Obviously I’m not sure where everyone’s habitat is that happens upon my page, but I have a feeling many of you have had similar conditions this week that we did here on the Island. Finally, though, finally blue skies are out again but, wow, is it chilly!
I had this past week all planned out, too. I had to work an afternoon shift on Thursday, so Wednesday after work I wanted to get my kayak out and stay out late. Thursday I was going to get up early and head out for a sunrise, and Friday I was going to take off and spend the whole day on the OSV and do some exploring.
Unfortunately, Mother Nature had a whole different agenda. The skies from my last post were gorgeous right up until this past Sunday. I got up Monday morning and noticed this weird white sky and the sun was like a white torch. I didn’t realize it was the western wildfire smoke circulating around creating this strange, eclipse-like atmosphere.
The OSV has also been closed nearly all week and continues to be. The ocean is way high as it has been overwashing up and over onto the driving portion of the OSV. It’s not safe to drive on thus it’s closed. Winds today and tomorrow here, according to NOAA, will be gusting at over 30 mph. And, those weird white skies stayed with us all week.
So, with no OSV available I decided on Monday after work to try a trail that goes out of the South Beach parking lot and into the marsh. I was curious about the bugs etc as I’m anxious to hit some trails. I worked my way out to the marsh breaking through massive cobwebs and swatting a massive amount of mosquitoes and flies from me. I even used some of the bug spray my aunt sent me, and I think it helped a bit. But, wow, I think all those bugs down there on that trail and along the marsh’s edge haven’t seen a human all year. I think they smelled me a mile away and thought I was the main course that they have been saving up for all year long!
It was fun hiking, though, but I came across no horses or any other animals for that matter. I ended up where I came out of the marsh about a mile down into the OSV which was completely flooded by the ocean. I was so anxious to start hiking, but it just wasn’t quite enjoyable yet until some of the bugs die off. I didn’t take my headnet, but even wearing one doesn’t turn the experience into pure pleasure. Soon though, hiking weather will be here soon!
Wednesday we still had those thick, gray skies. I took my kayak out anyway, though, and the bay was completely flat. It was quite tragic the sun wasn’t out with this completely flat water. I could only imagine how pretty it would have been. I did find Ninka and Fonzi in the marsh and snapped a few images of them together. They are such a close couple. They are also a lot farther south than they have been, but that is normal this time of year as most of the bands start to move into the OSV for the winter.
The coolest thing on Wednesday was the campfire my friends and I decided to have. The wind wasn’t really blowing so we had a nice campfire, popped some popcorn and chilled out. Around 815, we used an app and found out the International Space Station would be flying overhead and sure enough, there it was. We had 4 minutes of viewing pleasure as it streaked across the sky. That was the first time I had seen it, and I have to say it was very cool.
Thursday and most of Friday it rained and rained and rained as the remnants of Sally came through the area.
And, on the sixth day, we finally saw the sun again. Yes, I am happy to report the sun made an appearance yesterday. It was cold. It was windy. But the sun was back. And it was so happy to be back it left us with one absolutely amazing sunset. I snapped some images of it, but you have to remember the images I took are looking towards the east over the ocean - it was so colorful it lit up the skies on the opposite side of where it set in the west.
A slow week on the Island, but it happens this time of the year. Here’s to a better this week… And prayers to all the firefighters battling the blazes out west and all the families affected.
