim up into one’s lap? I think not!)

I had a meeting with the Sharks that Sunrise, and they kept their promise. I arrived to the bruised sight of a brooding squall that aged the sky, scudding in and consuming the Dawn.

Pale rosy lightning sniveled across the slate blue of cloud as a lone dolphin breached cold in the distance.

And there in the swash the pastel waves frilled and shivered as a cool wind lumbered forth, and a surge of fish spat out from the sea as the Sharks surfed right up to my feet.

The Surf Fisherman decided not to wade in. I know not why. The water was glorious.

“What is a Scientist, After All?” – The Birthday of Jacques Yves Cousteau

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Art, Black and White, Book Excerpt, Cartoon, Charcoal, Conservation, Diving, History, Jacques Cousteau, Link, Literary Quote, Nature, Ocean, Photography, Quotes, Scientist, Sea, Shark, Sketch, Surf, The Silent World, Waves

“What is a scientist after all? It is a curious man looking through a keyhole, the keyhole of nature, trying to know what’s going on.”
― Jacques-Yves Cousteau

“For most of history, man has had to fight nature to survive; in this century he is beginning to realize that, in order to survive, he must protect it.”
― Jacques-Yves Cousteau “The future is in the hands of those who explore… and from all the beauty they discover while crossing perpetually receding frontiers, they develop for nature and for humankind an infinite love.”
― Jacques-Yves Cousteau

“Above us flying fish gamboled, adding a discordant touch of gaiety to what was becoming a tragedy for us. Dumas and I ransacked our memories for advice on how to frighten off sharks. ‘Gesticulate wildly,’ said a lifeguard. We flailed our arms. The gray (shark) did not falter. ‘Give ’em a flood of bubbles,’ said a helmet diver. Dumas waited until the shark had reached his nearest point and released a heavy exhalation. The shark did not react. ‘Shout as loud as you can,’ said Hans Hass. We hooted until our voices cracked. The shark appeared deaf. ‘Cupric acetate tablets fastened to leg and belt will keep sharks away if you go into the drink,’ said the Air Force briefing officer. Our friend swam through the copper-stained water without a wink. His cold, tranquil eye appraised us. He seemed to know what he wanted, and he was in no hurry.”
– Excerpt from the book, “The Silent World” by Jacques Cousteau

“People protect what they love.”
― Jacques-Yves Cousteau (June 11, 1910 – 1997)

“In Nature Nothing Exists Alone” -Rachel Carson

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Abstract, BBC Podcast, Beach, Beauty, Black and White, Blur, Environmentalism, Florida, Life, Nature, Ocean, Pensive, Photography, Podcast, Quotes, Rachel Carson, Rachel Carson's Birthday, Salt, Sand, Science, Sea, Surf, Water

And No Birds Sing:  Rachel Carson and Silent Spring- A BBC Podcast on Rachel Carson

“The edge of the sea is a strange and beautiful place.”
― Rachel Carson

“In every out-thrust headland, in every curving beach, in every grain of sand there is the story of the earth.”
― Rachel Carson

“The more clearly we can focus our attention on the wonders and realities of the universe about us, the less taste we shall have for destruction.”
― Rachel Carson

“It is a curious situation that the sea, from which life first arose should now be threatened by the activities of one form of that life. But the sea, though changed in a sinister way, will continue to exist; the threat is rather to life itself.”
― Rachel Carson, The Sea Around Us

“If a child is to keep alive his inborn sense of wonder, he needs the companionship of at least one adult who can share it, rediscovering with him the joy, excitement, and mystery of the world we live in.”
― Rachel Carson

“In nature nothing exists alone.”
― Rachel Carson, Silent Spring

“But man is a part of nature, and his war against nature is inevitably a war against himself.”
― Rachel Carson

“Those who dwell, as scientists or laymen, among the beauties and mysteries of the earth, are never alone or weary of life.”
― Rachel Carson

Thoughts Tumbling

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Beach, Birds, Florida, Monochrome, Nature, Ocean, Palm Tree, Photography, Poetry, Sand, Satellite Beach, Sea, Sea Birds, Seagulls, Surf, Terns, Thoughts, Wave, Wave Photography, Winter Sea

Squinting sour

Shards of shell

In cherry light-

Sober morning

Tumbling like

Wintry waves

Of coy jade-

Disfigured thoughts

“The sea always filled her with longing, though for what she was never sure.”

―Cornelia Funke, Inkheart

The Taste of Dying December

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Abstract Photography, Black and White, Brevard County, Cocoa Beach, Decay, Droplets, Florida, Monochrome, Nature, Ocean, Photography, Poetry, Prose, Sea, Surf, Surfer, Thoughts, Wandering, Water, Writing

Ashy taste of mildewed Wind, heady and warm, off brush-metal waves- sticking to thoughts– it cursitates, Neurons itching, tickled by the bleary chiming of a Rain-Pattered Sea.

