In 2003, I had to go to Alabama for military training

[MrScorpio]

A six week course, and on the first weekend I decided to drive down to Florida, because I've never been there before.

It wouldn't be first time that I had visited the Gulf Coast, I went to Tech School at Keesler AFB MS back in 1983... I have to say that I wasn't really impressed by the water in that particular location and at that time.

But for my new trip to the Gulf, I went to see Destin, Florida.

When I got there, I came across the most beautiful white sand and sparkling blue water on the most spectacular beach that I've ever seen. I excitedly stripped down to my trunks and jumped into the surf to spend several hours communing with the tiny fishes that I could actually see swimming past my feet. I felt at peace as the gentle waves carried me to and fro. The sight and smell of the clean blue water was like a balm to the soul.

I'm not a very spiritual person, but the peace and beauty of the moment was indeed nothing less than soul satisfying.

I've been to Atlantic City, Ocean City, Buckroe Beach and Virginia Beach, which are all on the East Coast, and none of them could come close to the sheer beauty of Destin.

The only regret that I had was that I didn't have anyone to share that time with me, my wife was still at home in VA, while I went to school.

After a few hours, I started to get hungry and all that harsh sunshine starting to take a toll on my skin, so I had to wrap up my time on the beach.

On the way back to my car, I came across an empty Coke bottle in the parking lot. Well, I knew what I had to do... I stripped off the label and went back to the beautiful beach and collected some of the white sand and clear blue sea water.

I had a little bit of paradise for myself. I still have it, of course. Call me a sentimentalist, if you will... But there it is.

Anyway, I imagine that to all the folks who either live down that way or have visited it on a regular basis, that my time in Destin was no big deal.

Well, it's a big deal to me.

I can't help but to mourn in my own way for the beauty what was lost, not just on the Florida coast, but for the Gulf region as a whole.

And regret that in America greed and carelessness can so easily destroy something that money can never buy...

A beautiful moment on the Planet Earth.

[unhappycamper]

1. I know how you feel.

My mystical sea moment came when I was stationed in Turkey in the mid 60s.

I grew up in the midwest a thousand miles from either ocean. My first overseas posting was to a small NATO base outside of Izmir. Four Americans (including moi) lived in 8x32 foot trailers.

We were only five clicks from NATO Beach. The water was perfectly warm and clear.

Shit! That was almost 45 years ago.

[spin]

2. K&R (n/t)

[eppur_se_muova]

3. I never thought I'd see the little old "Destin Log" reporting on something like this ...

The paper got its start when I was in jr. high. Destin only had a population of ~700 then. Now it's all touristy ... :(

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=389&topic_id=8541741&mesg_id=8541741

[Synicus Maximus]

4. If you were at Biloxi, you must know you were no where near the

Gulf. The Gulf doesn't start until you get pass the islands, which are 12 to 20 miles out. You were on the Mississippi sound which has little surf and the beaches are man made.

[lostnfound]

5. You're wrong.

We who have spent many days on the Gulf understand -- in the balance of quantity of time vs. quality of time, it's quality of time that wins out. To say your few hours were no big deal would be like saying that a few hours of seeing the Grand Canyon is no big deal or that the few hours you spend witnessing the birth of a child is no big deal. Some Floridians will moan about 'the tourists' taking over at a certain time of year, but underneath those moans is a healthy respect for the quality of time that those tourists are getting there on those Gulf beaches. Most Gulfcoast residents are out working on those hot sunny days, some dealing with traffic jams in the cities, some wishing it were cooler so they didn't have such a hot car in the parking lot at the grocery store, many complaining about the mugginess and the heat. But like you, they've had their few precious hours here and there, and they understand. They themselves may spend only a few days a year at the beach, but they live there year-round (in scorching heat) to preserve the chance for those few days.
A beach has a way of taking the rough edges and making them smooth, like sandpaper. The Gulfcoast beaches - especially in that area you talk about - are the ultra-fine version.
It is those incalculable losses -- what is the value of a few hours of finding harmony and beauty in the world? - that make me want to smash my TV screen when I hear 'BP will pay all legitimate expenses'.

[old mark]

6. We are planning to drive along the Gulf coast to Galviston this fall

to visit relatives in Texas...our plan was made before the blow-out...and I am afraid it will be a very different trip by October....
I have never been that far south and I was looking forward to it, not so sure now...

mark

[NNN0LHI]

7. I get teary eyed every time I go to Mount Rushmore

Can't explain it.

Don

[WCGreen]

8. Mr. Scorpio...

Making it personal is the best way to get it across....

K&R...