Thinking of Albion, inspired to post

I wrote this some time ago, and thought about posting it once in a while, but this evening, thinking of the festivities in a northern Cali campground, I decided to.
Have fun up there you guys, and be safe.

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

At the beach at dawn.

The sand is cool, and crunchy from the previous evening dew.
Swell is light today, maybe 3 feet, and the wind is minor, though scheduled to blow 15-20knots today. The tide is out, slack now but flooding to peak at something like eleven am.
I stow the cart and launch. Apparently my mind is elsewhere and I miss the timing of two small one footers and take gallons of water across the deck each time.  At least I had the forethought to stow my sunglasses.
On the water I see the fog to the south, hovering in a dense band. As the sun rises orange highlights glow on the upper filaments of the band, creating the effect of alpenglow and casting a surreal luminescence over the water and sky.

I begin the hunt, feeling the lure bounce lightly off the seafloor, ticking over the rocks as the topwater swell raises and lowers the kayak.
I begin to think on how I came to be here, and my mind wanders, tracing back to my immediate, personal reasons... then farther back, thinking of those who pushed the boundaries of marine exploration in the early part of the last century.
 Now, despite a growing populace and its effect on the ocean,...reduced wildlife, pollution, and a general absorption of the resources around us, we still carry the drive within us that those pioneers awakened. We are drawn to the belly of the mother, this enigmatic liquid realm that is our true planet, the true heart of all life as we know it.  This great ocean, connecting all topwater energy, nourishes and sustains us the same as she has done since the first mammal took to hunting the intertidal zone for its meals. The tree of our marine hunting and gathering lineage begins with them. Our methods may have changed, our equipment advanced, but in the end we are the same.
From naked skin to sealskin to neoprene, we clothe ourselves for immersion.
From skin boat to paddleboard to rotomolded kayak, we traverse the surface.
From sinew cord to tarred cotton to spectra, we send our offerings into the depths.

Over time we have come to draw not only food from the sea’s shores and depths, but as we evolve we find something that sustains us beyond protein and calories. Somewhere within us it has become necessary to reconnect with the sea and earth through this primitive activity. Creatures of arguable but undeniable terrestrial success, we return to this environment that has made our very existence possible, despite the handicaps that have evolved for our land based lives.  We have little advantage in this place of water and salt, and here our standing within the ecosystem may change in an instant, but still we come to it as I have today.
In simplistic but honest terms, we must do this.
As our species grows our kind may struggle to keep the ocean within our lives. Such is our curse. Destined to hold to a coastal environment at all costs we may be seen as foolhardy by some, for what our sacrifices bring us cannot be measured by accountants or financial statements.
Our investments in this life do not accrue interest, and are only redeemed as moments in time, memories to hold us during our time away from the shore. I look out on the ocean surface, with its backdrop of glowing fog banks, shrouded bluffs and shadowed lines of sand and I am at peace.
The line from my kayak to the lure twitches, pulls hard, and once again I am connected to a tangible part of the sea’s energy, and by extension the energy of our entire world.

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wishing calm seas,

SW

Awesome bro, but it's not scratchin the itch!!! Just makin it worse   I feel ya tho, I wish I was up there too 

Well done Sean. Frank

Well said, it is good from time to time to remember the deeper draw that lives in all of us,

I saw this on someone's signature line, might have been Mickfish's

"Many men go fishing all of their lives without knowing that it is not fish they are after."

Henry David Thoreau

A slightly different thought maybe but you get the idea.

Thanks for the thoughtful prose

Beautiful, Sean.  I'm glad you posted that!

will someone please repeat that durring my last day on this earth, when I'm sinking to hell.

Sean~ THAT MADE ME CRY.

THANK YOU SEAN,

You just made my day.

Rich

Sean, you were missed at Albion!

Sean, you were missed at Albion!

But he was there in spirit through the stunning artwork he created for Craig!

Everyone was blown away by the artwork.

Thank-you Sean!

Awesome!

Z

Thanks for sharing that, Sean. 

+1   

This is what makes the spirit soar. To be able to feel and connect with another heart although they are miles away. I am with you as you ride the Mothers bosom. Falling and rising in unison. When I was given a gift that came from your heart and hands I was simply so moved that I felt this sense of relief. Because I had been wanting some of your art for a long while now. I have only fished with you one time but feel as though we know each other and have for some time. See you on the Mother soon my freind.

That was awesome!!  but i thought that was you in camp refugee on sunday. yellow p-15 and a toyota pick-up. wearing all black.

Awesome....

Thank you very much for sharing!!

Your piece of art that Bird presented to Craig was beautiful beyond words.

Well done my friend...look forward to fishing with you soon.
 
Sincerely,

Jim

That was awesome!!  but i thought that was you in camp refugee on sunday. yellow p-15 and a toyota pick-up. wearing all black.

nope, not I. I'm one of the few who still paddle a red kayak, & it's pretty easy to identify from the markings.


Thanks for all the nice words guys!