The chink-metal ocean tastes of sodden rust, spume sputtering about the shoulders- these eyes– a lunging Black, as dark as wetsuit skin.

Lambent gaze scrapes the clouds; dark spindly form punctures the sky- fiberglass toes- white and sharp, like bone- and the sound of water drips like snow.

Comes the deluge, the swimming grey swarm of oblivion, drowning in a surge of metal- the colour of December’s somber death- the scent of it tingles in curled and gnarly fingers, burrowing in sand.

The balmy breath of it dissolves and settles upon these meandering splinters of thought that scuttle into the fizzy-green brine and are stolen by the evening tide, stifled by the sweeping sounds of the Seagull’s Drawl and the strumming song of a Rain-Pattered Sea.

What is Born of Pastel Dawn

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Beach, Black and White, Brevard, December, Florida, Nature, Ocean, Photography, Poetry, Sand, Satellite Beach, Sea, Seagull, Surf, Surfing, Waves

Cacophonous wind carries seagull drawls,
the bell buoy’s alarm and bleating boats.
Sweet breaths take in morning laughter,
fingers skimming the chiming waters;

the harmony of the sea
tickling the Surfer’s soul,
saline breeze against His back,
breaking waves beneath His toes.

Crying plaudit, the art of elation,
wax and salt, and squinting eyes,
greet the sun of auriferous creation.

Glitters what is born of Pastel Dawn.

A sky of free-thought and clarity,
testing the nerves, tempting Humanity-

recall no concept of finality,
spill like a wingless cherub
smiling inside the curling blue.

Poised, there, in the Glass Barrel
is the conception of Stillness–
where the rains never penetrate.

Surfer, encompass the ride eternally-
the ocean pulses through Your veins.

Dog-Day Desiderium

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Abstract, Birds, Black and White, Desperation, Dog-days, Florida, Longing, Monochrome, Nature, Nikon, Ocean, Pelican, Photography, Poetry, Sandpiper, Sea, Surf

Saliferous lips

Morning allatrates

Scalp-scraping desperation

Dog-days of this ocean lake-

A sheet of perspiration–

As June dissipates

Calling Hurricanes

Another Scintillating Morn

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Beach, Brevard County, Brine, Calm, Florida, Froth, Fun, Nature, Nikon, Ocean, Relaxation, Satellite Beach, Sea, Seashells, Surf, Video, Waves

Another Beautiful Morn in the Florida Brine.

Thank you for imbibing, jubilant cheers,

Autumn Jade

Is that a Whale Falling Out of the Ocean?

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Comedy, Compliments, Creature, Gollum, Humour, Imp, Joy, Ocean, Peculiar, Photography, Quote, Sea, Silly, Surf, Surfers, Video, Wave

Most common compliment bequeathed by surfers- “Dude! I thought you were a sea-turtle!”

“It is hard to resist a flatterer who gets it right.”

-Robert Brault

The top compliments of me olde, barnacled life have been when I was mistaken for a whale (I wept, I was so honoured- can read that story here if so inclined), called a “shark whisperer” (adinparadise, a dashed lovely blogger, called me such only very recently, the thoughtful dear lassie!) and told I look identical to the sibilant stone-creature dubbed “Gollum” from the “Lord of the Rings” films.

(Never have managed to catch a wee glisk of any of the films, and fear I have also neglected to read the books, but I did see an advert once, and blast, I really do look just like that gorgeous, bulbous-eyed stone-imp!)

A most stupendous Wave to fall out of

Right-ho, so, to celebrate being called a whale, amongst other dashed precious things, I thought I would share a silly, wee video featuring a day in the brine. Perhaps it may reveal why a smiling toad might just be mistaken for a whale when engaging in the delicate and suave art-form of falling out of the ocean.

Thank you for sluicing by,

Smiling Toad

Littoral Loafing

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Beach, Black and White, Black and White Photography, Brine, Florida, Monochrome, Nature, Ocean, Poem, Poetry, Sea, Surf, Surfers, Waves

Guttural beach-break

Sharks breaching the minty waves

Skimmers sweeping swash

Littoral loafing

Cormorant airing her wings

Sodden charcoal-black

Dune scarp tunnel-pocked

Ghost crab rushes to the brine

Sudsy spume hissing

Sanderlings hurry

As a rogue wave swamps the cusp

Children disappear

Fish tale washes in

Air redolent of sunscreen

Wax melting in sun