Captain’s Journal™

Captain’s Journal #007: Hurricane Michael
Hurricane Michael In October 2018, we decided to take a trip to Panama City for the kids Fall Break.  Great idea… but Mother Nature didn’t agree. Jace was 10.  Raylee was a whopping almost 9 months old.  We brought reinforcements.  My sister in law came and my parents made the trip. We got there around Oct 7th or so.  We knew the weather had a “chance” of doing at least something.  But at the time a Tropical Storm was the worst case scenario.  On the second day the chance of... Read more...
Captain’s Journal #006: Low Tide
Low Tide Most people wait for high tide. The water is prettier, the beach feels alive, and everything looks the way we picture a perfect day at the coast. But I’ve learned to appreciate low tide. That’s when the ocean gives something back. Shells that were hidden yesterday. Tide pools full of life. Pieces of driftwood. Starfish. Sand dollars. Things you’d never see if the water had stayed high. Life has low tides too. There are seasons when it feels like something has been taken away—a job changes, kids grow... Read more...
Captain’s Journal #004: Waist Deep
  Waist Deep Every beach trip seems to leave me with something. Sometimes it’s a shell. Sometimes it’s a story. Sometimes it’s a reminder. Lately, it’s been perspective. As I’ve gotten older, I’ve noticed something changing. I think more. I think about my family. I think about my parents getting older. I think about my kids growing up faster than I ever imagined. I think about my wife and the life we’ve built together. Most people head to the beach to get away from life. I find myself going there... Read more...
Captain’s Journal #005: Broken Shells
Broken Shells My wife and I started taking at least one beach trip every year after our first trip together in 2012. Somewhere along the way, we discovered a love for searching for seashells. Before long, we had bags of shells tucked away everywhere around the house. Every one of them holds a memory. When my son, Jace, was little, he’d watch me searching the shoreline and start bringing me every shell he could find. Most of them were broken. I’d thank him, wait until he looked away, and quietly... Read more...
Captain’s Journal #003: The Night That Changed Everything
The Night That Changed Everything June 28, 2014. My wife and I got married and left the very next morning for our honeymoon. One week on the Gulf Coast. It was our first trip to the beach with no schedules to keep and nowhere we had to be. Just the sound of the waves, Fourth of July fireworks, long walks after dinner, and a week to simply enjoy being together. One evening, just before dark, we wandered down the beach looking for shells and ghost crabs. Mallory stopped to talk... Read more...
Captain's Journal #002: The Trip That Started It All
Captain's Journal #002: The Trip That Started It All
The Trip That Started It All I didn't know it then, but my first trip to the Gulf Coast would become one of the most important weeks of my life.... Read more...
Captain's Journal #001
Captain's Journal #001
Every Tide Has a Tale™ Every trip to the coast leaves something behind. Sometimes it's a shell tucked into a pocket. Sometimes it's a photograph of another sunset. Sometimes it's... Read more...