All Creatures Great and Small

In the morning when I am out riding the waves, I often see a pelican fly nearby. As often as not, being in a euphoric mood, I will call out to the pelican and say "Good morning, Creature of God!"

One morning I was riding a nice clean left at Torrey Pines. Suddenly I saw a pelican flight headed straight toward me, skimming along the face of the wave from the opposite direction! When they finally saw me, they pulled up and peeled off in all directions, much like the Blue Angels stunt flying team executing an aerobatic maneuver.

On another evening at Torrey Pines I had the delight of seeing four dolphins embedded in a wave, backlit by the setting sun. In case you are unaware of this, dolphins are surfers. They ride a pressure layer inside and just below the surface of a breaking wave.

Once when Robert and I were surfing at Torrey Pines, a dolphin leapt over his back.

Another time, the dolphins were showing me how to paddle out. I would ride a wave in, and so would they. But then, while I was struggling to paddle back through the incoming surf, as if to say "This is how it’s done", the dolphins headed back out by leaping over the incoming waves!

I have surfed with harbor seals. I have watched a barnacled whale swim by at Terramar. I have had my ankle pierced by a Stingray, something I hope never to repeat!

"The sting of death is sin." says the Scripture. From now on, when I am tempted to sin, I hope I'll remember that stingray!