You never know what you’re going to find here on Skinny Island on any given day.  A few years back this Cuban raft washed ashore right near the house.  No people aboard when it came in; we don’t know what happened to them.  It had taken quite a beating in the crossing, but still showed signs of remarkable ingenuity and perseverance, with a canvas deck, safety lines, a make-shift sail, and most amazing, a V-8 truck engine amidship, connected to a prop at the stern.

We’ve found dolphins, sharks, a Harbor Porpoise, bottles from France and Germany, about seventy pairs of sunglasses, some very nice, nearly two dozen mask and snorkel combos and, twenty-something years ago, the body of a man of indeterminate age, who had been in the water a long time.

These more recent finds are more mundane, but still interesting.

This wonderfully rendered pyramid appeared about a week ago, undoubtedly sculpted by aliens.  Nobody on Skinny Island is that skillful, and there were no permits for pyramid construction issued by the Governor’s Office.  Or for anything else, for that matter.  We are not great believers in permits.  Our official attitude is, if you think you can build it; go for it.  If it kills you; oh, well.

This is a rare find, an Eastern Coachwhip snake.  It is the longest snake native to Florida, and lives in coastal dunes.  This one was nearly six feet.  In more than twenty years, Ive never seen one.  Unfortunately, we found him dead on the west side of A1A.  Apparently his first and last mistake was leaving the dune.  I guess he was hit by a car and managed to haul himself to our side.  As you can see, there are some wiggle marks in the sand.