Down in the Deep Blue Sea

A train of thinking from staring at the rolling waves

Down in the Deep Blue Sea

K.L. Orion

In my last post, I mentioned a potential writing hiatus due to the fact I am on vacation. Well, on a rainy day, I’ve found time to get some writing in, and I’m glad I have. There is a lot to talk about. 

I’m in the Florida Panhandle sitting around in a condo facing the ocean. It’s just a short stroll to the beach from here. And the view is incredible. I’m not in Florida for the amusement parks or politics. No, I’m here for this view. I’m here for the ecology of this place so alien to an Iowan kid. I’m here for the alligators and manatees and crabs and shorebirds and dolphins. I’m here for the environment. 

I’ve grown up beside a giant Iowan lake, which is a beautiful and diverse ecosystem in its own right. But that glorified floodplain doesn’t do justice on the glorious sea that extends before me now. Nothing but waves on the seemingly endless horizon stretch out beyond the safety of my condo. The powerful surf pounds the shore with calming crashes that echo across the sandy beaches. 

Besides a few crabs and a good amount of wading birds, I haven’t seen much for sea life just yet. However, it is that lack of life that has made my imagination go wild thinking about what I know is out there and what could be. I’ve spent time sitting on the deck, watching the waves roll in and out, imagining a whale bursting through the surface, or a shark snatching away an unlucky pelican, or something even stranger crawling up from the depths. 

Looking into the endless deep, tales of mermaids and sea serpents fill my mind, recalling a time when the sea seemed even more endless and ever more mysterious. A recent rekindling of this mentality has occurred due to new research into the deepest parts of the ocean. New stories of deep sea monsters have been popping up on the internet, based no doubt on the real oddities being found down there. The more we learn about something, usually the less strange and frightening we find it. The deep sea is one of the few things where the opposite is true. The more we find out, the more terrifying it typically becomes. 

Photo by Chinh Le Duc on Unsplash

Stories of giant squid being pulled up from the deep and strange, new species being discovered in trenches have been told all throughout my childhood. That coupled with the thousands upon thousands of hours I’ve spent watching and rewatching Godzilla movies has made it very easy for me to imagine bizarre beasts clawing their way out of the deep and onto shore. The ocean has always been a void of the unknown. For a long time, we wondered how far across it was. Now, we wonder how far down it goes. 

But even more than that, it’s been a place of opportunity. For centuries, sailors, merchants, pirates, whalers, and explorers have used it as a highway. To them, the sea was a place as wondrous as it was mysterious. Even now, the ocean is used as a major trade route. Explorers are still unlocking its secrets today. 

Photo by Sigmund on Unsplash

The rain has cleared up now, and as I write this, I look down upon the beach below my condo. The beach is busy, teeming with tourist life. Bikini-clad girls, bare chested men, and children armored with floaties are all enjoying themselves. Some of them are getting a tan, others are playing tag with the waves, and some are just taking calm strolls. As for me, however, my attention keeps getting drawn away from the lively beach and across the violent waves towards the deeper ocean. 

Looking out at that endless horizon, my imagination goes wild again, thinking about the titans who roam the depths, the monstrous things writhing around in the deep, the majestic wanderers who migrate across the seas, the playful animals who jump in and out of the surf, and the colorful array of creatures who inhabit this strange place. 

Photo by Sebastian Pena Lambarri on Unsplash

Many of the animals I imagine are not common sights on the northern shores of the Gulf of Mexico, but this gulf is connected to that greater highway. Its waters are connected to more waters who stretch endlessly in every direction. Until I get to explore every direction, I sit here and ponder the giants, freaks, terrors, wonders, and beasts who reside down in the deep blue sea.