The 4th of July is an official paid holiday for me: one of only five in a year. Doing long stretches of work and then taking long vacations is fantastic, but the occasional paid holiday in the middle of an assignment is a huge treat. This Independence Day I was especially fortunate to be in Florida… close to the beach!
“I’m still having a hard time getting perspective on Florida from a photographic standpoint,” I texted my friend Nate, who’s a Florida native. For me, Florida still tends to roll together in a jumble of palms and pines and mossy oaks. Capturing the landscape is also tough because the state is pancake-flat. “It’s all about the beaches!” Nate texted back. “That’s what it’s all about. Go check out…” and he named several spots near me. Daytona Beach, where I had planned to go this holiday, was not among them. Although a tourist favorite, the locals describe it as seedy.
So instead of Daytona, I chose North Smyrna beach. It was worth every minute of the 47-minute drive, even though Florida seems to think 35 mph on a four-lane divided highway is an acceptable speed (why?). When I finally arrived, my mood rose with the humidity and salt in my hair. Beautiful shops and restaurants line the beachfront and even on the holiday, parking wasn’t too extreme a challenge. The crowd was young, suntanned, athletic, and you felt most of them knew each other.
The beach itself was perfect, with long rolling stretches of surf and fine white sand. I was shocked to see marked lanes for driving on the beach’s packed sand – apparently this is one of the only beaches where vehicles can drive down beside the water! At the water’s edge, tiny burrowing sea creatures dug into the sand between my toes. Finally, here was a perspective on Florida I could capture.
Toward the end of the afternoon, the sky grew darker, big clouds billowing up behind the high rises along the beach. Eventually, as I walked along, I saw an enormous lightening bolt flash miles away. About the same time, the beachgoers beside me started talking about all the recent shark attacks on that beach. The beach suddenly seemed like a primal Bethany vs. Nature struggle might be looming, and unfortunately, I know who would win that fight. I took one last dip in the waves and headed for home as the sun was setting.
Independence Day in America is about so much more than fun at the beach, fireworks, and family get-togethers… and I love the holiday’s historic significance. But in a country where we so rarely stop to rest, cook out, or spend time with family, it’s great that so many people spent the day doing just that.
Happy belated 4th of July! Whatever you did this holiday, I hope you were able to embrace the day and enjoy it to the fullest.
~ The Dauntless Princess ~
