Chilling Out: Bahia Honda

Bahia Honda is the most popular state park in Florida, with several long beaches on the Florida Straight (Atlantic) side and a great sandy beach and swimming area on the Florida Bay (gulf) side. Throngs of people are walking along the trails or up to the old bridge connecting the keys, sunning on the beaches, picnicking, eating at the café, and renting kayaks. The park is clean, the weather perfect -  a great day in paradise.

We spent much of the day snorkeling amidst the fish, some hard coral, sponges, sea urchins, and lobster. I love being in the water, swimming, floating, drifting. I get cold but do not want to come in, so swim a bit more vigorously to heat up the muscles.

I alternate between just trying to observe, and trying to name everything.

Names seem so satisfying. Why? A name can serve as a short cut to immense knowledge about a particular species, its habits and habitat, and all of its stories. But it can also short circuit our powers of observation, as if to say that now that I know the name I know everything else. The human mind works by conceptualizing and naming, creating associations between sensations, feelings and ideas. Naming is powerful but sometimes leaves us blind to pure observation.

I drift around just watching. Observing. Trying to really see.

Or is it I just that I can't remember the names anyway?