COASTLINES – Janice Anne Wheeler, Sparring With Mother Nature
Where do you flock for relaxation? Are you lucky enough to occupy your own piece of coastline? Or would you prefer another place to dwell?
If you just dove into our very engaging little community, please read SPARS & SPARRING, .….it introduces my wonders and my wanders. ~J
Thousands upon thousands of people flock to coastlines.In many parts of the world, folks from all walks of life spend their savings along with allocated, coveted vacation days in order to absorb the primal elements that coincide at the edges of our continents. They rent expensive hotels, take cruises, tours and strolls. Somehow Earth, Air and Water, when combined in such a way, soothe the soul and make me incredibly grateful I have taken the opportunity to live upon it. The four-lane highway that cuts through where we are finishing STEADFAST’s refit can be bumper-to-bumper this time of year as vacationers from all across the US converge on iconic places like Ocean City and Chincoteague, Cape May and the Outer Banks. The same thing happens all along North America’s most populated coast, hours of tense waiting in traffic in order to get little peace. A piece of peace. That’s only a small percentage of the population of the planet, though, isn’t it?While the humans I describe above crave and pay dearly for peaceful beach time with fresh seafood tossed in, the millions in the middle latitudes of our planet live on ever-more-dangerous shores that are experiencing an increase in storm strength as well as rising sea levels and temperatures. Most of those people are not there by choice, but by birth. Some scrape a living out of the sea, some merely survive on its perimeter, protected by failing reefs, challenged by Mother Nature’s most powerful forces: Typhoons, Hurricanes, Volcanoes, Earthquakes, Torrential Rain and Tsunamis. Mutual respect seems like the most important commodity we can offer each other.The region between the Tropic of Cancer and the Tropic of Capricorn contains huge urban areas, all of which were built adjacent to the oceans for an assortment of reasons. Many of these population centers are impoverished, and while there are protected, isolated places like the Galápagos, most are not, they survive on subsistence fishing and, sometimes, tourism. None of this is a commentary on luck or fate or stewardship, but rather the differences in perspectives and lifestyles that make up humanity. There are a lot of Hurricane Dorian survivors in the Bahamas that would much prefer to live far, far from the ocean. It is Impossible to Imagine.
This train of thought came to me in the last few weeks as I got acquainted with the author of Shellphone Chronicles. Long-time sailboat dweller and nomad Linda Jackson initiated a Substack collaboration, Pen-Pal style, that introduces her to you, my brilliant readers, as well as bringing out details about yours truly that may just surprise. The result is Opposite Latitudes, Parallel Attitudes, our co-venture. Dive in! OPPOSITE LATITUDES, PARALLEL ATTITUDES
Compared to my experiences this week of speeding traffic and crowded restaurants, Linda’s joyful photographs of peaceful, generous people who live on the coastlines of the islands in the Southwest Pacific are worth your time. As she puts it, “We’ve crossed a new line in our ocean adventure, moving westward into The Remotes” – Islands and People.
The resident’s thatched huts sit on stunning lagoons and bays, all worthy of a tourist brochure. They have no electricity, no roads and little in the way of ‘modern conveniences.’ Four children in a dugout canoe were pleased to trade local vegetables for a box of juice and a bag of rice. Because the Empire of Britain once claimed thousands of these islands as their own, communication is easy for Canadian vessel DUENDE as she sails the shores. Linda takes you places you’ve perhaps not even heard of, much less have the opportunity to explore. Even STEADFAST & crew choose not to venture so far across the vast oceans; instead we’re learning as we track the passages of our new friends and many other like-minded wanderers on Substack. Wonder, Wander, Write by Claire Polders is another great example. And me? We’re still hangin’ on our little piece of coastline, just about to shake down. Mother Nature has brought incredible lightning strikes uncomfortably close, and inches of rain slowed our progress. Primal elements indeed. ~J
NOW, ENGAGE. JUST A LITTLE. (restack)In case you missed it, I wrote about my Waterfront Property not too long ago. Just the act of sending that work out to the world made me more mindful of the characteristics my chosen life brings, all of which involve SPARRING WITH MOTHER NATURE.
There are lots more stories in the archives…all free to browse. See you next week! & yes, I know Typhoons & Hurricanes are the same thing. I so appreciate your support of my work. Have a wonderful week!
© 2026 Janice Anne Wheeler
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