Sand Recordings

On October 28th after a typically long cold and damp spell we woke to bright sun and fresh air that was warm enough to open the windows at 7:00 AM. Knowing that we would be leaving Delaware for Florida in two days we decided to make a last trek to Cape Henlopen. Unfortunately there was a land breeze and the black flies had the same idea as did we. Thus, our afternoon at the beach was cut to 45 minutes. However, I took lots of photographs, this time of the sand instead of the water, while simultaneously offering my flesh as sacrifice to the voracious insects. My partner, Joe, looked like a one man comedy act as he shuffled around the beach, bent in his usual shell inspecting stance, and swatting constantly at whatever part of his body the malicious critters were visiting.

I will call these photographs part of the Waterworks because the record of water’s passage is in the markings of the miniature landscapes. Also, small sea critters dug into the sand as the water receded, creating dimples and craters in the “sandscape.” The angle of the afternoon fall sun created great lighting, and every fleck of sand and shell had its own distinct shadow, which made an abundantly detailed surface. As I look at these images, I find myself pretending that I’m in a spaceship flying over the surface of Mars, or perhaps heavenly bodies in another solar system, say 70 Virginis or 47 Ursae Majoris.