Seascape: Epic Adventures with Land, Air and Sea Critters

Contents

SEASCAPE

BOOK ONE

BIG BLOW

SEASCAPE

BOOK TWO

TREASURE

SEASCAPE

BOOK THREE

RESCUE

DEDICATION COMMENT

In the fall of 1988, while adjusting to a geographical relocation from Hagerstown, Maryland to Naples, Florida, I took advantage of the stress circumstances regularly with a stroll on the Floridian West coast Gulf of Mexico beaches. From Vanderbilt Beach to Marco’s Tiger Tail, casually Alice and I strolled together as I pondered what it was that I was to write in the mystery book that had floated perpetually in my sub-conscious for years.

One day, during a mid ankle depth beach water stroll on Tiger Tail, Marco Island, Florida, as much in frustration as in meditation, I framed a prayer soliciting Divine intervention assistance with the process I was experiencing.

As I rattled the phrase, shaping its intent, a strange awareness possessed me. I paused mid-stride and looked past the ankle level surface waters to the sandy bottom. There, magnified by nature, I saw Helmet the Hermit Crab in his glory. With one claw dangling, one eye staring and one glance sharing the moment, Helmet, or his sponsor, told me instantly what it was that I was to use as the setting, the characters and the episodic plots for the labor of love. One synapses, maybe two, and I knew, unequivocally the answer to my literary conundrum.

Much labor and many years have elapsed since the inception of Helmet the Hermit Crab as a concept for writing, some time spent in construction, some time spent in pondering but most time spent as if waiting for instructions similar to those given with script ink as was experienced in RIPPLES, .. .as I remember them, an autobiographical collection of both real time and fantasy mystical life episodes.

Helmet and I, kin connected yet separated by genetics and by imagination are bound together in our mutual struggles for survival in our respective hostile worlds.

My heart flows abundantly in contrite servant-hood and in humble appreciation to the Almighty and my family, for their understanding, attentions and patience with the frailty of my limitations.

In the Name of Jesus,

Ronald Lee Weagley

March 2009

SEASCAPE

CRITTER

CAST PORTRAIT LISTING LAND, AIR AND SEA CRITTERS

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Prologue

The sun sears the surface of the waters, especially at midday.

The minuscule explosions upon the rim of the water that meets the edge of the air, although undetectable, prove deafening, as if trumpet blasts ushering the arrival of royalty or cannon bursts preparing the advent of the grand.

The moisture saturated air rises quickly with the heat of the moment, as if drawn to cool a brow. It blends in concert with other remnants to form a movement, a parade of predictable yet indefinable sounds.

Once set in motion, the winds dance with the surface of the oceans enticing the great waters to motion, returning a portion of their stolen liquid in bribe yet retaining a hidden measure in store.

The winds stir around and through the closet clouds which hang suspended above the waters surface, nudging relentlessly. At the direction of the spin of the sun, the winds form the clouds in phalanx and marshal their display upon Seascape.

As the winds move mustering moister laden clouds and as the clouds merge in the sky above the waters, their dance of touch upon the water creates waves, waves that grow in size as the winds increase in their excited boldness.

Some waves, spirited warm, join with the dance of the winds and grow grand. Other waves, close and cool, splash shallow, shrinking, ending their finale with a ripple, only to be stirred again, stirred by the warmth of the sun.

The maestro of the magical dance pulses the surge of the tide. The tide, the waves and the water’s surge move through time and space, repeating their rhythm upon all they encounter, stifled only slightly by each encounter, each engagement.

In the path of the swirl lies Seascape.

The invasion deposits debris: critters, sand and shells, indiscriminately upon Seascape, recruits drafted in the dance. Sandbars shift, coral crumbles and reefs rumble beneath the weight of the dance.

For Seascape, the dance is history; it is past, present and future. Seascape was created by the dance. It is constantly being changed by the movements of the winds and the waves at the urging of the tides.

Seascape is a child of the dance.

The partners in the dance of life deposit messages, messages of hope and messages of what yet might be.

Regardless, the sea testifies to the dance.

Seascape critters listen to the wavy chatter. The critters hear tidings of hope... hope cloaked in constant change. For the Seascape critters that love to consider what has been and to dream of what yet might be, the sounds of the dance are symphony.

In the midst of the majestic magic and obedient subject of its whims and quirks rests Seascape, home for the critters of the sand, of the water and of the air, residents of the child of the dance.

Each critter in Seascape is unique in some special way.

But one unpretentiously unusual sea critter is Helmet the Hermit Crab.

Helmet, a hermit by design if not by preference, lives alone in a borrowed shell, a shell, which at another time and in another place in the sea, was occupied by another critter. When that critter moved out, by design if not by preference, Helmet moved in.

