I began my Coast of Summer project one morning in June, in Stonington, Connecticut. I decided to complete it one night in September, a few miles away, in Watch Hill, Rhode Island.
Watch Hill is one of my favorite summer places. It is the residence of some of my best memories, involving both people and dogs, that have been important to my life. As far as I can remember, this was the first time I had been to Watch Hill at night. I chose this particular evening because it was the night of the full moon.
The skies were not clear, but the moonlight punched its way through the cloud cover for an hour or so, allowing me to see Napatree Point, East Beach and the Watch Hill Lighthouse as they appear when very few people are around.
A small group of fishermen perched on the end of the rock jetty that reaches into the bay. A couple watched the moonrise, cuddled on a hill, and surrounded by the tall grass that sways constantly in the sea breeze. Other than that, I was alone on the beach.
High tide arrived just after midnight that evening, but even a few hours before, huge, heavy waves were crashing onto the shore with a shudder. You can feel the weight of the water shake the earth as it topples onto the sand and takes part of the beach with it back out to sea.
Being on the coast of the Atlantic Ocean at night heightened my awareness of what, I think, draws us to the sea.
Our curiosity lies mainly in the sheer size of the ocean and the horizon. It reminds us how small we are in terms of the planet. We wonder what the world beneath the waves is like. We know it is there, but we can't see it. We can only imagine it. It is more than a world beneath the surface, it is an ecosystem as complex as the universe.
The horizon reminds us that no matter how big our own problems are, somewhere, in the distance, they are of no consideration at all. Just over that line, where the water meets the sky, everything is different. Better, we hope.
As the temperatures begin to fall, this is a sad but romantic time of year to be near the ocean.
Another summer is slipping away and we must prepare for whatever winter has in store. But the water is still warm as it retains the energy of the summer sun. There is still time for a last swim. There is still time for a walk on the beach.
The transition of the seasons is as reliable as the rhythm of the waves. The tides show us that everything that pulls away finds its way back. Life goes on beneath the surface. Spring is on the horizon and summer will soon follow.
Editor's Note: I have two more installments related to the Coast of Summer project on the way. One captured in black and white and one studying shingle style architecture.
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© Dean Pagani 2020
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© Dean Pagani 2020