Jane and I greeted the morning about an hour before dawn. We hit the beach early to look for loggerhead hatchlings and watch the sun rise. The beach was all ours, and while we didn't see any baby turtles on their way to the water, we are pretty sure we saw several who had just made it to the rising surf speed on their way a few split seconds before we were close enough to get a very good look.
One nest is labeled to "go" tonight, so our plan is to get the entire family up at 5:00am and try again. Not sure how well I'll be able to focus at that hour...
We spent the rest of the morning and early afternoon puttering around Beaufort, a charming, historic Southern town offering art galleries, non-chain restaurants, boats on the waterfront, candy stores, old-fashioned ice cream parlors, sportsman's outfitters, furniture and book stores where the staff take time to get to know you still. Each girl took a turn at the gumball machine in the Sweet Shoppe, and Emma came away the winner. A gumball stamped "winner" earns a free ice cream cone. Strawberry today.
After an afternoon nap, we tried crabbing at Johnson Creek, the waterway that runs between Harbor Island and Hunting Island. Bill's awfully proud of his catch--four feisty blues.
Dinner! Not a whole lot to go around, but it still beats PB&J.
A dramatic sky over the Creek before we head in for the night.
We made our last rounds stopping by the lagoon on Harbor Island where birds of all types roost for the night. (Sorry for the blurry shot--not a steady enough hand to hold the camera after dusk.)
And then we walked home on the beach, catching this view of the last few rays of sunlight silhouetting the oceanfront houses before calling it a night.
And as we crossed the boardwalk to close our day, I had to think of Annie Dillard's closing thoughts in Pilgrim at Tinker Creek. My right foot said "Glory" and my left foot said "Amen."
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