Frequently, Helmet can be heard lamenting the fact that he has never had a totally new shell, a shell that has never been owned nor occupied by another critter.

Helmet’s home has always been a shell that someone else abandoned.

When Helmet was a small hermit crab, his home was a small abandoned shell. As Helmet grew in size, he searched for bigger and bigger shells. Larger shells allow Helmet more stretch space. Helmet covets stretch space. But most sea critters suspect that Helmet covets owning a new shell more than anything else in crab life.

The long-term residents of Seascape remember one of Helmet’s youthful adventures involving a search for a new home. Helmet moved too quickly upon a spacious conch shell. His desire for extra growing room spurred him to try to occupy the larger shell, one with far too much space.

As Helmet entered the shell an Octopus appeared from deep within the spiral hollow chambers. The Octopus had taken up residence inside the shell, temporarily, and had come out to inquire regarding whom the uninvited guest might be that was scratching the shiny interior walls of his hiding place.

Frightened but fortunate, Helmet had scampered back to the protective walls of his original home. Experience had taught Helmet the habit of keeping the old close at hand until the new is well worn; so, he had parked his old shell at the entrance to the larger shell, as a matter of habit.

Helmet could be heard mumbling to himself as he returned to his old shell, Scratch before entering! I must learn to scratch before entering!

Helmet spends his days scampering from one end of Seascape to the other end of Seascape. And, in between the trips up and the trips back, he scurries sideways on the bottom of Seascape making friends while playing his favorite game, hide and seek, and naturally, as necessity would have it, dragging his shell, behind him.

Helmet is different from other sea critters in two ways. One, Helmet must carry his shell with him whenever he travels. Having his house with him at all times offers Helmet several advantages: 1) he never loses his shell; 2) the shell provides shelter when needed, as in the Octopus situation; and, 3) his bed is always near if he wants to take a nap.

Helmet is different in a second way, an even more bizarre way. Helmet walks forward, sideways. In order to walk straight, Helmet walks sideways, sideways left or sideways right, but always sideways, a unique if not confounding characteristic.

Helmet keeps busy in Seascape, busy traveling up and back, busy scurrying left and scurrying right, busy playing hide and seek, busyhelping critters laugh and smile, and busy enjoying Seascape. The critters of Seascape recite a ditty about Helmet:

BUSY

Busy busy Helmet,

Busy busy crab!

Busy busy Helmet,

the busy hermit crab!

Sideways straight Helmet travels the land,

in search of shells all over the sand.

Busy busy Helmet,

Busy busy crab!

Busy busy Helmet,

the busy hermit crab!

Few shells there are that fit Helmet for a home,

From shell to shell his lot is to roam.

Busy busy Helmet

Busy busy crab!

Busy busy Helmet,

the busy hermit crab!

Helmet eats himself out of house and home,

Trapped he is within his temporal tome.

Busy busy Helmet

Busy busy crab!

Busy busy Helmet,

the busy hermit crab!

Hermits never complain amid the struggle and fuss,

Their life renews daily from dawn to dusk,

Busy busy Helmet

Busy busy crab!

Busy busy Helmet,

the busy hermit crab!

Clawing to survive while surrounded by the game,

Constant is a hermits’ claim to fame.

Busy busy Helmet

Busy busy crab!

Busy busy Helmet,

the busy hermit crab!

For some unidentified reason, Harry Seahorse repeats the ditty more often than most critters. In fact, Harry would like all of Seascape to think that he created the ditty. Maybe he did in a manner of speaking. Harry did put the verse together even though Ollie Oyster vows that he thought-up the line about renewing life daily.

Harry accused Ollie of being jealous.

Ollie says Harry is all wet.

Regardless, Harry can be heard reciting the ditty as he swims about Seascape, especially as he swims near Ollie’s oyster bed.

Helmet has never been offended by the ditty but every critter in Seascape has seen Helmet examining Harry closely as he gallops and recites, galloping and reciting with a grin, of course.

In Seascape, busy Helmet the Hermit Crab is loved and admired by all of the critters, as attested by the ditty.

Helmet is loved and admired not because he is large or loud, great or grand, but rather Helmet is loved and admired because he gives critters happiness. Always, Helmet brings broad smiles and great hope with his unique hide-and-seek games. He brings the sounds of joy with his scurrying about the sand. And he brings the grins of pleasure because every critter knows that Helmet is the busiest of the busy hermit crabs.

Two of Helmet’s closest friends in Seascape, Fred Fish and Sam Sponge were telling Miss Susie Snail about Helmet the Hermit Crab when they visited with Miss Susie after she first arrived in Seascape. The talk of Helmet caused Miss Susie to gasp for water. She was so impressed.

