To enjoy the spectacle of nature one needs to be merely a great observer, who has gotten lucky by design or by accident, by being at the right place at the right time when nature and/or the animals decide to put on their own show , naturally and independently of the triggering mechanism of mankind. Since men for its own evolution got involved in deliberate actions to change the environment that affects the natural evolution of things, sometimes in a negative way, because of its limitation in vision and scope that is far inferior to that of the Creator who was perfect in its creation of the Universe, as a consequence, we, in modern days have lost quite a bit of the natural. However, somehow where humans had made a guided or inspired effort to create a balance with nature, a sign of acceptance, coexistence and interaction between human and nature is sometimes witnessed.

I was lucky and privileged to be on Key Biscayne beach near the edge of the old Rickenbacker Causeway Bridge, relaxing while reading a book protected by the shadow of the branches of a coconut tree from the mid afternoon blinding sun light reflection from the silvery, mirror like sea that surrounded the calm and breezed island.

As I had to move from time to time to avoid the sun rays which were changing direction as the sun was lowering the horizon, I often glanced at the Sunbathers and the flying pelicans. Forty feet away from me at the edge of the sea was this shirtless French speaking man who had just caught a small fish from his hook, he freed it from the hook then motion to throw it in the water, then he realized that they were two pelicans on standby waiting for his catch. He instinctively threw the fish toward the pelicans, one of them got it and begun the delicate swallowing maneuver that is common to pelican, first hold it in the throat bag, where sometimes you can see the movement of the often captured live fish and then the motion and the shape of something make place to nothing, another fish had made its way to the pelican digestive system.

A few minutes later the pleasure fisherman caught another fish, he showed it to his wife, then he threw it again to the pelicans that were passively waiting. He caught another fish and this time the pelicans start to move toward him as if they had a legitimate claim to the fish that he was catching. The fisherman turns around to his wife and started complaining in French by gesturing his dismay and his contempt, as if he is being taken advantage of by some birds: " Look at this! Look at these two pelicans! Who in the hell they think they are? They expect me to stand under this burning sun to catch fish for them, when they are best equipped to fly and dive and catch their own fish, better than I can! Look at these lazy pelicans, just like some people I know! From that point on the fisherman freed back in the water every single fish he caught afterward.

Talking about a moral lesson in nature involving human, the birds, the fish and the ocean for all to fish in according to their ability, and the story of the pelican's like onlooker who is often on standby, ready to receive and swallow the prize and the catch of the day of the friendly and fedup sunburn fisherman who grew tired of feeding the pelican. Surely enough it did not take the pelican long to realize that no more hands out was coming its way. With all its weight and dripping waters that it had accumulated on its feathers, it lifted up and went on to do what he was equipped to do: flying, gliding and yes, fishing to feed itself and also keeping a friendly eye on us human being that it has to compete with for the foods chain of the Ocean.

I went back to my book and continue to read, then from the corner of my eye, I sensed that I have just seen something way yonder, it was shiny black, with a smooth gliding motion out of the water and then a sudden dive, not long enough for me to make out what it was. I stop my reading and began to scan the sea surface around the island, then I recalled having had a glimpse of a mother dolphin and its baby, let's hope that is what it was. Surely enough the dolphins showed up again, the first two begun gliding and diving within short intervals of 20 seconds or so, far away in the water, then two other showed up close by, a lonely ship that was anchored in the peaceful bay. I could definitely make it out this time, it is the mother teaching diving or fishing techniques to its baby dolphin.

Simultaneously close to shore a big water splash occurred followed by this smashing sound of a sloppy dive. A woman who was lying on her stomach turned belly up,startled. What in the hell was this? She shouted. The fisherman who had its back turned to the water when the splash occurred, analyzed the size of the splash that was still drawn in the calm water and then his eyes followed the line drawn in the water by whomever or whatever had created this splash, then he pointed his finger and said: There it is .... It is this dolphin! Over there! Talking about pleasant surprise of nature. I got a glimpse of that black shiny dolphin that almost beach itself. Where it not for the lady sleeping close to the water edge, maybe it would have come to shore or maybe not. Just second guessing the animal intention for its action. No matter what, this was a rare threat, a rare glimpse of nature in action.

