Whidbey and Camano Islands have their own rhythm. There's the molten glow of glass being blown, bagels boiling, tractors and other farm equipment all over both islands, and a thousand artists prodding and cajoling discordant stuff into something that pleases and challenges the human spirit. All set to a background rhythm of nature at work.
Seawall Park in Langley was probably the first beach my wife and I explored on Whidbey. As tourists we poked through the rocks and enjoyed the view. This morning, I wanted to see the sun rise.
Summer sunrises come long before the island is really awake, so the park and adjoining beach were quiet. Face out to the water at that time of day, and you'd never know there was a town right behind you.
The Park parallels Langley's First Street. It's a narrow grassy strip with trees and picnic tables; a perfect place for a snack or just to rest after walking Langley's downtown. It's atop a seawall that gives the park its name.
Waiting for the Earth to turn, I also saw rocks emerge from the water as the morning tide retreated from shore. The waves that wash against our islands are mostly small, so they offer only the gentlest of background noise. So, there they were, three of nature's rhythms, the day, the tide, and the waves all with their own rhythm, but somehow timed to a single primeval metronome of nature itself.
