Last night:With all of the last minute shopping done, even though I have yet to wrap all the presents, I decided to drive down to the harbor for a look around and to check on the boat.
Pulling into the deserted December parking lot, I noticed there wasn’t a breath of wind to ripple the waters surface. In the clear stillness, I watched the remaining commercial boats tugging at their mooring lines with the ebbing tide. I heard a vaguely familiar splash at a distance. Was it a seal ? Did something fall into the water ?? It sounded somewhat like a feeding fish, probably a large one! Then again I heard a slurp and a splash, closer this time. It seemed quite large. I heard it again, and then saw the boil at the outside edge of the dockside lamps glow. Holy cow ! - is that a striper ??
No way - It couldn't be - it was 5 or 6 feet long !!! Then I saw her swimming slowly against the tide, into the lit waters of the street lamps glow. Wow ! She had to be 70 ! - no 85 pounds AT LEAST !
As the huge striper swam by, it rolled slowly over on one side and I swear she winked at me as if to say :
“ AND TO ALL A GOOD NIGHT ” !
MERRY CHRISTMAS
Captain Bruce & “Marilyn S”