Winter Life at the Ocean

Commercial crab season opened recently, there's something comforting about seeing the boats out on the horizon as I drive home.  Each night there's at least 3-4 lights I can see in the distance.  I imagine these gruff, hardy, swearing sailors manning their pots as they protect the harbor.  From what, I'm not sure.  Pirates?  Russians?  Global Warming?  I dunno, but I like to romanticize it.

I'm waiting to see a winter storm with waves bashing against the rocks.  Flounder and I went for a walk this morning and saw awesome waves splashing high above the rocks and then rushing back out to crash with an incoming wave.  I'm still loving the coast, just to see the ocean every day is amazing.  I can go to the beach, I can go down to the dock and catch crab for dinner, or I can dig in the sand for clams anytime that I want.  We continue to meet such interesting travelers and locals.  I think the coast attracts a different folk:  friendly, open, liberal and free thinking.  We spent New Year's Eve at a neighbors party with long haired hippies playing the bongos and shaking maracas, it was a blast.

But, the ocean also has it's dark side.  As I walked along the trail this morning a Coast Guard helicopter circled overhead looking for the body of a man who was swept out by the incoming tide while he was searching for sand shrimp.  I often see homeless people sleeping on the beach and this area is suffering from a depressed economy and meth has devastated many local families.  Much of the local money is tourist dependent and this time of year hits hard.  I wish for a prosperous and safe season for our fisherman who are out there on the cold rough sea.  If you're looking for a vacation, come to the coast.  Hotel prices are cheaper out of season, the storms can be awesome and there are floats a plenty to search for on the beach.