A Patriotic Point Of View
by ~ Amber Bullington at Amelia Island Kayak Excursions

“Living on such a wonderful island, as Amelia Island is, there are many places to take pictures such as the beach, sunrises (rarely am I up that early), sunsets, and the flora and fauna. However, seeing an area from a kayaker’s perspective adds so much to one’s experience of exploring our area. There are shots that were calling to me – “Come take my picture!” I answered the call by going out in my kayak with my camera in tow.

Okay, close your eyes and journey with me. Oh wait, closing your eyes won’t work because then you cannot read this blog! So, use your imagination as you read on and enjoy the journey.

For the backdrop, imagine lavender flowers draping down kissing the Florida blackwater. There are lush, green, low-lying palmetto palms and majestic moss-laden cypress and oak trees along the creek’s banks. Can you hear the chirping of the recently hatched baby alligators hiding in the weeds along the water’s edge?  We are now paddling through the salt grasses in view of our historic lighthouse, where we see great egrets take flight.  Wow! trusty camera in hand, I get a great shot! However, my most recent shot is my favorite so far.

Here’s the story:

Early one morning my family and I went kayaking. It was my mom and nephew’s maiden voyage in our Hobie Mirage® kayaks. We took tandem kayaks, so it would be more convenient for me to take pictures. We stopped off for a short period of time on the beach of Cumberland Island. Ahhh, to write about how much I love Amelia Island and Cumberland Island would take multiple blogs!!

As it was low tide, there were various sandbars where gulls and pelicans frequent. It is very common see a large flock of birds completely covering the exposed sand bar, giving the illusion that they are floating on the water. But one lone bird caught our attention. I found this to be very odd for only one bird to be resting on the sandbar by itself.  It was a large bird. This peaked my curiosity, is this what I think it is… ?
It IS what I thought it was! An adult bald eagle was majestically sitting alone while being framed by the ocean’s mist. The national anthem starting playing in my head.

I took some shots from the shore, but it was still a little too far away. So my dad said, “Let’s see if we can get a bit closer in our kayak.” Oh yes, I was so excited – it was an adventure where the clock was ticking as he could take flight at any moment. Well, he did fly, just as the tide was coming in causing the sandbar to vanish into the deep. But, this did not stop me. I had my camera set on continuous mode, enabling me to shoot many frames of  the soaring eagle!   Over the rock jetties he flew, with the wide open ocean behind him as the waves crashed against the rocks. For me, seeing this powerful symbol of our nation, caused patriotism to fill my heart.

Over and beyond seeing this awesome bird of prey, the scene and experience was enhanced by being out in our kayaks while exploring the waters of our beautiful home with my family, who I love more than a “bushel and a peck, and a hug around the neck and to the moon and back – now that’s a lot of  love”. I am honored and excited to be a part of  my family’s business, Amelia Island Kayak Excursions.

Thank you for taking this journey with me, and I look forward to many more adventures exploring the natural wonders of our area via kayak. Let’s Go Kayaking!!”

~Amber