Wednesday, May 14, 2014

Earth Day


Living on the Pacific Ocean we are acutely aware of the fragility of this enormous body of water. 
Usually, we are anchored in natural bays rocking gently, and sometimes not so gently, to the motion of the ocean.  We roll with the swells and bounce in the short chop.  The anchor rode is pulled taut when a squall blows through.  The sound of the surf on the beach lulls us to sleep and awakens us in the morning.  We spend most of our time outside, aware of minute changes in air temperature and humidity.  We look over the side of the boat and decide to swim or not based on the clarity and temperature of the water. 

We’ve seen dolphins and whales swim through an anchorage.  We watch as small fish clean the bottom of our boat by eating the algae growth.  Offshore, we marvel at the paddling turtles, dolphins frolicking across our bow, and breeching whales.  Pelicans and frigates are our constant air-borne companions. 
On this day about 25 of us gathered on the beach in La Cruz to honor Mother Earth by picking up trash.  We fanned out and walked about ½-mile to a natural breakwater and then retraced our steps picking up what we missed the first time.  Our bags fill with plastic caps, bottles, candy wrappers, paper, Styrofoam chunks, fishing line, all things foreign to a fish or turtle or bird that might ingest them. 

All of us who gathered have reduced our footprints. We make our own water, use solar panels and wind generators to create electricity.  We’ve chosen to live off the grid and feel good about making a minuscule dent in protecting our planet, making a difference in our neighborhood. 
 
When we finish, the organizers build a bon fire and serve us tacos on Styrofoam plates and beverages in plastic cups.  Amazingly talented musicians perform music written just for this occasion, celebrating our oneness with our plant.  The irony is not lost on us.    

Movie night

It’s Thursday night which means free movie night at the marina in La Cruz.  A crowd gathers at sunset at the outdoor amphitheater.  It’s a BYO event, which includes your own cushions as the amphitheater is made of concrete.  If you prefer, you can purchase a hot dog or beverages from the marina deli.  They’ve set up a small table and hauled down two dock carts; one filled with little bags of free popcorn and the other filled with ice and cold beverages.  It’s quite a treat. 

You enter at the top of the structure where short two-foot wide rows sit atop five-foot wide rows.  This pattern alternates down to the base so you can choose to sit down and stretch out or sit upright on the short portion.  We choose to luxuriate in the space and toss our cushions down, stretching out every inch that we can, making ourselves comfortable enveloped in the soft heat of the day held in by the concrete.  A light towel over our legs wards off the mosquitoes. 

A large screen hangs between poles at the base of the theater.  Our view through the lines and around the screen is of boats safely nestled in their slips, the dim lights of the town and further in the background, up the hill clinging to the edge of a cliff is a restaurant with its patio lights ablaze. 
The movie starts as the stars hang in the dark sky. 
It’s the best movie house that I’ve ever been in.