Monday, March 21, 2011

THE NIGHT OF THE SUPER MOON AT VERO BEACH

Well, it's a marvelous night for a moondance 
with the stars up above in your eyes!
As most of you might know, Saturday night was the night of the super moon, a night of a full moon when the earth and the moon would be at it closest proximity. The next time it would be this close will be 18 years from now. Phyllis and I decided to head out to a restaurant that we've discovered on a local beach (Vero Beach). The restaurant, Cobalts, has a large open patio with tables and chairs and two fire pits. It is located right on the beach and when the moon rose it would be on the horizon facing the patio. We arrived early knowing that the tables would be full, if we didn't. We arrived at five o'clock and took one of the last open tables, ordered off the bar menu and waited. The moon was scheduled to rise at 7:30 PM EST. Around 7:00 we left our table to find a spot along the patio guard rail that overlooks the beach. We started shooting some of the people walking the beach, some fishing and one couple going for a romantic walk along this really pretty beach.




Can I just have one a' more moondance with you, my love?
Can I just make some more romance with a' you, my love?



As we waited, other people started moving up to the railing and as it is at a time and place like this, especially with wine being consumed, some new friends were made. We all looked down at the people enjoying the last sunlight of the day, as night came on us.




Well it's a marvelous night for a moondance
 
With the stars up above in your eyes 
A fantabulous night to make romance 


There is a certain feeling of sadness that I attribute to anyone walking on the beach alone; not when running the beach but walking slowly in the sand looking down in deep thought. Are they thinking of a lost love or someone they walked along a beach with, once upon a time? Was it some love they lost, that they could not stop from leaving, just like the evening tide moving away from them this night?  Maybe or maybe not! Maybe, that says more about me than about the them. 




You cannot be on a beach here without seeing someone fishing and tonight was no different. People were not just on the beach, a few intrepid souls were in the water and not just by the shoreline. I looked out and saw two guys enjoying the solitude of the ocean out where they were the only two.





Then someone noticed the moon rising faintly at first through the mist, coming over the horizon behind a satin like mist, barely visible at first. Then slowly it came into view kissing the horizon briefly, before going on it's journey.





As the moon rose through the mist and the day light lingered before surrendering to the darkness, it seemingly grew bolder in its attempt to master the day. This orange ball rising into the night air with so much grace and power should truly awe us, but most times sadly does not. We accept a full moon rising as we do with many of nature's magnificence: we accept it with almost a sense of entitlement. Oh, we have seen many full moons and we will see them again, no big deal. But on a night of the super moon and the build up in print and on the internet, people were looking at this full moon as it should be. It was an amazing display for humans to gaze at and admire and make us realize how small we are compared to this great planet and the universe that houses it. To remember the last weeks events in Japan is to see the beauty of it but also the power and destruction nature can bring. 


The moon has always been given a romantic aura by writers and I guess it is true that it is easy to feel romantic while watching it, if you're with your true love or your true love for that night. Maybe the moon tugs at our heart as it does the ocean's waves. 


It is hard not to photograph the moon and add your personal feelings, so that is what I tried to do. If you want to see a purely clean, scientific image you might want to head over to a site like CNN or FOX and I am sure they will have it. Here you will see what I saw with my eyes and felt with my inner eye, while watching the super moon rise out of the ocean and up over Florida.




Well it's a marvelous night for a moondance
With the stars up above in your eyes
A fantabulous night to make romance 





    As we watched we noticed a ship out in the distance moving towards the moon and its reflection.

  Moving towards a meeting between man's technology and natures wonder!
   Closer and closer almost into the moon's reflective stream.
  As it reached the reflecting moonlight I could not help but think of how this was a perfect metaphor for what the world has witnessed in the last week.
   As the ship moved into the beam it seemingly disappeared, overwhelmed by the power of nature!!


To the sound of the breezes that blow 
And I'm trying to please to the calling 
Of your heart-strings that play soft and low 
You know the night's magic 
Seems to whisper and hush 
And all the soft moonlight
Seems to shine in your blush...

One more moondance with youIn the moonlight 
On a magic night 
la, la, la, la, there's a moonlight 
On a magic night 
Can't I just have one more dance 
With you my love? 

After awhile, it was over: not the moonrise that would continue as always but the wonder of the observers waned. They smiled at each other, some even said their goodbye's to their co-voyeurs, others just turned and left without a word. The moment was broken and the night moved on.
   Maybe some were affected by what they witnessed and some were not.
  I think some were and that's a good thing: to sit and think of the wonder of our world and how powerless we really are to the forces of nature.

