Dawn's shadow.

A log in the dark as you make your way, becomes a jarring reminder at first light. Crabbers sit just a mile or so out, overhead lights blazing like mad candles in the middle of the sea. A beautiful morning, light offshores, filling tide making for regular lines, no one around. The sun pushes away shadows from crevices, and an eagle sits high, watching for an hour. It's mate calls and flies in over the peak, and they both sit unmoving in the spruce. Clear water the bottom appearing through some sweet head high reelers, small talk with a couple of regs who paddled out. Before work quiet session.

The wind stays light and two hours go by, back on the sand, not more than a hundred yards down the beach is the body of a sea-lion missing it's head and a big chunk of it's chest, before first light that was the log. A couple miles away lies another in the same condition, it's been a busy season. I wonder no more why it skeeves me to surf alone, I am reminded.