The Old Man & The Sea
For my dad on Father’s Day
I suppose it was my father who fostered my love of the sea. My early memories take me back to Myrtle Beach where he taught me how to body surf. In my young world nothing compared to catching a wave and for this I never wanted to get out of the water. In many ways that summer in Mrytle Beach changed my life. I fell in love with the heat, eating fresh fish, slow-moving ceiling fans, and the live oak trees dripping with Spanish moss. From then on the sea called me, and my father answered.
Growing into a teen-ager he and mom took me to Hawaii. Dad was always going to conventions for his work in some beautiful part of the world and lucky little me I sometimes was invited. Perhaps because I was the oldest and this was pay-back for looking out for my younger siblings or maybe they just liked my company, or maybe it was because I kept my dad company in the sea. At any rate, I believe we were in Maui body surfing to some serious waves when my bikini top fell off. Quite a spectacle for all the Americans on shore, me frantically searching for my bathing suit top and walking out of the water with my hands over my chest. As I recall when I found my top it didn’t stop me nor, my dad from encouraging me, to get back into the sea to catch a few more waves.
On several occasions my dad took delight in telling the story of the look on my face when he took us to Palmas del Mar, Puerto Rico. Back then it was barely developed, cliff-lined palm trees with a turquoise sea below. “I’ll never forget the look on Margaret Grace’s face when we drove up to Palmas del Mar,” said dad.
The years passed and just before college my dad took me to Jamaica. He prefaced this by saying, “I am probably making a mistake, by taking Margaret Grace to Jamaica.” (yes and no) To this day one of my favorite photos is of me perched up on the cliff at Rick’s Café in Negril. Back then Rick’s was the one of the few places to grab a Red Stripe and jerk chicken. Yep, we spent the afternoon timing the waves and jumping off the cliffs at Rick’s Café into the sea.
I believe I was still in college when I met my parents in Acapulco. The waves there were almost too big and the sand too hot. We slammed tequila shots and danced. When I was about 25 I went to St. Barths and no one could get me to come back to the states so my parents came to visit me and asked the question. “Was I ever coming back?” I took them to the beach at Saline where we all swam naked, God Bless them.
The years kept on rolling by and eventually I moved from NY to LA. I confess I didn’t ever bond with the Pacific. The water was simply too cold and the ocean too grand. I longed for a warm sea and when my dad called saying, “Margaret you aught to come meet your mom and I in St. John.” I did. As it turned out I came down with a nasty virus taking the sea taxi from St. Thomas to St. John. I was pretty sick for a couple of days, but then my dad suggested we take one of those sunset cruises on a catamaran. Maybe it was being out on the water that healed me, or my dad feeling so badly that I was sick on this glorious island, I don’t know, but the next day I found myself swimming in the sea with my dad like a dolphin.
So my love for a turquoise sea and spending hours and hours at a time in the water has everything to do with my father. As a grown woman I’ve made countless trips across the country from LA or NorCal to our family’s little beach house in Pass-a-Grille, Florida to swim in the sea with my dad.
Pass-a-Grille where I have walked miles and miles on the soft, silky white sand with my dad and probably spent more hours swimming in the Gulf of Mexico with him. During the stormy season we’d body surf and get thrown around by some serious waves. Exhilarated we’d walk the path back up to the house and spend most of the evening telling everyone about the waves we caught. On several occasions, the sea demanded more of me that I thought possible, but she always had my back and I in turn gave her my respect. Secretly, I pledged to always be her ally. I feel fairly certain that living in Pass-a-Grille full time has given both my parents such a long, healthy life. For my dad swimming in the sea nearly everyday and watching the pelicans has added that extra sparkle to his sea-green eyes. Here’s to you dad, on yet another Father’s Day. Thank you for giving me so many gifts, but my love for the sea is the one I will forever cherish.
Happy Father’s Day! All my love dad and may you enjoy many more,
Your mermaid daughter
Stay true,
Margaret Grace
6/18/17