Sunday, June 17, 2007

More Critters

This afternoon Lou Ann and I took Lachlan out to the sound for a swim. The water was warm and shallow. Sports fishermen were in their boats in the nearby channel, and gulls & terns & pelicans were gliding overhead, pausing momentarily to dive for a silvery fish.

On the way out we stopped to watch a toad hop off into the bushes, and a few mosquitoes and green head flies attacked us in the shady path. Out on the beach we stripped down to our swim suits and plunged into the water. Before long my foot found a small clunky seashell. I brought it up to discover a hermit crab hiding inside. Up on the sandy shore it stuck its legs and head out and crawled back into the water. I think Lou Ann was more fascinated than the little guy.

Lachlan cut his foot on an oyster shell (an island rite of passage, sure to be repeated), but continued to laugh and splash as gentle waves licked at his chin.

We'll be sure to go back regularly this summer.

Take a journey back in time with our latest Ocracoke Newsletter. You can capture some of the thrill of riding on the old mailboat Aleta by clicking here.

2 comments:

  1. Anonymous11:46 AM

    Where do you swim in the sound ? we are bring out almost 4 yr old grandson with us this year,on vacation the first week of July the ocean is usually quite ruff but the sound should be better.

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  2. Write to me at piphoward at earthlink dot net.

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