Tag: OCEAN
Rainbow & Dolphin

Rainbow & Dolphin

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Photo-bombed by a great blue heron on a time exposure…I actually like it.

There are no guarantees with clouds and light at sunrise…or anytime. But for me to actually plan to be at the beach before sunrise and thus load my gear with the correct bracket attached to my camera, for tripod use, the night before…I admit I was expecting something wonderful.

One could possibly say I am a bit spoiled. I live twenty minutes from the white-sand beaches of the Gulf of Mexico. What some people thrill at seeing once a year I see every day if I choose. So granted, I have no reason to complain.

But the light was really sickly this morning. Seriously, I might have mumbled more than once. It was yellowy, pale, cuckoo light and I was expecting orange, red, salmon….anything but snot yellow.

Honestly, I woke up in a weird mood. I might have hissed at the car driving 25 mph when I was trying to hurry. Just sayin’….I wasn’t in my best happy space.

After over an hour walking and shooting and thinking it was a complete waste of effort, I stopped and had a serious talk with myself. What’s happening, Simone? You’re at the BEACH! This is your happy place. I paused a moment and realized my mind had been wandering…wondering…about the future. I was so caught up in fear-based musings I was missing the present moment.

I just wanted to take something more than frustration from my time on the beach, I whined. Nature always gifts me with a little jewel to ponder and take with me….Okay, so what do I need to do? I know I’m caught in a mind-spin. 

A very clear inner voice said, Be gentle with yourself.

Oh, yeah. That. I thought. (Sigh).

A chant came to mind….I will be gentle with myself, I will love myself for I am child of the Goddess. I started singing out loud as I walked and glanced up from the sand to see a rainbow blob hanging over the end of the long fishing pier. Hey, that’s cool! That’s a nice gift!

Rainbow blob

I stopped and watched the glowing colors for a while as I continued singing. Suddenly a dolphin appeared. It was swimming offshore and as I strengthened my voice, it made a bee-line for the shore where I stood. Okay, I get it! I get it! Be gentle with myself, love myself and just…WOW!

I stood and watched the dolphin surfing in waves breaking over the sand bar for a while and began clapping a rhythm of joy and celebration. Thank you for the reminder! Thank you sister!

It felt as if the dark, snot-colored clouds lifted as I walked with rainbow and dolphin energy surrounding me, lifting me from distraction to being fully present with the beauty all around me. I received the gift, but first had to find the present.

…And with some extra processing in Lightroom I came away with some images that I didn’t hate. You never know what gifts await when engaging with the eternal now moment.

 
In Love with the World

In Love with the World

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There can be a tendency to shut down as we move through life. Experiences that generate fear are at the bottom of a closed heart. In a Course in Miracles there’s a very famous quote that says, “What is not love is fear.” This seems more true with each passing day.

When I documented the Gulf Oil Spill for a year I found myself unable to function very well in almost every other aspect of my life because I was so traumatized by what I saw and experienced. At the time my closing down was a self-preservation tactic. And so it is, especially with childhood trauma or in times of disaster or immediate loss. We close down to be able to function.

It took a week with like-minded people under Joanna Macy’s guidance for me to begin to unravel the tight shroud of protection I had woven around myself.  A week of learning and healing with Joanna and 30 other folks dedicated to working on helping the planet was a jump-start back to an open heart and more effective living.

Life has rocked along since then with major life-changes occurring including a move back home from the mountains of North Carolina to the beloved Gulf Coast. Since returning home I worked five seasons as a sea turtle volunteer and helped in a manatee rescue near my home. I’ve written and produced three books and am working on two more now. I have traveled and visited with humpback whales, dolphins, sea lions and manatees. I’ve visited the Sea of Cortez twice. But even with all the creative energy experienced, it has felt like there’s something missing.

I’ve spent time exploring the missing piece and have gradually come to realize that my time as a ‘hermit’ is coming to an end. I’ve hidden from the world, in a way, and spent time in deep contemplation and while that’s good, I have kept the world at arm’s length. It can be a crazy, schizo world after all.

