During my visit, I kept flashing on the Nevil Shute novel, On The Beach and the film (not quite true to the novel) with Gregory Peck, Ava Gardner, Fred Astair and Tony Perkins in which the characters go about their day to day activities knowing that the end of the world is nigh.
As the oil moves outward, coastal residents proceed with a combo of daily activities, some preparations (I bought a stainless steel travel thermos at 40% off from a store in Apalachicola that had discounted everything), some trepidation and a lot of disbelief. Who can believe such enormous devastation is continuing unabated and that willing and ready national and international aid has to fight red tape and bureaucracy to provide help?
As my brief visit drew to a close I looked to the everyday shoreline details.
Gulls kicking back on the sand
Willets scampering ahead of my footfall
Shells propelled by Hermit crabs
Tiny, beautiful crabs tossed up, too delicate and stinky to gather for specimens
and, always, the water at my feet.
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5 comments:
Great, heartwrenching post, Suzanne. The photos are lovely, showing the fragile beauty that exists along our shorelines, and your text is right on: succinct and feeling. I'll be forwarding this to my friends!
Thanks, Laura. Good to hear from you.
all your photos Suzanne are so beautiful.
Dawn
I was scrolling these gorgeous photos with a mixture of joy at the fresh beauty of it all and an unnamed sense of dread in the pit of my stomach. Then I read your text..."On The Beach"--the perfect metaphor--those poignant, suspended moments before disaster strikes.
Thanks so much for coming by, Don, and for your comments. I have been too much a stranger to your blog and have a lot of catching up to do. Will be by soon.
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