(lyrics borrowed from Van Morrison) 

28 comments:

Anonymous said...

Awesome photos! The various reflections on the water are so pretty!

Melissa Tandoc said...

oh jim... i wish i was using my wide screened pc to look at all those photos you took of the moon... bellissime!

it seems to be a magical night which i have missed and will look forward to 18 years from now...:P

i like the effects you've made on the photos... so subtle... soft...

i enjoyed scrolling my page...

i entered into the different moods you've depicted in your words and pictures...

great work jim...;)

Sconch said...

Hi Jim,

Thanks for popping over to my blog :) Your photos are stunning! The moon at night looked amazing.

Sam
http://sconchtextiles.blogspot.com

Daniel Willis said...

It would be cool to turn the sun and moon shots into two superimposed photos.

Unknown said...

Everything is great. The moon is awesome. Oh how I wish I could be there too. ^^

Rimly said...

Spectacular Jim! Loved seeing the moon through your eyes. Thank you so much for sharing. your pictures took my breath away.

Ann said...

Beautiful photos & post!

sulekkha said...

Beautiful pictures of the Moon, Jim. I liked your thoughts and the way you romanticized the whole experience. You have a poet's heart. Thanks for sharing.

JIM said...

Thank you Everyone it was a fun night and I enjoyed the night as much as your comments. Sulekkha thank you for the kind words about my writing. I sometimes feel like a beautiful women who only is like for her body ( images) and not her mind lololo


Thank You all again

Nava K said...

fantastically capture and the beach looks so wonderful.

Souvick Mazumder said...

Awesome clicks, again nicely framed!

Kriti said...

Jim - what a fabulous story teller you are. I was transported to a different world going through your words and the pictures. Skipped a beat when the ship disappeared and yes how very metaphorical that photograph was. I just loved being Jim and ah - moon dance - You rock : )

Angel Eyes said...

WOW Great moon pics I took some shots but they came out cruddy lol I will post them anyway on my blog just for giggles ...AWesome as always u r!

Mari Sterling Wilbur said...

Beautiful photos! I love the reflection on the water. The changing colors are lovely.

Marty said...

Hey fabulous photos man. I believe that the moon affects us in so many ways. It enhances emotion in both directions. Oh boy the times I've spent walking on the beach or across the cliffs deep in thought. Being on the coast allows space for emotional release I believe.

Michele said...

the moon photos at night are gorgeous!!

Jorie Pacli said...

AWESOMEEEEEE JIM!!!!! I'm almost speechless! I love the way you presented them and your pictures are really stunning! Love every moment of it...:)) Thank you for sharing.:)

Kathleen said...

Jim: Your lens captured the moments ~ YOU capture the spirit of the people! Great to meet you and Phyllis.

Absolute nonsense blog said...

Thanks for popping in at my blog. I just love your photography, you manage not only to capture and image, but a mood as well. Plus I have Van Morrison's Moondance CD so I was singing along to the written words. Thank you for giving us a glimpse of what you were feeling.

http://vanessabentley.blogspot.com/2011/03/big-cats-in-pastel.html

SandyMDesigns said...

Love the moon photos the best. Beautiful!

Anonymous said...

Amazing photos as ever, thanks Jim. Went so well with Van's words.
http://lifethrulucylasticaslense.blogspot.com/

desi Traveler said...

AAA ( That is for Awesome, Awesome, Awesome )

Sailor said...

This is great. I have seen so many Super Moon pictures from other blogs and you are the only one who got the whole sequence.

Lowell said...

Hi Jim! Thanks for stopping by Florida Fanfare...this is one of our newer blogs and as you may have noted, a place where we post some fun and funky stuff.

Just scrolled down through this post. Delightful. You're an excellent photographer and I like your sensitivity and sense of humor. Great moon/night/people shots, too.

I give you credit being a wedding photographer. We used to do weddings...it's a tough job. Now we just have fun!

Unknown said...

Loved how you set the mood in your story. Awww the pictures Jim are so amazing... The beach and moonlight a beautiful sight...


Thanks for sharing
Deb~

Tameka said...

Gorgeous imagery and photos Jim!

baldychaz said...

On an actual pc for a change Jim. Pictures and words combine to tell it wonderfuly although rather jealous i was not there.

Ana said...

I'm born in town located on seaside. Many people think that having sea every day after some time is boring, but fact is that it is never boring. It's beautiful to see changing nature. Water gives, but also takes... Great photos :)