Watching the Waves

SEEING THE OCEAN for the first time was absolutely mesmerizing for me. It happened over five decades ago. From the very edge of a beach, I stood in utter amazement trying to comprehend the vastness. As far as my eyes could see, there was water. No boat, no ship, no island, no coastline in the distance came into view; there was nothing beyond the water. Then, I re-focused to take a look closer to where I was standing. This view was just as enthralling. Wave after wave came rolling-in toward me. It was truly a sight to behold!

The experience described above was the beginning of my love for watching the waves. And, it lingers to the present day. Over these many years, I have had the wonderful opportunity of enjoying this leisure activity overlooking various bodies of water. The list includes the Atlantic and Pacific oceans; the Gulf of Mexico; all five of the Great Lakes in the U.S.; and, the Caribbean, Baltic, and North Seas.

It has been amazing for me to see waves in all of their different stages. Some are so turbulent that they rage and pound the shoreline. Yet, on occasion, waves can be so small that they hardly produce a ripple. Most often, it seems, waves roll in multitudinous stages somewhere between those two extremes.

It's also fascinating to observe that waves can move from one stage to another in a short period of time. One day the water can be completely calm; the very next day, it can be churning.

Another interesting component of watching the waves is listening to them. The sounds can move from very quiet, and almost undetectable, all the way to loud and thunderous. At times, waves can be heard blocks away from the shore.

During the past several winters, it has been my privilege to live along the coastline of  northwest Florida's Panhandle. Being able to see the emerald waters of the Gulf every day has been a major blessing. And, watching the waves - even if only for a few minutes - has become a special delight on a daily basis..

It is intriguing to realize that watching the waves can be both exciting and relaxing at the same time! For me, it truly is. Hopefully, you will discover this same joyful leisure experience also.