I had an unexpected trip that brought me to shore – and actually sent me all the way across the country to the Pacific Coast – for a few days. Since June 1st, I hadn’t spent a single night off the island, so it was a bit of a shock to enter right back into society, especially since it coincided with trying to navigate airports during the global shutdown caused by the CrowdStrike update issue.
When I’m on the island, the remoteness and inaccessibility of most of modern society are so apparent that I don’t even think about cars or running out on an errand. It’s not even an option. So, I was surprised how quickly I fell back into old habits of waiting until the last minute to buy lunch or taking a quick trip to a store to grab something I forgot. Just as I adapted to life on the island, I readapted to shore life in a matter of days. Had the time on island not affected me?
Even though we still have over a month and a half left on the island, our time on Seguin is going to be over before we know it, and we’ll be able to go back to our normal routines and modern conveniences. Will I forget the way the tall grass catches the light a half hour before sunset? Will the intricate pattern of the lighthouse stairs fade out of memory? Will the strength in my legs from climbing the steep grade of the tram trail diminish? Probably, to some extent, yes – none of it will ever feel quite like it does here on the island.
At first, this made me sad, but it also made me conscious of how unique and special this time on Seguin really is. Even when we go back to “normal” life, being deeply connected to this land, our island routines, and the history and tradition of these buildings will be part of our life story. And, in turn, we’ll forever be part of the story of Seguin Light.
Daily Weather Report:
Temperature: 68.9 / 62.1
Mostly foggy, clearing in late afternoon
Wind: 8.3mph NW / Gusts 11.4mph NW
High Tide: 2:32am / 3:08pm
Low Tide: 8:45am/ 9:08pm