Wednesday, October 18, 2006

Flowing With The Tide

I like to do my posts every Monday or Tuesday.  Here it is again, though, another Wednesday and I’m just getting this down.  Oh well, at least I’m sitting here doing it and not letting it slide this week. 

I have an excuse this time.  I was helping Paulette on the computer.  I’d better word the rest of this entry very carefully or I might end up sleeping on the couch tonight, but here’s what happened.

Paulette wanted to update her resume on the computer and did not know how to access the program or programs that we use to do our resumes with.  More than that, she wanted me to instruct her on how to use the program herself so that I would not have to help her each time.  Sounds easy and a win – win situation, right?  Well, you forgot I used the word, “instruct.”  There was trouble brewing and I was going to be right smack in the middle of it!

There is one thing you may not know about me.  I was a part-time college instructor for a two year period earlier in life.  I taught broadcast communications at a small college in Florida in the mid 1980’s.  I was working as a producer/director at one of the local television stations at the time and taught to supplement my income.  Armed with these credentials, the task at hand should be easy.  Instructor… communications… okay, should be a snap, right?  Let me just warn you right now:  I am a trained professional, DO NOT TRY THIS AT HOME!

Picture this:  Paulette sitting at the keyboard with me hovering over her shoulder.  I say put the cursor over the start button, she does and I hear “click, click!”  I say, “Why did you double click on that?  It takes a single click only.”    The gauntlet is laid!

Paulette is smart and she is fast on the keyboard, much faster than I am.  She held her ground with me getting louder with each exclamation and she getting madder.  It was a fierce battle with both sides making thrusts and parries, the ultimate objective finally being met.  I don’t know how, but we ended up with a new resume and kept our marriage intact.  It took most of the day!

With all the weird weather across the country these days, I was intrigued when I saw a weather front push through our area the other day.  I had my camera handy and snapped this shot of the leading edge of the weather system.

I mentioned in a previous post about our spring tides here in Georgia.  The reference was made in regards to the marsh grass that the spring tides wash into the marina.  We have been having much higher spring tides than normal and I snapped a few pictures to show you what a difference there is here between high tide and low tide.

When I lived in Florida, I got used to tides and tidal movement.  The tides in the Tampa Bay area averaged about two and a half feet to three feet high.   Here in Savannah, Georgia, our tides average seven and a half feet to eight feet.  Recently the spring tides have been running over nine feet and it makes for some dramatic pictures.  This first picture show the ramp from our sea wall to the floating docks going upward instead of the usual downward slope we are used to seeing.

In this next set of two pictures, I stood on the sea wall and shot the ramp first at high tide and six hours later from the same spot, I snapped one at low tide.  Look at the difference!

  

This next shot was taken from the floating dock shooting back at the shore line.  Notice we are shooting at a downward angle towards the shore… it makes for a very strange sensation.

There is a hole bored through the sea wall near the very top of it to allow fuel lines and power lines to feed through out to the dock.  This same hole allows the salt water to pour onto shore during the extreme high tide.

This next shot shows you the ramp as seen from the water side looking down the ramp back towards shore and then there are two shots side by side showing the angle of incline as seen from the side view.

 

These rare and extreme high tides draw a lot of attention locally and, as I said earlier, it is a very strange sensation looking up at docks you always look down at.  Just another peek into my little corner of the world, I hope you enjoyed it.  As the sun sets in this final picture, I post this entry and wish you all the very best until next time we meet.

      

 


 

27 comments:

Anonymous said...

Glad to hear you made it out alive (showing your wife how to do her resume...lol). Great pics, as always. I loved the sunset pic....oh, and the weather front one, also...that was a cool pic.

Take care,
Tracie

Anonymous said...

Saaaaaaaaaaaaam Once again a great entry!  Love the pictures.... but storm?  'cmon... you can do better than that can't you?  ROFLMAO!!!  Sorry but you knew I had to!  
Glad all is well
hugs
d

Anonymous said...

Two excellent examples of GOING WITH THE FLOW.  Both very interesting.

Mrs. L

Anonymous said...

I loved that  last picture Sam.
carlene

Anonymous said...

The last picture is my favorite.  Lucky you, to live where you do.

Anonymous said...

Glad you and Paula made it through the resume sesion. The picture of the storm front was awesome. Those were very interesting pictures of the high and low tides. Very well done. Helen

Anonymous said...

dear Sam,
Very interesting! thank you so much!
Yours truly,natalie

Anonymous said...

I love that first and last picture!  (so much so that I'm stealin' 'em and puttin in my slideshow screensaver :-))  And how did the resume turn out?  I'm sure with both of you workin on it the final product turned out great!  -Kelly

Anonymous said...

Beautiful sunset... What a lovely place to call home.  Glad you made it through the resume!  Michelle  

Anonymous said...

I love your pictures, Sam!  I haven't commented in a while.  Sorry about that!  I have updated the J-Land Convention Journal. Head over and check it out!
Hugs,
Gina
http://journals.aol.com/motoxmom72/j-land-convention/
http://journals.aol.com/motoxmom72/GinasWeigtLossJourney  

Anonymous said...

