Sabbatical Ending

Our Sabbatical here in Atlantic Beach is quickly drawing to a close.  We decided to drive down the coast through Pine Knoll Shores and Emerald Isle, talking about what we have seen and done for the past two months, and looking ahead and planning for the rest of the year.  We decided to eat lunch at one of the places we have enjoyed the most this year, the Salt Water Grill in Swansboro (see post of February 9).

We both ordered the same thing:  She Crab Soup and Shrimp Tacos.  The soup is truly exceptional;  the menu says:  "In memory of Miss Wanda, who handed down her family recipe for she crab soup; her advice: a good stock from crab roe, simmered w/ lump & claw crab meat, sweet cream, & a dash of hot sauce, then finished w/ a creamed sherry & served from the heart."

After lunch we drove out to Hammocks Beach State Park, just outside Swansboro.  Martha had tried to sign up for an "Eco-Tour" to Bear Island from this place a month ago, but the ferry to this uninhabited island, we were told,  holds only six people and was already booked.

It was still windy when we returned, but we bundled up and took a walk on the beach, down to the pier and back.  The ocean had calmed down quite a bit and it was low tide.  Martha suddenly pointed out toward the ocean:  "Dolphins!"  And there it was, leaping out of the water:

I'm not sure if I can explain why such a sight is so satisfying.  Perhaps it is because we seldom see what is below the surface of the ocean, and yet we know that it is teeming with life.  And this dolphin leaping from the water reminds us of another world as it rises and shines a little in the sun and then disappears below the waves again.

Now each wave seems to hold a playful secret,

A dorsal fin appearing here, and there,

Upcurving in the glistening air, like the top

Of a dolphin wheel poking just above the surface

Turning round and round in this sunny realm.

We will miss this beautiful place, and we are thankful to Martha's Aunt Lizette for her generosity in letting us stay here for so long.  We have had time to walk and run, to read and write, to relax and talk together, to gain a new perspective on our lives, and to  think about where we have been and what adventures we will be taking this coming year.  We are looking forward to it all!