Evanston: a gannet off the Outer Banks; another critical shortage; incredible stupidity

This noble bird was photographed by Brian Horsley, a charter boat captain, off North Carolina’s Outer Banks.  The great images came to me through a mutual friend, Jim.  I thank Jim for forwarding them and for the sunset photo below that he took himself, and I thank Brian for permission to share them with you.

I like the Outer Banks.  There is a sense of wildness and a justified feeling of being more on the edge of the continent there than I have experienced anywhere else on the East Coast.  Perhaps only those who have sailed the East Coast offshore really understand how far Cape Hatteras juts out.  You experience that with your body.  I think I have passed Hatteras six times, three heading north, three south, and I have always been glad when it is astern.

Jim, who lives in the Outer Banks, writes that they are closed.  If I remember correctly there are only two bridges to the islands so they can be easily isolated, though not so easily evacuated for hurricanes.  Police are stationed at the bridges, checking IDs.  Much of the property on the islands belongs to out of state owners.  Even they are banned from entering.

Hilton Head has only one bridge.  As far as I know it is not closed, but then South Carolina is one of the few remaining states without a shelter in place order.  Work continues on the no longer evil condo and is on track, unless stopped, for completion next month.  We have refundable tickets to fly to Hilton Head over Memorial Day.  Whether we will use them is in doubt.

Here is Jim’s photo of I think last night’s sunset over the sound.

We made another liquor store run yesterday and now are spirited for the duration.  At least for the first wave.

We have toilet paper.  I think I found oatmeal.  Three boxes of Quaker Oats are due to be delivered tomorrow.  But, alas, people are now hoarding martini olives. 



I have great sympathy for those suffering the economic consequences of the pandemic.  Among them a dairy farmer shown on television the other evening dumping 20,000 gallons of milk every day.  With schools and restaurants closed, consumption of milk like gasoline, is far down and the cows don’t halt production.



I have long been on the record as stating that we are not Homo sapiens, which means ‘wise’ or ‘knowing’ man, but Homo inspiens, ‘unknowning’ or ‘foolish’ man, yet from time to time, in fact all too frequently, I am shocked by how stupid some of us are.  The latest example is that some of the demented are burning down 5G cell towers in the UK because of a conspiracy theory spread though ever reliable social media that 5G is causing the Covid 19 pandemic.