I added a new job title to my resume today. Turtle Crossing Guard. It’s egg laying time again here lower Delaware.
The poor things found their way to the boat ramp and just walked right out into the parking lot.
At first they gravitated to the white painted stripes on the blacktop and I guess they thought it was sand. They sure tried to dig into it.
She would soon figure out that there was going to be no hole digging here and move on across the parking lot to the grassy, sandy, wooded area on the other side.
I followed them across the lot in case a truck/boat trailer came in to launch. One of the state employees suggested I pick her up and move her to the area she was headed and I would have but when I went near her that mouth opened wide and it kind of scared me. I was content to stop traffic so she could cross safely.
This turtle is just covered in barnacles. I didn’t see where she came from until she was in the middle of the road.
The last one to make a crossing across the parking lot today. She knew exactly where she was going and didn’t take the time to try to dig on the white painted lines on the parking lot. She was definitely on a mission!
I’ve had several people ask me for a picture of me in my hat. Here it is, I’m happy to oblige! Happy now LaVon?
When I got off work I met up with Deb as soon as Bob left to go over to the marina. She was interested in seeing the Fenwick Island Lighthouse. I don’t think I’ve ever seen the lighthouse so we went in search of it.
We didn’t have to travel far as Fenwick Island is just 7 miles or so down the road. We found it without much trouble and was surprised to find that it wasn’t actually on the waterfront but rather about a city block off the main drag through the beach area.
This August will celebrate 153 years since the first lighting of this lighthouse. In 1856 Congress appropriated $25,000 to build the lighthouse on a 10 acre tract bought for $50.00. Since there was a 60 mile span between the two lighthouses already in operation, this was a needed beacon in the night.
Next to the lighthouse is two story frame house that has a 2,500 gallon cistern in the basement used to collect rain water off the roof.
After several years a second dwelling was built on the other side of the structure for an assistant lighthouse keeper.
One Christmas morning, likely in 1931, as a keeper was extinguishing the light, he noticed a small boat stranded on a sandbar about a half mile south of the lighthouse. Seeing what appeared to be a person huddled inside the craft, the keeper set out for the boat and discovered the occupant to be an unconscious man clothed in fur garments. The keeper took the man back to the lighthouse, where he soon recovered. Amazingly, the man turned out to be an Eskimo who weeks earlier had embarked on a solo journey from Greenland to Alaska via the Panama Canal. After regaining his strength and taking on new provisions, the Eskimo resumed his lengthy journey to Alaska. (Excerpt taken from Lighthouse Friends.com)
From Fenwick we went to Bethany Beach. I had some business in the Town Office. Well, not really business, I wanted to get copies of the calendars they had listing all the activities for the summer. This gave Deb a chance to get a picture of Delaware’s Peter Toth carving. She later said something about seeing each Toth carving in each state she visits.
I was more interested in a bed of daisies.
We walked up to the beach and took note of the sea grass planted.
I did learn something from Deb that I didn’t know. Hydrangea bushes will give multi-colored blooms on the same bush if exposed to salt air. You learn something new every day.
You may have noticed that I haven’t posted a picture of Deb. I took two, but neither was flattering and you know my rule about not posting pictures that don’t do my friends justice. Neither was her fault, the fault lies completely with me the picture taker.
From Bethany Beach we went to a local RV dealership so that she could look around and see what’s out there. She’s in the market to upgrade her camper. What she has is nice but too small to live in full time.
After dinner we hung out at her place and talked the night away. I thoroughly enjoyed getting to know her in real life. Her plans include Florida next winter so I’m hoping we meet up again then.
Deb will be gone tomorrow by the time I get off work so we said our so longs this evening.
Safe travels my friend.
1 comment:
You are becoming a jill of all trades! Turtle guard should look really good on your resume! ann
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