Helmet’s friends noticed Miss Susie’s attraction to Helmet and began to snicker when free time allowed for snickering. Some critters in Seascape think Miss Susie cares for Helmet more than she cares for any other critter.

Even Miss Clara Clam mentioned Miss Susie’s affection for Helmet when she and Miss Jill Jellyfish were on their way to the Jetty Shore Restaurant during a high tide. Miss Clara has always been talkative but she is especially talkative when high tide signals that lunch time has arrived and when the subject of the discussion is Helmet the Hermit Crab.

Indeed, Helmet is a special critter in Seascape. He is loved and admired by all who know him but he is especially admired and loved by Miss Susie. It has been whispered, quietly, in sea-critter circles, by those who think that Miss Clara feels the same as Miss Susie about Helmet, it has been whispered that Miss Clara is afraid to let her feelings for Helmet be known by Miss Susie for fear of harming her friendship with Miss Susie.

Still, other sea critters say that Miss Clara made friends with Miss Susie in an effort to get closer to Helmet.

Critters in Seascape enjoy good gossip. Generally, they gossip about those they love or envy, whichever, in any order, without preference.

Although they gossip considerably, most often, the sea critters of Seascape spend their days playing on the bottom of the sea, sharing with the other critters in sport while respecting one another’s sand space.

But, if the sea critters are near the shore, they must give serious attention to Sandy Sandpiper, Edgar Egret, and Peter Pelican who stalk about quietly. When the air critters are flying over the shallow water of Seascape, the sea critters of Seascape remain still, quiet, and alert, gossip or no gossip!

Air critters naturally enjoy chasing sea critters, commented Helmet one day during a gossip session.

The air critters appear to enjoy following Helmet. The sea critters say that Sandy and Edgar follow after Helmet in order to tease him. Mostly, the sea critters say, Sandy and Edgar delight in annoying Helmet because Helmet appears odd when he runs on the bottom of Seascape, sideways in a straight line!

But the long time critter residents of Seascape, residents such as Ollie Oyster, understand critter needs. The older critters shrug their shoulders and say, as if everyone will understand, Birds will be birds!

While Sandy and Edgar enjoy following after Helmet, Peter Pelican delights in chasing Fred Fish.

Fred offers a great challenge to Peter’s flying ability.

Fred can scoot very fast and he can change directions at the drop of a feather. Some critters say that they have seen Fred grin at Peter after fooling him in a game of chase.

Peter is a good natured Pelican who does not seem to take Fred’s joking too seriously, at least no more seriously than Peter takes his chasing after Fred. It is either that Peter is good natured or that Ollie Oyster is correct whenever Ollie says, Aye, Pater a-don’t a-new da a-deferance.

Still, whenever Peter flies overhead, Helmet gives him the benefit of his attention. Helmet can never be certain who Peter has in his eyesights. So, Helmet hides inside his shell in order to be safe.

Helmet often comments, I’d rather be safe than end the chase being sorry!

Nothing serious has ever happened to any sea critter in Seascape at the beaks of Peter, Sandy or Edgar. But, wild rumors flourish in Seascape gossip. There are some terribly sad horror stories repeated by the critters, rumors and stories about Peter, Sandy, and Edgar doing awful things in other parts of the sea, beyond and below the reef outside of Seascape.

But Seascape is special, a special place for special critters. And obviously, Helmet is the most respected of the special critters.

Some of the critters who have visited Seascape say that it is special because of the warm water. Other critters say that it is special because of the colorful coral. Still other critters argue that Seascape is special because of the curious critters that live in Seascape.

SEASCAPE WATER

The water in Seascape by the sea,

is so soft and warm

just for you and just for me.

The water in Seascape by the sea,

is so tender and gentle

just for you and just for me.

The water in Seascape by the sea,

is so silky and blue

just for you and just for me.

The water in Seascape by the sea,

is so delicate and green

just for you and just for me.

The water in Seascape by the sea,

is so mild, so easy

so tranquil, and so wet

just for you and just for me!

Those who say Seascape is special because of the warm water could be correct.

Looking east from within the wonderful water of Seascape, the sun, from the first break of dawn on the horizon, can be seen as it begins it’s daily journey through the blue backdrop accented with the red ridged whisks of white. It passes over the tops of the Palm trees off the beach at the edge of the sand dunes, where the swaying Sea Oats grow. By the time the rays of the sun strike with full force upon the waters, all the critters of Seascape have begun their daily scurry.

Yes, it is true! It could be the water that makes Seascape so special.

But, if a critter sits quietly and if a critter ponders all the possibilities, a critter may remember that it could be the colorful coral formations which make Seascape so unusual and so appealing.

