Relaxing at Wrightsville Beach

The renovation of the pier at the south end of the beach, and attached to the Oceanic Restaurant, is complete. This beach guy decided to tie up his hammock underneath the pier for an afternoon nap. It was an overcast day, but quite bright with an occasional by the sun and with always the threat of showers.

Yesterday, I received Fuji camera #9 in the mail. It has traveled from Scotland to Sao Paulo, to Rio in Brazil, and now a third picture has been taken, this one on Wrightsville Beach in North Carolina, USA.

I walked on the beach in search of a surfer that would be willing to have her/his picture taken. I take pictures of people all the time, but never asking first, and most of the time I am not noticed or if I am, the subject(s) don't seem to mind. So there was a bit of apprehension on my part today when my task was to find a stranger to photograph, and actually talk to this person, and ask permission first. Ugh!

I walked along and passed a surfer sitting on the beach next to his board staring out at the Ocean. After continuing down the beach for a while, I turned around and noticed him again in the same spot. He said "Hey", and I returned the greeting and walked towards him and asked if he would do me a small favor. After explaining the project, he seemed almost relieved that I wasn't selling anything or asking him for money. He wanted to know if he should stand and I asked him to just stay seated and I would take the picture with him, his board, and the ocean in the background.

I introduced myself and he introduced himself as Evan, a senior business student at the University of North Carolina Wilmington (UNCW). He was originally from Sanford, NC, spent a few years in the Air Force and is now living in Wilmington and finishing up his studies ... and also learning how to surf. I gave him my blip card and explained to him that the project would be completed several months down the road.

It was fun. I'm going to pass the camera along to another blipper in the US, hopefully putting it in the mail tomorrow.