Dockside Mornings

Most of my mornings here at Dawson’s Lagoon are very quiet, except for the occasional greeting by George and his manatee family. I take the occasional sunrise picture and post it, drink my coffee, and think my thoughts. 

Today began the same way with a beautiful sunrise and very refreshing offshore breeze from San Carlos Bay, which I was most grateful for, as it kept the aggravating mosquitoes and no-see-ems away from me.

It wasn’t long before my morning meditations were disturbed by the sound of an outboard motor screaming up the 8th street canal. (This is both a sin and a crime as the canals are sometimes occupied by manatee and clearly marked no wake.) Not 30 seconds into this mad dash, I hear the siren blast from a local marine patrol, and then all becomes quiet again. Smiling, I think of my friend Bill Liska and how proud he would be that his watercraft officer brother/sister had put a stop to this action.

Just as things return to normal, I begin hearing the sound of the loudest, largest, and most disturbing mosquitoes since the dinosaurs roamed the earth. Following the sound with my eyes, I see the multicolored mosquitoes buzzing about overhead. Upon closer observation, I realize these are human flying parasails. After a couple of orbits and a wave, these monstrosities leave my area.

Quiet finally returned to my little lagoon but not for long.  I hear a powerful splashing noises coming from around the dock across the way. Thinking some poor soul has fallen in the water, I try to locate the exact position so that I might render aid. What I see is a bottlenose dolphin flapping his tail in the shallows trying to corner his breakfast.

Accepting that my morning solace is now in tatters I was about to leave, when Mr. Gray and two of his buddies silently landed on the dock next to me. 

Mr. Gray and I met yesterday while I was fishing from the dock. He asked if I would share my bait with him as, by his observation, he could see I was not catching many fish. I agreed and he enjoyed a lunch of sardines and mullet as he silently made fun of me for my lack of fishing skills. 

This morning he suggested that I give him the remnants of the shrimp which were in the bait bucket. I agreed on condition that he not make fun of me anymore. After a moment’s reflection, he squawked which seem to say to me just give me the fish since we all know you’re a lousy fisherman. I agreed and emptied the bait bucket on the dock.

Not all dockside mornings are quiet, but they all are amazing.