Ocean Lure

"They that go down to the sea in ships, that do business in great waters; These see the works of the Lord, and his wonders in the deep," Psalm 107:22,23.

One of the best memories I have of our trip to North Carolina was my glimpse of the Atlantic Ocean!  My first time to see it!  Mark and Rhonda had taken us to the sea side town of Wilmington, where we had a seafood  lunch with a wonderful view of boats, yachts and gulls flying, seen through the huge glass windows as we ate in air conditioned comfort.  It reminded me of  Gulfport, Mississippi, or Pensacola, Florida, from our days of living near the coast.

But we had to get up close and personal.  Parking was at a premium on the crowded beach, but going through a  hotel, we found a  sand path through sea grass that led us to a wide vista of majestic beauty.  There it was! The Atlantic Ocean! Colorful umbrellas dotted the beach for sun protection, but the breeze off the water  was cool on this hot 4th of July day. I was awed by the grandeur of it: the blue water, the white surf on the waves breaking in their regular, rhythmic roll to the shore, the blue sky and fluffy white clouds above.  It was Nature's free amusement park!  Too bad we couldn't stay long, but our hosts had further treats in store.

Soon we were wandering down cobbled streets closed to traffic, seeking the shadows of the historic brick waterfront buildings in a quaint shopping area.  They knew a fabulous ice cream store where we pondered over delicious selections.  These places never have seating, but right next door  was a shop whose doors stood open in welcome.  We enjoyed our ice cream while browsing their wares, exclaiming over funny signs and plaques in the cool air-conditioning.  Bath tub "ice cream" in pastel scoops that fizzed in the water made  perfect take-home gifts for granddaughters.

I remember from school a poem by John Masefield called Sea Fever.  The poet said, "I must go down to the sea again, to the lonely sea and the sky; And all I ask is a tall ship and a star to steer her by..."  His poetic words and phrases like  "grey mist on the sea's face,"  "running tide,"  "flying spray and blown plume and sea gulls crying," paint lovely sea pictures in the mind. The poet finishes with the line, "And a quiet sleep and a sweet dream with the long trick's over."  A quiet sleep and a sweet dream. What a lovely way to end our trip!