Saturday, November 14, 2009

Ocean ranger


Destination unknown
Deerfield Beach, FL, December 2008


It's as long as a skyscraper is tall, yet on the horizon it slips by, barely noticed by the folks frolicking on the beach. Except my daughter, who sees it first and tells me to get my camera out.

As we sit on the sand and watch it slowly make its way across the seeming edge of the planet, she muses aloud about where it might be going. She rattles off a list of potential destinations, all touristy places more likely to be visited by a cruise ship than one carrying cargo containers. I correct her. She rolls her eyes, reminding me she was kidding, and she knows full well it's a cargo ship. Smart girl.

We decide we like its blocky, built-for-a-purpose form. You know full well what this thing was built for. We wish we could get a little closer to it, get some answers about what it's carrying, where it's headed, what it's called and who sails on her. But for now, we're content to watch this mysterious leviathan continue on its way. Answers may come another day, if at all. But for today, we're content to sit on the beach and just be.

Your turn: When you took a small moment to talk about big things...

About this photo: It's travel week all week long. To dive into the thematic soup, so to speak, click here.

4 comments:

kenju said...

I could take that photo a hundred times when we're in Virginia Beach; watching the big ships and barges leave Norfolk and the Chesapeake Bay for the Atlantic and parts unknown.

Cloudia said...

Every small moment is momentous.


Aloha, Carmi


Comfort Spiral

Pamela said...

tonight. our 6 year old
granddaughter called to tell us she lost both front teeth. Within 12 hours of each other, it seems.

She lisped her sweet over the phone line miles and grandpa and I made the right ooohs and aaaahs as we smiled.

Quite an occasion for a little girl - and so special for us to share - even from far away.

Mojo said...

I took a small moment this very afternoon (Sunday) to text my oldest about what was -- around here -- a momentous event. For the first time since October 9th, the Hurricanes won a game! Yeah. It's been that long. And that frustrating. (But your home boy Bryan Rodney is hanging in there with the Big Club... for now.)

I had to smile at the description of the All-Knowing-12-Year-Old-Exasperation. It's fun to mess with them isn't it? Though I think half the time they know we're doing it and just playing along to humor us. (As I recall anyway. Having kids that age is just about over the horizon in the rear view mirror for me now.)

I had a somewhat nautical theme for today myself. Though it doesn't feature an actual ship, there is a retired lake steamer moored nearby serving as a museum. (I've featured the ship -- the William G. Mather -- before.)

Thematic Photographic 75: "Travel" v.4.0 - Undeserved Reputation