Then it was time for the big finally, way yonder, the ocean surface seems to be alive with actions, the seagulls are flying low over the water by group of thirty or fourty, apparently catching up a piece of the actions created by the dolphins who may have stirred up to the surface some small fish or fish leftover.

It was a real show, the dolphins begun to leap out of the water by pair, now everyone could see the whole body of each dolphin from nose to tail. This show display lasted for a few minutes, then a speedy motorboat began its noisy race, disturbing the peace on the bay and the almost magical spectacle. The dolphins as they had suddenly appeared, suddenly disappeared to the bottom of the ocean without a goodbye or an au revoir, followed later by the sunset which brightly and in blinding defiance of ultra violet rays, made its way behind the coconut trees, the houses and then disappears in the distance, announcing the beginning of darkness and the end of a wonderful and beautiful day, where human and nature seems at least for a short while to have been in perfect harmony with one another.

Since I did not have my camera with me, I decided to sketch with my black pen on one of the white sheet of paper that I had brought along with me for my study, the memory of this beautiful afternoon of Wednesday, January 13th, 1999 on the island of Key Biscayne, Miami, Florida.

Written by: Noe Dorestant
January 14th, 1999.

Free hand sketch of dolphins at play, made by Noe' on 1/13/1999, in Key Biscayne.

GALLERY OF OTHER GLIMPSES OF NATURE & HUMANITY IN HAITI AND THE USA

Rare glimpse of Haitian fishing village with workers of wooden hand crafted small fishing boats in Port-de-Paix, Haiti W.I. (PHOTO by Noe' Dorestant, May 1985)

Glimpse of humanity: Rare Haitian albinos enjoying the noon sun and the beach while carrying and chating with his lovely Haitian lady on the beautiful coconut beach Raymond-Les-Bains, near Jacmel, Haiti W.I. (PHOTO by Noe' Dorestant, February 3rd, 2001)

Historical bay of Jacmel, Haiti, birth place of the Venezuelan and Columbian flags. The red and blue in either of these two flags symbolize Haiti's contribution to the independence of these neighboring sisters countries joined by the eternal vast sea/ocean that connects all of humanity fluidly on planet earth.(PHOTO by Noe' Dorestant, February 3rd, 2001)

Rare glimpse of sail boat race at large of Key Biscayne, Florida.(Photo by Noe' Dorestant, March 2002)

A serene Sunday morning in the bay, where the calm waves and the light clouds seem to flow like silver filtered by the sun ray over the horizon of tropical Miami bay.(Photo by Noe' Dorestant, April 14th, 2002)

Rare glimpse of courageous women sailors of the team (Amer Sports too of Finland) near Bayside Maimi, moment before restart of the Volvo World Ocean Race of 2001-2002.(PHOTO by Noe' Dorestant, 4/14/2002).

Leading crew with most points so far: Illbruck is the last boat to leave port behind the new Miami arena as the sailors wave in attention to salute those admirers of many nationalities (including a Haitian) who have come to wish them well on their courageous journey of endurance on the sometimes unpredictable sea/ocean. Dream team (Illbruck of Germany) complete the flotilla of 8 yachts sail boats of numerous countries, embarked on the sixth leg (Miami-Maryland) of the race journey/voyage round the World (Volvo Ocean Race of 2001-2002), which started in South Hampton (England) on September 2001 with stops: in Cape Town (South Africa), Sydney/Hobart (Australia), Rio De Janeiro (Brazil), Miami (USA), Baltimore Maryland/Annapolis (USA), La Rochelle (France), Gothenborg (Sweden) and scheduled to finish on Sunday, June 9th, 2002 in Kiel (Germany). The Illbruck yatch sail boat arrived in Kiel in second place, but Team Illbruck made uo of sailors of a variety of nations still won the overall Championship race around the world, for having accumulated the most points along this long sea journey of this Volvo ocean race 2001/2002.(PHOTO by Noe' Dorestant 4/14/2002)

Gallery of the Tale of two countries: Updated by Noe Dorestant on 4/14/2002 to add pictures and texts for rare Glimpses of nature and humanity in USA and Haiti. For the purpose of promoting World diversity and unity as the focus for human harmony and lasting peace. Vive la difference! We can all get along! We are all beautiful in God's eyes. Beauty is always in the eye of the beholder.

Contact or comment by e-mail HERE: Noe' Dorestant

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