Coffee with brave BBs (boating buddies) from previous trip, Judy and Carl. Fun remembering some of our travels together. They were beginning sailors when we met in Marathon and thought it a great idea to buddy with us on our way north. Fine with us and other buddies, Wendy and Dan. So off we all went. Carl and Judy left us for some ocean sailing just north of Ft. Lauderdale. Haven't seen them since until last night when they knocked on our hull and we made a date for this morning. Sweet! She gifted me with a bunch of bananas, repayment from my sharing our bananas with them 2 years ago. Another sweet. And we ate them for a snack later in the morning. They live at the marina we were at last night.
We left Palm Coast around 10:00 a.m. and had a gentle day of boating with the regular skinny water trials...6'9" for a brief moment near Flagler Beach. Shiver. But generally around 11-12' so... easy. Brilliant sun. I stood on the aft deck for some time. Two dolphin swam in the opposite direction but beside us for a couple of rolls.
Traveling under the International Speedway Bridge, enjoying the mosaics of fish and dolphins on the bridge supports. One mast was spotted sticking out of the water near the middle of the channel. And saw a number of boats grounded and apparently abandoned on shore or at water's edge. The hurricanes in these past two years have taken an expensive toll on FL residents and boaters.
We arrived at 7 Seas around 1:30 ( we stayed here coming and going previous trip) and were on the beach by 2:30. Heaven! This particular beach is wide and flat with hard packed sand. Shallow so there are line after line after line of breakers. The water was too chilly for seriously getting wet but we walked for a couple hours, wading in the water. Saw a beautiful yellow footed, snowy egret running and fishing in the shallow waves. Odd in that we'd expect to see this type bird in the marshes, not at the beach. A beauty with her bright yellow feet and black legs. Also saw what I think were Royal Terns with their black tufts of head feathers and fat yellow/orange bills.
Back on the boat, tasks. My big task of the day was to contact all my MOC (members of congress) about instituting sane gun access laws. No assault rifles, for example. Another tragic school shooting today left 17 students dead. The shooter is in custody. Tragedy all around. Since Columbine 19 years ago Congress has done little, nothing substantial, to curb opportunities for gun violence. It seems all that has been done is to accept campaign support, and other payoffs of various sorts, from the NRA. This mass shooting in schools is an American phenomenon. An American epidemic.
Two Senators Burr and Tillis from my home state of NC are among the largest recipients of NRA money. How disgusting and immoral can humans who claim "public servant" be?!? Evil? Definitely greedy. Do I think greedy is evil? Yes! when the level of greed kills or terrorizes children.
Greed = evil. I'm down with that equation. My heart hurts for the loss and the fear this greed causes.
Meanwhile, the sun continues to set. And to rise each day. Thank you gods, God, angels and all creative energy of our universes.
The ocean continues to continue its waves and the wonderful white noise of water crashing and flowing and retreating.
Love abounds maybe especially during times of tragedy.
And we continue to try to make sense of the things we do and learn, the love and joy we create, the beauty we appreciate as we circle the sun.
And take the actions we can, including sending out healing energy and prayers, to create more justice, more compassion, more respect and more love.
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