Happy October

It's been awhile since I posted.  The leaves are changing here and Autumn is in full swing.  Last year at this time I was learning how to walk again.  Thankfully, a distant memory.   I hope everybody is having a good year and healing well.   I noticed my views are getting close to 4000.   Wow!

Life

How is your summer going?  A thunderstorm rolled through the other night.  I woke up in bed and could hear the thunder rumbling in the distance and could see the flashes of lightning lighting up the sky.  It reminded me of the old Bob Seger song.."I woke last night to the sound of thunder
How far off I sat and wondered
Started humming a song from 1962
Ain't it funny how the night moves
When you just don't seem to have as much to lose
Strange how the night moves
With autumn closing in"   Wow - Powerful lyrics that still resonate with me to this day.

Life moves on - my basement flooded during a storm due to new construction near my house - insurance covering but what a pain in the *ss to have the entire basement ripped apart, flooring, walls, etc.  But that is why you have insurance.  So in five weeks or so I will have a "new" finished basement.   Trying to figure out a way to say that my old rear projection TV got water damage so I can put in a new 70" flat screen  ;-)  LOL

I know my last post was about summer's swan song - but now here in mid-august you REALLY can feel the change of season coming - It's dark by 8pm now, and the mornings are a little cooler.   and BLASTED!  I HATE seeing all the back to school sales, signs, commercials etc.  Brings back memories of being a kid - that feeling of dread and excitement all in one about getting back to school.

I think summer still has some tricks up her sleeve before she relents to autumn.   The USA is still hot overall, the pools are still filled with kids, and there is plenty of time to enjoy your back-yard, beach or park.  Take a stroll with your loved one, eat an ice cream cone, have a slice of watermelon, have a BBQ and invite friends!

Life is short - enjoy!

G

Summer's Swan Song

Happy Friday!  I have been reflecting on the change of the season.  While we still have many hot days left here in New England, I can't help but to be reminded of the impending autumn.  Dead give-aways are the sound of locusts in the trees in the day time and the ever present sounds of the northern Katydids at dusk.  This time of year their song is fast and furious.  By late fall, you may hear one or two singing a slow song, and then as the cold sets in nothing.  My vegetable garden is in full swing - with tons of zucchini and finally the first of my tomatoes ripening on the vine.  This was a new project of mine with my daughters and son.  So far, we have had fun with it.  My yard has tons of crab grass, and when driving down the road, you can actually see a tree here or there with a hint of color in it.  In our surrounding waters, the fishing is really firing up, and under the water, the first hints of our tropical visitors are arriving.  Along the east coast of New Jersey as far up as Cape Cod - in the warm shallow bays and backwaters, baby tropical fish are thriving and growing.  They get caught up in the Gulfstream every late summer and early fall, and their eggs and larva are deposited along the coast.  Butterfly fish, damselfish, triggerfish and other tropicals are seen while diving the bays, piers and rock jettys.  As the water starts to get cold again in late fall these fish then all die - with the exception of those rescued by divers like myself for display in home saltwater tanks.  Speaking of the tropics, I keep a nervous eye on the weather report - looking for signs that a tropical storm or hurricane might make its way up the east coast - prompting me to head to the boat to secure her lines, or worse, have the boat hauled before the storm.  There is still plenty of time to enjoy a pool, beach or boat before the labor day weekend.  Which sadly, to me marks the true end of summer with the kids back in school.  Until then, I intend to enjoy each and every day of these final weeks of summer.

G

Florida Keys Reef

The Christ of the Abyss

Ever since I was a little kid I have dreamt of seeing the famous statue of Christ located in the John Pennekamp coral reef state park.  I have been scuba and snorkeling the Florida Keys reefs since 1988.  Last week, I finally dove the reef - Dry Rocks - where the statue is located.  (That is me reaching out to his hand)  Dry Rocks, part of the Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary, and within the John Pennekamp park is about 3 miles out from land.  The statue is in about 25 feet of water.  The statue was a gift from Emilo Cressi - a famous dive gear manufacturer.

 "....This submerged bronze statue of Jesus, of which the original is located in the Mediterranean Sea off San Fruttuoso between Camogli and Portofino on the Italian Riviera. It was placed in the water on 22 August 1954 at approximately 17 metres depth, and stands c. 2.5 metres tall. Various other casts of the statue are located in other places worldwide, both underwater and in churches and museums.
The sculpture was created by Guido Galletti after an idea of Italian diver Duilio Marcante. The statue was placed near the spot where Dario Gonzatti died in 1947. He was the first Italian to use SCUBA gear. It depicts Christ in a pose offering a blessing of peace. His hands and head are raised toward the surface (or the sky, when positioned above water)..."  -- (this from Wikipedia.)

I met all of my goals while in the keys - I dove, I kayaked, I spend time with family, and generally did nothing but enjoy the beauty of these enchanted islands.

Key Largo Bound...

Taking off for Key Largo Saturday for a week with the family.   Goals - Re-connect with one of the most beautiful and unique parts of our country.   Swim, Snorkel, Scuba, Kayak, Explore the reefs, explore the mangrove canals, nap in a hammock, rent a boat and explore the flats and patch reefs.  Eat a lot of good seafood, check out local bars and restaurants.  Hopefully my kids and their boyfriends will fall in love with this place as much as I did my first trip to the keys way back in 1988.

G

Happy 4th!

A day late I know....  Catching up on the news as I started my vacation this week.  Funny the political correctness around the 4th.  You have got to be kidding!  We can't in this country even celebrate what is a great holiday without politicizing it.   Yes - we celebrate our independence from Britain on this day.  But to me - it's more than that.  It's the high-point of Summer!  A great time to take time off with friends and family. To spend time outdoors - even if it is 100 degrees out!  Over the past 2 weeks I was lucky enough to catch 3 fireworks shows!  One on my boat in Branford CT - the scene of my Lisfranc accident last year.  Then, from the back of my boat in my homeport of Stratford CT, and finally, aboard a friends very nice boat anchored in front of the Fairfield CT fireworks.  All awesome!  We came back to our marina last night in the dark - with lightning lighting up the sky and a couple of tropical down-pours. Glad I was not at the helm - sometimes its really fun to let somebody else do the driving.