Sandpiper Impressionism

The sand is warm and deep as it pulls my bare feet in different directions and makes it impossible to walk a straight line toward the sea. I have walked this path many times at different seasons of the year. I have walked it often enough that I can tell whether it’s high tide or low tide by the sound and the vibration although I can’t yet see the beach on the other side of the dune.

On this harbor side of the peninsula, tall grasses, low shrubs, and small trees have managed to take hold. In early summer, green and purple leaves and flowers stand a few feet off the ground on dark brambles and provide shade and protection for small sea birds. In streaks and waves the waist high yellow grass moves in between the stiff brush and bends gently toward the open water on the prevailing westerly wind.

Reaching the peak of the dune the small town is well behind me. The path opens to reveal the familiar yet always surprising beach. It is a living sculpture formed by steady winds, the roll of the ocean waves, and the occasional hurricane.

The thick sand of the dune transitions to a hard surface made by the weight of the salt water tumbling over and over again onto the beach. Now it is easy to walk. Sandpipers lead the way, always looking over their shoulders, but never thinking to take flight.