Next to Hay Harbor

I appreciate the Island’s stillness this time of year-mostly because it cultivates an awareness of the marine environment around me. There are very few distractions.

Just standing still, and listening, one can sense a rhythm (or routine) whether it’s the lapping of waves at low tide, or Fish crows in a distant tree top bantering back and forth, I can hear the local ferry “Popeye” heading past Dock beach this morning, and an Amtrak train whistle across the Sound… hearing far off moments announcing another brand new day and I haven’t even left my driveway.

The daily, even rhythm I sense monitoring our different beaches does indeed have its invigorating and lovely moments. I find though that surveying consistently these same areas for trash strikes a different chord.

I see abundant masses of disposable plastic. The tiniest particles or objects remind me over and over again that in any pristine ecosystem, trash disposed of improperly is here basically forever.

Disposable cigar tips-I see them on every beach and in many coastal nooks and crannies. Made in China, one company offered online a minimum order of 50 cartons with 50,000 cigar tips in ONE carton. And I am disheartened to report that now they come in various colors-not just vintage Ivory. . .