The planet is working very hard to balance itself.  Increasing temperature and pollution is accelerating changes that were long and slow in the past. We’re seeing the climate change in one lifetime in what should take millennia and seeing species go extinct daily. Cancer rates are outrageous because of toxins humans have added to the environment. It’s a lot to take in and process….especially if you are one inclined to enjoy sanity. Thus, the withdrawal on my part.

So after this extended time of retreat I find myself wanting to move out into the world. And one of the ideas that has presented is traveling throughout our beautiful country sharing my body of work about the beauty of the Ocean of saltwater that surrounds all land forms on this water planet…the perfect metaphor for the Ocean of Love in which we all exist.

A little teardrop camper, a vehicle to pull it and me and Buddy visiting places and people….connecting Ocean-to-Ocean on this amazing continent. Video presentations, workshops and book sales are just the beginning. Look for it some day. I want to spread love and light and champion the amazing Ocean planet on which we live and encourage people to join together in understanding and connecting with each other and nature. Why? Because I am in love with the world, after all.

Buddy Experiences Moonlight Madness…Painting
Making Lemonade

Making Lemonade

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My Nikon had been sitting on my desk since the Florida Springs dive trip. I felt so bad for it, all alone…waiting for a play date, I decided to do my Sunday morning beach walk this morning since Sunday was rained out. It was before 5am when I ran upstairs and grabbed my camera and tripod. Cool. The tripod bracket is already on the camera. That will save time.

When shooting sunrise, I like to begin while it’s still completely dark. With long exposures very nice effects result. About half way to the beach I wondered why my tripod bracket was on the camera. When did I use the tripod? Not on the dive trip. Hmmm.

The sky was still subdued but there were pink clouds mocking me as I hurriedly drove the last few curves on Highway 135. By the time I ran to the water’s edge most of the pink was gone. Whatever, I’ll just do some long exposures with the rough water…that will be nice.

When I attempted to attach my camera to the ball head on my tripod I noticed the plate on my camera was actually for my underwater housing….NOT the tripod. Well    just    freak.

I played with purposely moving the camera and had such fun.

Not to be deterred, I started shooting and balancing the camera on the tripod for long exposures and they did okay. No big deal…just not as long as I wanted.

About 10 minutes into the shoot I realized I hadn’t cleared my memory card…my large memory card that was nearly full. And for some reason, Lightroom and my D800 don’t play nice when I don’t want to import everything on the card. And with images that are very large in size….jeez. I didn’t want to even think about the fussing that would go on between the Adobe product, the Apple product and me later. Gawd. Next time I think about shooting, I’ll pack everything the night before….duh.

Too late now. Light was brightening and that’s not what I want when playing with motion and color and wide angle.

I finally had enough concrete and geometric fluffy water shots so put my tripod in the car. I could at least get in a good walk on the beach.

The rough water of the past few days had deposited huge amounts of plants from Mobile Bay along the beaches. I felt bad about leaving my usual trash bag at home for collecting garbage but there was so much plastic and other human-created debris I could have filled up a pick-up truck…or small dump truck. (I did remove plastic bags and a mylar balloon….deadly items for sea turtles and other animals that might eat it).

Regardless, I played with my 14-24mm lens. Each time I use it I remember how much I enjoy the lens…its beautiful crispness, the ability to get very close to objects for interesting wide angle shots. It was a sweet reminder.

I could have given up after leaving my bracket at home or paused to erase (one-by-one) the many photographs from diving weeks ago so I wouldn’t lose the ones already taken this morning….but then missed the perfect light. However, I worked with the circumstances that presented and came away with not only a nice walk and a few good images, but with a valuable reminder: Work with what I have, celebrate the day regardless.

Perhaps too often I allow the glitches of the day define the day. No need to do that. Keep squeezing the day for every bit of sweetness I can find.
Chasing Sunrise

Chasing Sunrise

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The route has been the same for a few years now. If I time it right, the orange orb rising over the swamp greets me as I traverse the cross-over trail. And if I’m really lucky, there is mist hovering over the area.  I am a creature of habit.

