I lived on the beach for many years. My joy was in waking every morning and walking to the beach and walking to the neighboring islet since the sand bank had formed a natural bridge. We had reasonable homes, ranch style and many of us on our man made tract of land had grass yards although most had pebbles. What we did was, well, what I did was fish in my back yard off my pier although most of my neighbors didn't since they were too busy running businesses and being very important. I worked occasionally as a substitute teacher and sang in the church choir. This was heaven. Living on the edge of the ocean gives you an appreciation for it in a way that reading about it or visiting the ocean just doesn't. I want to talk about the ocean as a neighbor and as a friend or the worst foe, foe, you can imagine.
As a neighbor you can always see for yourself what temperament your neighbor the ocean has. There really is no way for it to hide itself. If the waves are lapping angrily and you know to stay home and listen to the weather channel. If the waves are pleasant and playful, you know you can play. If the beach is strewn with seaweed, and other husks of ocean plant life, you know to be careful of what could be under those plants. Your neighbor the ocean cannot be moved. It cannot be threatened and it cannot be made to do your bidding. You must adjust and plan your life around the condition of your neighbor. The ocean is not really your friend. It doesn't invite you over for drinks and it isn't anxious for your calling. Your neighbor the ocean has no plans that include you; you must make your plans around your neighbor. I did.
One morning as I walked in my usual path alongside the splashing of the ocean, a dolphin decided to join me. It swam alongside of me for quite a way. I don't really think it was a shark. Sharks do not come in that close to the beach. It must have been a dolphin. Another time, I was fishing on my pier and a huge mass surfaced. It was a killer whale, an orca. Several times, I had the most unusual sights of seeing live shells not fiddler crabs but live shells, beautiful and colorful opening up on the beach by the droves. Those were times when the building on my beach as I called it, was kept down to single family homes and to an occasional motel. Things changed. And, so, did my neighbor. Unrestricted building and bullying contractors destroyed the small tract of land that was meant to be a beach and nothing else. The results were not pleasant. Red tides. Sand dollars floating in black and chalky and the water splashing in at times was foamy as if ten thousand ships had all at once emptied their toilets. I was grossed out and I never really stood up for my neighbor. I let myself be controlled by the desires of bullies and I and my neighbor the ocean both paid the price. In human terms, I suffered to see such devastation and to become devastated in a personal way as well. In terms of the natural condition of the ocean, the sporting dolphins and wayward orcas disappeared.
In human terms and maybe in ways that those consumers of the products of unrestricted and greedy overbuilding might understand is that many skin diseases have also been reported. Perhaps, the condition of the water is not healthy and therefore the ill effects will make you ill. That might be incentive enough to work to save the sea.
