Prompt Entry Seven

The contrast between the Gulfcoast in Florida and the rugged coast of Maine has become symbolic of how my personality better matches a place like Maine. I feel both synchronized and at ease within Maine’s coast much more than Florida. In Florida, Gulf waters are like glass. The sun gilds the crests like crystal, and all is pastel and light. Terns are like white puffins, flying fast and quick against wind currents, young and fickle. The Gulf water is light green like the dresses of little girls on Easter Sunday. Small, dainty waves break into moving lace across the shoreline. Waters are shallow and clear. When I swim in the Gulf, I can see to the bottom. There’s no mystery. It’s transparent. A Florida beach is like skimming the surface of things. This spring, the cirrus clouds hang wide and even across the sky like sheer curtains on a white canopy bed of my childhood, and they look close enough to touch. The bright white beach is like a stage where all is on display.

I prefer darker waters that are indigo and teal. I prefer Maine. The rugged, dark rocks that are varied and irregular contrast with the flatness of Florida sands that have no secrets or depth. I also prefer the movement of the deep Atlantic Ocean, unpredictable, rough and powerful. The rich colors of rocks are garnet, slate, and russet, and they glisten with foggy, moist air. I spent a weekend on Monhegan, a small island off the coast of Rockland, Maine, and most of the mile-wide island was pristine forest with dirt trails. In the morning, the mist hovered in the green woods, the depths of the forest showed hues of green – emerald, katydid, avocado greens. I almost forgot this small piece of land was surrounded by water. The trail ended abruptly and unexpectedly where a clearing of pine trees revealed 160-foot cliffs. Not only do I love the depth of that water, but when viewing the foaming and swirling water from cliffs or rocks, the depth seems magnified. The rocks, ocean, coves, cliffs and fog in Maine are both mysterious and intriguing. If I’m fortunate enough one day to choose which landscape to live in, Maine is a perfect fit.