For the past twenty
years, we have joined a group of 23 to 25 people for a week in Corolla, on the
North Carolina Outer Banks. We rent two or three large houses, cook in,
play cards, tennis and golf and visit with each other. The week was especially
meaningful to us because we moved from Mooresville last June where most of the
Corolla people live. It was great to see everyone again.
This year the wildlife
was special.
Sand crabs abound on the
beach, but they’re usually small. Aloma saw a gray crab larger than two
of my fists. She said he was feisty.
A red fox seemed to
include our house in his territory. He/she was seen four or five times
including peeking in the front door. We heard that he often sleeps on the
putting green next to the house.
Three deer grazed on the
dune between us and the ocean last night. Two were large and one was
small, but larger than a fawn. They were in no hurry.
On the way in last
Sunday, we noticed a large flock of over a hundred ducks or geese flying north
in formation in front of us. We were limited to 45 mph so we stayed
behind then for almost twenty minutes.
The usual porpoises, sea
gulls, sandpipers and pelicans were daily visitors.
On our last beach walk,
Aloma shouted, “A big bird just dived into the ocean right in front of us.”
The bird stayed in the water and fluttered its wings before finally
taking off with a nice sized fish in his claws. It was an osprey.
They usually grab a fish without staying in the water but a second or
two. Seeing this osprey dive so close to shore and so close to us was
special.
On a sad note, a
six-foot porpoise was dead and half covered with sand. Some fool had
spray painted part of it. Aloma said she prayed for its soul.
We already look forward
to Corolla, 2016.
Seasoned Man
