The sea was becalmed today. The placid water gleamed beneath the burnishing midday sun’s rays. There was no one at the beach.  People have gone. The air was motionless and noiseless. I stationed my tricycle beside the sign prohibiting golf carts. Then with my stick I shuffled across the chalky coral and seashell mixture to the empty picnic table.  Somebody had moved the table. It was now in the shade of the tree.  Perhaps there had been an afternoon luncheon. There I ceremoniously unfolded and stored my belongings in my boat shoes which I then haphazardly wound about with my beach towel and white linen shirt atop the picnic table.

I am getting adroit at walking across the beach into the sea.  Even without my sea shoes I manage to evade small rocks and shells. The water was very clear today. The shards of colours blended from blue to darker green. When the sea began to touch my knees I plunged into the water, diving straight forward, pushing my hair back as I swam, tasting the salty water on my lips, sensing the cool ribbon of water about me.

This I knew would be my last swim of the season in the sea before our departure on Sunday morning.  Time to get everything in order, store the tricycle, wash the swimsuit, pack stuff away.

I swam and floated.  Mostly floated. Because there was no wind, I propelled my direction with parallel opening and closing of my arms, aiming towards the horizontal swimming buoys at the furthest reach where several grey and white tiny seagulls were perched.  A cigarette yacht in the distance, far off near the horizon sped by with uncommon obscurity. I continued to roll about like an otter.  Once I hastily glanced into the white blazing orb of the sun. The UV Index was high; perfectly clear (Visibility 26 km), 85°F.

It was time to leave.  This was au revoir à la mer! After this evening’s meal we will have skilfully exhausted our provisions. Tomorrow morning it’s breakfast at the Hideout Restaurant on Shoreland Drive adjacent the North Atlantic Ocean. Oatmeal with Brown Sugar & Raisins, Crab Cake Benedict or Lobster Omelette and a side of Corned Beef Hash!