Memorial Day

Posted on by Thor

On Memorial Day a friend and I got away to the beach. I kind of miss beach days. Granted I spend most of the time under an umbrella with my legs covered with a towel. I am like a vampire, if the sun hit my skin it instantly burns. My friend can lay in the sun all day and not be effected in the least.

The couple to the left clearly did not wear sun screen. After several hours the guy was as red as a lobster. He was clearly a tourist and had no idea how strong the Florida sun is.

Being in the middle of the state of Florida, a drive to the beach is an hour in either direction. That drive is often enough of a hindrance to keep me from taking the trip.

The sound of the waves breaking on the shore is relaxing, but I never manage to relax. I always feel the need to sketch.

I am just noticing now that the book in this sketch looks like it is floating. I should have found a way to sketch in the far hand holding the book.

Isle of Palms

Posted on by Thor

Terry and I drove to Isle of Palms early in the hopes of avoiding the July 4th traffic rush to the beach. Since we were several hours early we found the Sea Island grill and sat outside by the pool to relax. Terry ordered a coffee and I ordered a very weak lemonade. After the first tasteless sip I forgot about my drink. There were very few people seated outside so I focused my attention on Terry who was reading her New York magazine. If we ever move back to NYC she will have insights to every neighborhood. She has been reading that magazine since we met 23 years ago.

Terry’s cousins own a condo right on the beach. Barbecue hot dogs and burgers were being prepared. After a few snacks and sodas everyone headed down to the beach. I slathered some sun block on Terry’s back and we ventured into the water. Robbie who is a journalist waded out with us. The water was much colder than the water at Coco Beach in Florida. The first tentative steps were the coldest. Once my bathing suit was wet it was easier to dive in all the way. Well, I didn’t actually dive, since I had on a baseball cap and my glasses. I wanted to be able to see the waves. I love jumping up with each swell trying to ride over the wave before it breaks. One wave was just too large. It caught me by surprise causing me to tumble backward doing a flip under water. I felt my glasses flying off underwater and I reached out blindly and they danced on my finger tips before I grasped them. The cap found it’s way to the surface later and I scooped it up from the foam. We decided to go back to the beach towels and drop off the glasses. We rushed right back out.

I enjoy the persistent strategy of trying to predict and ride over each wave. It reminds me of dodge ball which I used to enjoy playing in gym. Terry was enjoying the surf as well and for once we could laugh and play like kids. Robbie was talking about his proposed blog so much that I lost sight of the waves behind me and I was again swamped and tossed like a rag doll. Each time I was caught by surprise I would sputter and stand up to the continuing onslaught with renewed enthusiasm. I saw Terry go under as well, and she also faced each new wave with childish buoyancy and delight.

The Attack of the Jellies!

Posted on by Thor

Over the Memorial day weekend Terry and I met Elaine Pasekoff and Derrek Hewitt at Coco Beach. We stuffed quarters in the parking meters and hiked over the small boardwalk to the beach. We were surprised that the strip of beach we were on wasn’t crowded. A huge sea turtle lay on the dry sand its shell broken. The stench of death overpowered us and we moved up the beach. The umbrella and chairs that Derrek had carried were set up. I was the first to walk to the water’s edge. There I was shocked to find billions of jelly fish being washed up in the surf. These were mauve stingers which are usually native to the Mediterranean. The wet sand was littered with jellies each one being the size of a ping pong ball. There was no way I was going in the water. When I looked up and down the beach I realized that there was no one in the water. The pink blobs had taken back the ocean on one of the busiest weekends of the summer season.

Lifeguards treated over 1,800 people for stings. Though not as potent as the sting from a blue Portuguese man-of-war, the stings were painful. Local convenience stores ran out of Benadryl and vinegar. We joked that we might have to pee on each other if we got stung. A few people were sent to local hospitals after suffering from allergic reactions. It wasn’t safe in the water. The four of us huddled under the beach umbrella. I sketched the view to the north.

The attack of the jellies was unprecedented. This species of jellyfish had never been seen on these beaches. Jellies are flourishing in the warmer ocean waters, being washed up on beaches more often. After invading the beach for the weekend, the smack of jellyfish disappeared as mysteriously as it appeared.

30 Days of Sand

Posted on by Thor

A month long sand sculpting festival was held on the space coast. Held at the Radisson Resort, this first time event was intended to help build and sustain a vibrant arts and cultural industry in Brevard County. Money raised is used to support the arts cultural ind historical organizations and to help artists decrease dependency on government funds and corporate sponsorships.
Terry and I drove out to this event one weekend in April. When we got to A1A the main drag in Coco Beach, the traffic got horrendous. Luckily the Resort is on the northern end and we pulled in to park without waiting in traffic too long. We were guided to a spot to park the car in the grass. At the ticket booth the high school kid taking tickets asked Terry if she was a senior citizen. I think it will take Terry some time to get over that one. But wait, if Terry is a senior citizen then I might be as well by association. What the….!
The sand sculpture were already finished which was disappointing to me. I had hoped to see the sculptors at work which would have made for a better sketch. There were eight huge sculptures. The level of detail was astounding. One sculpture of Italinan architecture and monuments used a forced perspective which mad every building look bigger and taller. People milled around the sculptures constantly, stopping once in a while to shoot photos using cell phones and cameras.
I found the only shady spot on the lot which was next to the merchandise tent. Terry agreed that she would wander for a while and then read a book as I sketched.
When I finished I went to get some lunch from a vendor. I was told the crab cakes were really good to I ordered those. The proprietor spoke with a thick Mediterranean accent. He didn’t have any sodas so I went to the High School girls next door for a Coke. It turns out they are cheerleaders raising funds for a competition trip. I bought the Coke but didn’t support the cause.
AS Terry and I ate lunch I spotted Derrick McKenzie and his girlfriend Pamela Vaughn. I worked with Derrick at Disney Feature Animation and we met a few times as I sketched the Singing Christmas Trees since he works for the First Baptist Church. When I saw him he was checking out the sound equipment on the stage. Like me his mind always seems to be in work mode. We joked around for a bit and after lunch Terry and I headed for the beach to experience more sand up close and personal.