On the Beach (late Spring)

[Riley Smith]

The wind was South and blowing those white cumulus puffs off the tip of Old Man River. Just a gentle summer breeze coming across the water, and the clouds were sailing, and the sky above them was that beautiful Bermuda high blue. That contrasted starkly with the brown water, and may I be so stuffy as to say that it clashed.
The pelicans were soaring the updraft along the shore, as the wind provided a wave of lift as it came in off the water and struck the land. A squadron of eight or ten were casting those fast-moving shadows on the lawn as the key hit the front door lock. The old pelicans know of this wave and take the youngsters for their first flights along the shoreline.
Turn down the A/C from 85 to something a little cooler and see if the units are working properly. Check the hydration supplies in the cooler, pee, and head out to mow. All the brown water from upriver was coming down right in the middle of a south wind and a high tide. One of the roads in was underwater. Yes, the water was up and although it wasn't blowing much, I could see a whitecap or two where the river meets the Mississippi Sound, meaning that there were some waves in that deep spot there.
The pelicans in flight training came by again, sailing on that wind and easy flying, but there wasn't much else beside a crow that seems to be hanging around. There were no terns and a sky without terns means there are few fish. I'm sure the pelicans and others have mostly moved south to the islands to eat. The incoming tide and high river had made it over Dan's boat dock to the west and made a gurgling sound as the wavelets lapped past.
 The breeze on the front porch cooled me while resting, after a spell of mowing. The water is high and fresh and there is absolutely no reason to think about the rod I brought because it isn't going to do anything but bring frustration. The breeze is tailor-made to have a good time with the catboat but the water visibility is the pits. Easy to run aground when you can't see three inches deep, but that King tide on top of a high river and a south wind holding it in is impressive. There are rhythms to this place and one of them is high brown water.  The river will be back down about Wednesday and things will change again where the salt and fresh mix. Soon the temperature will make it into the 90s. The pool already feels absolutely the best it feels all year.

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