~ our world ~
A couple years ago I visited my brother in Washington D.C. and as I wanted to go to the ocean, we visited the closest beach, Rehoboth Beach, Delaware. Known as "The Nation's Summer Capital," it is an adorable beach town, complete with yummy restaurants, a mile-long boardwalk, quaint boutiques, galleries and colorful beach houses.
It was a nice day so we headed out to the shore for a picnic which due to the wind was rather difficult, but we enjoyed it all the same. When we were done we did what I love best--wandered taking photos. It was becoming a little overcast at this point, but I was consumed taking photos of all the happenings at the beach. Suddenly my brother and I start to notice a dark, looming cloud that was moving dangerously fast out to sea. This created the dramatic contrast between the dark storm approaching and the light of the sun still brightening the sand. Of course, as a photographer and lover of storms, I was eating this up. The scene happened so fast but the beauty and strength of this storm was incredible. They started clearing the beach and my brother practically had to drag me off because I was determined to photograph as much as I could of it.
Finally the lifeguards were really making us leave so I started to head back up to the boardwalk. Truly determined, I was photographing as I evacuated, at which point it started to rain. Now I'm not talking about any sprinkle here, it was like the heavens turned on the fire hoses. Suddenly it was pouring and I am doing all I can to protect my camera while still taking pictures and walking briskly. I know you all think I'm a crazy person, but when passion drives, you stay in the car. Then out of nowhere a huge gust of wind practically knocks me over, blowing sand and water all over me, awakening me to the real danger. I start running as fast as I can toward shelter and a huge, heavy metal trashcan goes flying, nearly hitting me and the guy in front of me. We reached the closest haven for the lock down, a kids' fun land (Really? Couldn't it be a coffeehouse? A gift shop? A bar?), where we watched as the rain poured so hard you couldn't see more than five feet in front of you. Lightning flashed, darkness shifted, and light began to peak through. Hours later after it cleared, the sun set behind the remaining puffs of dark cloud moving onward. Watching the magnitude of that storm on the beach was one of the most inspiring things I have seen.