Father's Day Weekend" Part II

Oh Daddy,

You soothe me with your smile

You're letting me know

You're the best thing in my life

Fleetwood Mac -- "Oh, Daddy"

Happy, Happy Father's Day (belatedly posted) to Tracy. The Short People and I are so lucky to have you.

To honor Tracy, the Turmanators spent Father's day on the seaside of our Eastern Shore. This is, hands down, our favorite spot here...the reason we live in this special place.

The seaside is dotted with several Barrier Islands. These Islands are a series of very small, unihabited land masses that protect our coastline and are teeming with wildlife. Biologists studying our Islands have stated that they are some of the most productive on the planet, and The Nature Conservancy works steadily to prevent these jewels from development so they will remain wild and untamed, just like we like them.

Hard to believe that this oasis is, perhaps, a half hour's trip from our home. The unspoiled landscape is a sight to behold. The pictured buildings are an abandoned coast guard station on Cedar Island that featured in a short-lived 1960's development scheme and is now a privately-owned hunting lodge. Power is gererator-operated and the bugs are FEROCIOUS. Not sure I would want to spend more than a night or two but it would be worth some bug bites (even the Eastern Shore kind) to wake up to a sunrise here.

Father's Day was a perfect day on the seaside. The boating was smooth despite running aground twice. This is a common occurance on the seaside because the landscape changes almost weekly; the currents and storms are forever altering our coastline, making it a bit unpredictable. Unless you ruin your motor (we didn't) you just have to get out and push a bit. Tracy and I both got out and sank to our shins in good ole seaside muck and set off.

One of my favorite things about the seaside is the beachcombing (yes, Janice, I missed Pat terribly. No one else appreciated my delight over jingle shells, chunks of sea glass and a whale vertebrae). You never know what you will find. I once stumbled upon a perfectly preserved, puffed-up puffer fish. So cool. Hermit crabs are rampant, and I have also seen giant manta rays, sharks, sea snakes, millions of turtles, and have heard tales of sea otters. Some islands inhabit deer and raccoon as well.

For Tracy, the day would have been Nirvana had the fishing been good. It wasn't. But he and our friend, John, had a great time casting while baiting the hooks of our collective children, smoking cigars, and reveling in the day. Susan and I enjoyed walking on the beach and a swim. Bet you can't guess where we are heading next weekend!

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