So, these higher-than-high tides - are they related to melting ice caps at the poles and all that? - Karen

Anonymous said...

The photos are beautiful Sam, it's amazing how high those tides are. I love them all, it looks so crisp and clean there, the sunset is beautiful too, my favourite part of the day! I can't wait to see it in real life next year! Glad you and Paulette survived doing the resume update! Jeannette xx  

Anonymous said...

Great pictures Sam ,loved the final one of the sunset ,my yes you do have high tides as your pics illustrate so well ,lol at you and Paulette doing her resume,reminds me couples shouldnt teach their partners to drive,that seldom works either lol ,.,.,Jan xx  http://journals.aol.co.uk/jeadie05/Serendipity/

Anonymous said...

That almost sounded like the hubby teaching the wife to drive :-x
Your tides certainly are big Sam, but ours were 18 feet on the equinoctial springtide. Thanks for sharing the pics

Guido

Anonymous said...

I love your entries!

Anonymous said...

Beautiful as usual Sam! But really, arguing with a woman? You been drinking the salt water? Tammy

Anonymous said...

I am glad you and Paulette survied the tutorials ~ and your marriage is still intact ~ would have hated for you to sleep on the couch ~ Dick tried to teach me to drive the car ~ I took secret lessons at a driving school I never did tell him (But I am sure he knows now) I am sure he would forgive me though because I am sure it saved our marriage LOL ~ (Not kidding) ~ I loved your pictures Sam ~ Why do you think the tides have been highter than usual ? thankyou for the trip in pictures I really enjoyed them all especially the very last one of the setting Sun ~ that is beautiful ~ Ally
http://journals.aol.co.uk/ally123130585918/Lifewithally

Anonymous said...

Sam, I enjoyed the tide study and photos. Very interesting. You are doing real well with that camera. I wish I could take pictures as clear as that. Oh, by the way, I have been through the "Honey show me how to do that" thing. I also taught for about eight years. I taught cops, I did not teach Wives, therefore, I have learned I can not in any way, shape, or form teach the "Fairer sex". I don't even try anymore. I think you did great to at least still be speaking to each other. It's a male/female thing that you and I will never understand. My Regards, Bill.

Anonymous said...

I do know what you mean about the teaching! Pat and I butt heads sometimes with that stuff! LOL

Anonymous said...

Sam!  A very interesting lesson on the spring tides in your area.  You've got me curious now and I know I've forgotten everything I ever knew about living on a tidal river as a child.  Got to start peaking about for local information and a refresher on the marshes and tides!  Great shots!

Anonymous said...

Great pictures! Just don't try to teach a wife hw to drive!! Even worse that the computer challange!! Barb

Anonymous said...

Oh My gosh, Sam ... Does this ever sound familiar !  Whenever I ask my husband to teach me how to do something, it usually ends up the same way.  I don't know what happens, but about ten minutes into our 'lesson' it becomes a sniping match.  Oh, The Big Guy means well, but he just doesn't have a whole lot of patience when it comes to being an instructor.  And I don't have a whole lot of patience with him, when he gets like that.  You would think we would learn from this experience, but ... ???? LOL    By the way, very interesting pictures you posted.  I always learn something new when I visit your journal.   Tina

Anonymous said...

We've been so busy I haven't been reading and responding promptly to email.  Hope  you caught my response to last week's and this week's.  Loved the pictures.  I was thinking about Andrew running down that ramp in the other direction.  Very strange!  Know what you mean about instructing.  Try to avoid it in this family.  Love you, Lynn

Anonymous said...

Hi Sam

I always look forward to seeing your awesome photos from the marina! Another great group to enjoy. :) I especially like the setting sun, a very unusual sunset photo. I like the soft colors a lot.

Always, Carly

Anonymous said...

Oh, Sam!  That first shot with the clouds rolling in is magnificent!  Like the sky is pulling its blanket up :)

You and Paulette working on the resume reminds me of working with Grace's Dad...  He doesn't retain knowledge very well, and I'd have to go over the same things again and again.  It did get frustrating, but I had to remember that he's got a learning disability.. and keep myself (and my mouth) in check ;)

Glad you guys worked together and made it through.. LOL

That's a big difference in water levels when the tide comes in... do you think global warming has anything to do with it?  I've heard that within 40 years, the planet will be hotter than it ever has been~scary thought that is!  

Thanks for the photo lesson in water flow :)  Love your photo essays!

Hope things are going well...

Cat

Anonymous said...

Getting an early start on my rounds...

Trick or treat!!!

Dona

http://journals.aol.com/delela1/BlueSkiesandGentleBreezes/entries/2006/10/25/trick-or-treat-through-j-land/1417

Anonymous said...

Hi Sam, The pictures look so inviting.  The weather looks so beautiful.  It's been a bit cold here.  I'm trying not to forget my summer months at the docks.  I'm going to read you every time you make an entry to keep reminding me of the warm and sunny days that already came to a halt here. Thanks for sharing.
http://journals.aol.com/mrsm711/LatteDah/     Tracy