In the early 1990s, My friend Phill and I made a drive up the northwest Pacific coast. The photograph above was taken during one of our many roadside stops on the Oregon coast. Thirty seconds before the picture was taken, I was balancing on a narrow outcropping of rock that rose out of the wet sand a few feet below. The next instant a wave came up from around the large rock you see on the left and suddenly water rose in all directions around me. In just a few seconds, I saw the water rise too quickly towards my shoes. I stepped up to the highest part of the narrow rock, but the water kept climbing. I realized I had no options. It is a little misleading in the photo, but the bit of rock on the bottom of the photo is actually quite a distance away from me. I was unable to jump to it. All I could do was wait and see what fate had in store for me.

I looked to Phill for some assistance, or at least some advice, but he was too busy laughing and reaching into his camera bag.

At the speed the water rose around me, you might have thought, as I did, that I was a goner. I was going to get very wet. But with less than an inch to spare, the water crested and then slowly dissipated leaving me once more balanced on a narrow rock over wet sand. I jumped down and ran higher up the shore.

Phill sent me this picture tonight and I thought it served as an excellent illustration of the year I have just lived through. I really do feel like I’ve been balancing myself on a narrow outcrop of stone as forces beyond my control swirled up around me. All I could do was ride it out and hope for the best. And once again it appears that I escaped by an inch.

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Things have been very quiet in Depot Town lately. Consequently, there hasn’t been a lot of blog worthy things to write about. But I want to let my readers know that I am doing just fine. I’ll be back soon enough.