I'm from San Diego, Calif., and Carol's from Seattle, Wash. We both are ocean-loving kids. Carol's family visited the northern Pacific coast often; and my parents took us to the Southern California coast often during my childhood, and to the Atlantic seaboard in my later high school years. Carol and I can sit on the beach or on a pier jutting into the water and watch the undulating seascape for hours on end and never tire of it.
Friends and acquaintances don't understand, and ask, "How can you just sit there and look at the same thing for hours? Isn't that totally boring?"
The answer is a resounding NO. The sea is never the same.
The swells that eventually morph into waves are always changing; and believe-it-or-not, the waves never crash the same. Sometimes the waves merely topple over, but other times they mount up and trap enormous amounts of air as they prepare to pound the sand. That's when the compressed air sends water exploding every which way. Often several swells, which are moving at different speeds, will combine and create a much larger, more dynamic wave. And we get thrilled when a several hundred-foot-wide wave curls and breaks in one movement.
The winds offshore create whitecaps out at sea, and the color of the water -- based on the color of the sky and how the sunlight reflects off the water -- changes continuously.
Sea animals often come into view. In Puget Sound in Washington State, orcas (killer whales) are often present; but on our last trip up there we saw and filmed a humpback whale. That humpback must have gotten lost because they normally don't enter the Sound.
Up and down the coast, we often see dolphins, sea lions, sea otters, gray whales, elephant seals, humpback whales, harbor seals and other sea critters. In fact, on our last visit to the Oregon coast, we saw hundreds of sea lions floating off the coast, barking their greetings and, quite often, disapprovals to each other.
We watch seagulls fight for food floating or near the surface of the water. And pelicans have an interesting way of circling to spot their underwater prey, then dive like spears to get their fresh fish feast. Periodically, we see jellyfish -- and portions thereof -- washed up on the beach. If you see any of these, please don't touch them because the poison on the tentacles will still hurt you.
We like to go fishing on the coast. An interesting rule is: If we stand on shore or even in the surf, we need a license. But if we stand on the pier, no license is required. I caught a lot of fish from the pier.
One interesting non-sea-life viewpoint was Face-rock at the State Park in Brandon, Ore. The huge granite rock just off-shore resembles the head of a person looking up to the sky, and carries the legend of Indian Princess Ewauna who was lured out into the water by Seatka, the evil spirit of the sea.
At Monterey, Calif., we nearly lost track of time. After visiting the fascinating Monterey Aquarium, we went to the shore several miles away. The tide was coming in, the waves were 12-14-feet high and crashing in spectacular form with dynamic results! We watched for several hours without realizing it was getting dark. Although both of us had taken over 150 pictures, we kept taking them because every time we looked, the scene was different.
By the way, it was the Monterey Aquarium staff who discovered that octopi (plural of octopus) kill sharks. Look it up on the internet for the whole story.
But just as the undulating seascape is ever-changing, life is ever-changing. Every time we wake up, turn around, go to the store, or meet someone, things change. Our health changes, businesses close, people lose jobs, someone dies. We sometimes emotionally feel like corks tossed about on turbulent water. We need an anchor. What can we do?
As a ship in a storm needs a safe harbor, we can find peace and safety in Jesus. The song declares: "I've anchored my soul in the Haven of rest."
The Bible informs us that Jesus understands everything we experience, has endured every kind of temptation, pain, and hardship we face, and is willing to help us -- if we let Him.
Make 2020 your turning point. Commit your life to Jesus, and find stability in Him. Jesus is waiting for you.
-- Gene Linzey is a speaker, author and mentor. Send comments and questions to [email protected]. Visit his website at www.genelinzey.com. The opinions expressed are those of the author.
Religion on 01/29/2020