The coral reef has been shaped by the surging movement of the water. Both the color and the character of the coral have been nurtured and encouraged by the rays of the sun. The coral resembles unusual stones, as if glistening jewels were trapped upon the bottom of Seascape, as if the jewels were offering refuge for the flashing rays of light, refuge from the pirates of darkness.

The coral not only offers a haven for the rays of sunlight but also provides a secure home for many of the sea critters who live in Seascape. Fred and his school friends stay close to the coral reef, darting quickly between the ledges, the nooks and the crannies of their safe harbor, their silver glistening and flashing with the reflected rays of light.

On the bottom of the coral reef in Seascape, near the far north edge, where the coral has provided an entrance into Seascape from the sea, the movement and motion of the water have carved a doorway which leads into a GREAT ROOM. The GREAT ROOM was formed when a wall of coral developed as an extension from the main reef, south of the jetty. The high ceiling for the GREAT ROOM was formed by the touching of a protruding finger from the coral reef and an outstretched finger from the reef extension. The coral is very thin at the spot where the fingers meet in the ceiling but it thickens progressively toward the base, allowing a thin protective layer of coral to cover the GREAT ROOM.

At the top where the fingers touch, near the north end of the GREAT ROOM, where the coral is quite thin, the light of the sun shines through the coral and floods the GREAT ROOM with brilliant colors. Whenever the colored light shines brightest, the sea critters gather in the GREAT ROOM to enjoy the sun and the coral cooperating to create a spectacle of elegance.

The GREAT ROOM is host to much that happens in Seascape. It is rumored that there are other entrances to the GREAT ROOM besides the GREAT ROOM door, as well as secret passages. Peter Pelican has said that the sea critters have pledged a bubble oath to protect the secret passages. Peter says that some passages are larger than others but that the exact locations of the mysterious passages are known only to sea critters. Try as he may, Peter has never been able to get a sea critter to discuss the secrets.

Helmet always says, with a grin, What secret?

Many of the sea critters spend their nights in the corners of the GREAT ROOM, huddled together. The GREAT ROOM offers protection from the unknown, from the fears of dark. As long as the sea critters remain in the room, they feel safe.

Only Mr. Ray Stingray travels without fear beyond the GREAT ROOM. And only Mr. Ray travels into the perilous water of the open sea beyond the protection of the coral reef. Some critters say that Mr. Ray is brave. Others say he is merely a fast swimmer, a fact which allows him to be somewhat brave. Mr. Ray can scoot up; he can scoot down; he can circle left; he can circle right and then, he can shoot in a straight line, remarkably fast! Brave, Mr. Ray may or may not be; but, fast, he is, unquestionably.

But, even Mr. Ray does not test fate. He prefers to lie still and quiet at the edge of the coral reef, with only a thin covering of sand upon his back as his shield. With his two eyes visible from beneath the sand, Mr. Ray presents the image of a threatening protector for the sea critters of Seascape. Mr. Ray stands guard at the Gate to Seascape, offering assumed security from the hazards and perils of the unknown open sea.

Mr. Ray enjoys making the sea critters to feel safe as much if not more than the critters enjoy being made to feel safe. It is a trade of convenience.

Ollie Oyster and Sam Sponge have both commented about how comforting it is to have Mr. Ray as their protector. Both Ollie and Sam enjoy both the protection of Mr. Ray and the shelter of the coral whenever they take their naps in the afternoon. As Ollie and Sam curl close to the coral, safe and secure, they quickly and quietly drift off in sleep to dream of bright shinning stars and soft snugly pillows.

Some sea critters say that they can hear Ollie bubble snore when he sleeps.

Ollie denies that he bubble snores. He claims that he is just a-waterin a-deep! While watering, Ollie says that he dreams of a large pearl shaped stone that resembles a silver marble. It glistens in the moonlight. Each dream offers Ollie a different size and texture to the stone. Ollie gets very excited when he thinks about the stone TREASURE of his dreams.

Sam Sponge says that he dreams of the movement of water. Sam enjoys dreaming about drifting, moving only slightly as the warm water lifts him from the sand and from the coral in a gentle rocking motion.

While Mr. Ray guards, Ollie snores, and Sam drifts, Mrs. Tammy Turtle watches. Ms. Tammy watches as her three sons, Terry, Timmy and Tommy jump from the top of the coral ledge and float to the bottom of the sea. Helmet often joins the Turtle boys and shares in their fun. Together, they float and swim in the warm waters of Seascape.

Yes, it could be the beautiful and protective coral or it could be the wonderful warm water which makes Seascape so special.

But most visitors to Seascape point to the excellent critters as the most important part that helps to make Seascape special. Seascape critters have formed a community that uses mutual respect as