Now there are many new trails over previously inaccessible areas. And the Gulf of Mexico wonders where I’ve been all these months. Where did you go? she whispers in Her waves as they kiss the shore.

So many choices now. Which way to go?

First, I answer Her call. Straight to salt water before the sun arises from slumber. Sometimes She is rowdy and throws Herself on white sand and other times She is metallic turquoise and barely moves, containing her energy. But every day Her voice whispers advice or leads me deeper into silence.

And then the sun calls me and I do something not previously done….I ride into the Light.

I realized last week that for years I have planned my rides so that I don’t have face the sun…who wants to stare into the sun when there are other ways and routes that prevent this? But sunrise over the marsh, elevated on the boardwalk is exquisite. The Light calls me to face it….to turn towards it and allow it to bathe me in its glow.

I used to want to observe the sun as it peeked over the swamp. Now I want it to wrap around me, shine upon me and fill me…so every day I cycle I chase sunrise.

 I have started a line of shirts called, Follow the Light. The first one is now available for purchase. The sale of these tees supports my work and allows me to do more of what my heart calls me to do. This design is available in white unisex sizes or ladies v-neck rocking a modern cut and design. Support the work but above all, Follow the Light!

There is a limited number available on this first production.

Purchase here or send me a message to purchase.
Piano…A Whale of a Story

Piano…A Whale of a Story

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Sometimes the story behind the scars is bigger than the whale, larger than life. Such is Piano’s life story.

Piano crossed my path this year while I was visiting the Silver Bank for an offshore humpback whale week. She was eight years old. When I photographed her frolicking with other humpbacks she appeared happy, like the other whales swimming within the protected area. There was one exception….Piano had severe scars along her back. Looking at them through the viewfinder of my camera and telephoto lens I winced, “How could she survive whatever caused THAT!”

And the scars were not ‘only’ on her back. It appeared as if she had an entanglement scar on her fluke. It was difficult figuring out her story.

I captured several images including a fluke ID photo. Upon return I emailed the Center for Coastal Studies, sending the images along with the time and date observations were obtained.

Almost immediately I received a reply from Jooke Robbins, PhD, director of the Humpback Whale Studies Program giving a brief history of the whale and stating she was well known by the staff there. I did further digging and found out more information about this beautiful angel of the sea.

Piano was born in 2009. In 2011 she suffered a severe injury through a ship strike. Specifically the propeller sliced her back…or appeared to chew it. In July of 2012 she was severely entangled in fishing gear. When she was freed from that entanglement by the team, scars were noted from an even earlier, unwitnessed entanglement.  On a lighter note, she was the poster girl for Wild Chatham in 2010.

Whales that live in the Gulf of Maine and surrounding area have a much better chance of survival thanks to The Center for Coastal Studies.  Not only do they study whales, they have an amazing disentanglement team. Check out the short video below.

DISENTANGLEMENT VIDEO

DISENTANGLEMENT VIDEO 2

DISENTANGLEMENT VIDEO 3

Piano touched me deeply. She fully embodies the energy of persistence and has survived even when faced with serious consequences of simply being a humpback whale in a world where human activity is increasingly dangerous.

Piano and her friend frolicking on the Silver Bank.

Join me in saying a little prayer for Piano, sending her love and include all whales in that prayer. And while you’re at it, say one for the humans, too. We need to awaken.

I offer an invitation to visit the Center for Coastal Studies web page to learn about their amazing work with many marine species. Join me in supporting them as a member. Visit their cool on-line store to purchase whale merch.

The summary of my week? More than ever I believe these whales to be highly aware, sentient beings with amazing intelligence and an important role to play in this Ocean planet’s story. I contend they are Angels of the Sea.

To read other stories about humpback whales check out the previous stories from this week on the Silver Bank.

Part I

Part II

Part III

Part IV

Part V

The Video

Special thanks to Tom Conlin and Aquatic Adventures and the crew of the Turks & Caicos Explorer II.