Crusty Sand Dollar

Somnolence again.  We haven’t discussed somnolence for a while, with good reason:  we’ve been so thoroughly under its influence these slow-baked August days here on Skinny Island we haven’t been compelled to muster the initiative to record the mostly subtle, but moving changes this month brings to the beach.  In that we have been remiss.  Blame somnolence.  For the uninitiated, uninformed, or just plain slow, Somnolence is “the quality or state of being drowsy” and, in this part of the world, anyway, is sun-induced.  Anyway, we found this crusted sand dollar this morning, generally the only way we find them whole. I think other critters attach themselves to these exoskeletons of the dead dollar, and secrete a gluey, sandy substance that keeps the thing intact in its trip to shore through rough water.

Clean Sand Dollar

In the only work I’ve managed in days, I carefully scrapped off the exudate with a fingernail, and Viola! a Whole sand dollar.  Cool.

For more than a week we have been under the influence of a weather pattern that has eliminated the daily development of a sea breeze, normally our saving grace, the phenomenon of heated air rising on the mainland which draws air in from the much cooler ocean.  The current pattern consists of mostly clear skies and light west winds, which makes for exceptionally calm, clear, green water, but also soaring temperatures and humidity.  Stay in the water, you’re fine; but only steps away, you cook.

8-23-11

Until today.  Quite out of nowhere, after another morning of very calm water and no wind, a stiff breeze kicked up out of the east, completely unrelated to Hurricane Irene to our south, churning up the ocean, and making things much cooler.  As mentioned, Irene is churning to the southeast of us, taking aim on the Bahamas chain as a Cat 1 storm as we speak.  It is expected to intensify to a Cat 3 or 4 in open water, steering clear of our coast on its way north, but providing, I anticipate, epic surf.  Thought it would be fun to do daily updates as it moves by us, with pictures.  Stay tuned.

This is a beach Morning Glory I caught in early light.  They close up, of course, as the sun rises.  The tendrils of this plant run a good forty feet down onto the beach from the dune, where this blossom reigned, and I suspect it won’t survive the expected tidal surge to come.

Morning Glory