The scenario plays out on any beach.  It’s instinctive and universal.  Walk along any beach just along the waterline where the waves roll rhythmically in and you’ll catch yourself doing it:  looking down.  Suddenly, right there, tumbling in sand and foam, you see it!  A fleeting hint of color, a minute rippled edge.  As the water recedes pulling a layer of sand and shell with it, it disappears.  Now you see it, now you don’t!  With impressive reaction time you reach down and grab the illusion.  Slowly you open a dripping handful of sand and peer inside, hoping for the perfect keeper – an intact shell, a wonder nature, strikingly beautiful, elegantly scrolled, perfectly fluted, delicately patterned.

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Lighthouses, those stoic, sturdy, silent sentinels perched on treacherous rock outcroppings in the swirling sea, atop protruding reefs and perilous shoals, or guiding the way to the safe haven of a protective harbor, do more than guide, protect and rescue seafarers – they captivate the imagination. 

Like a siren’s song, they call to us.  By day, we are compelled to climb to the very top to gaze out to sea, hoping to see we know not what. In the pitch black of night the unique rhythmic cadence of their flashing beacon signaling out into the unknown is at once haunting and comforting.   

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The Komodo Dragons saliva contains over 60 deadly bacteria. It is the largest lizard species on earth, growing up to 10 feet long and weighing up to 200 pounds. It is carnivorous and has been known to eat deer, pigs, water buffalo and people. The St. Augustine Alligator Farm Zoological Park in St. Augustine, Florida just opened a beautiful reptile exhibit for you to get up close and personal with these deadly lizards and see a 21 foot Python, too. Does it get any better?

Did I mention the King Cobra?

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I knew going in that they had the advantage. I was out of my element. They were bigger, stronger and faster than me. Still, I slapped the water to call them closer. The dark, nine foot shadows darted past me and despite my best efforts, I hesitated. Suddenly, the beast broke the surface and rose up above my head. What now?

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His shiny black eye never blinked. I shifted my weight from one foot to the other waiting for an opening. Slowly… ever so slowly…his head creeped up and to the right. I held my breath. His algae-covered, yellowed teeth glistened with saliva. I wanted to move but didn’t dare. Just then, a white blur split the air above him as muscular jaws flew open then snapped down with a satisfying crunch, crunch, crunch. It was over. I began to breath again.

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Savannah, Georgia is a town I enjoy. History, architecture and creepiness combine with creative, eccentric folks living there for a singular experience. Of course, it rained non-stop.

I was doing a ride-along on our Ghosts and Gravestones in Savannah, which starts at the riverfront and goes to the Sorrel Weed House for the big finish. As always, I had a blast.

The ghost stories are well told and the atmosphere of the Sorrel Weed House is spooky. (Major kudos to Danica for the excellent design and art work of the Voodoo Room.) Everyone contributes so much here and SCAD is a great resource.

Both Savannah and St. Augustine have a natural creepiness similar to New Orleans in my opinion. Maybe it’s the spanish moss? Just seems to be a thickness, a heaviness that lingers over them and makes the shadows longer. One of my favorite things is to walk in these towns when they are quiet and dark. Listening, looking and remembering. See you in Savannah.

Halloween is just around the corner and one of my favorite Holidays. As a kid, it was the candy. Now, it’s the fantasy. I love seeing people dress up and become other characters. (You can tell a lot about people by the characters they choose). Pirates, Pop stars or witches the spectacle is endless.

The photo is from our Ghosts & Gravestones tour in Boston, MA. We also have them in Savannah, GA and St. Augustine, FL. All of them are different and each of them is a blast.

I’m involved with ghosts and storytelling year round but the height of the season is that day of days, October 31st. What are you doing this year? Countdown begins!

If you need some inspiration visit Bucky’s Boneyard or the Monster List of Halloween Projects.

The 442nd Birthday Celebration for St. Augustine, Florida went off beautifully thanks to the efforts of John Fraser, Michelle Reyna and the rest of the gang at the Fountain of Youth. (You can see a few more pics of the event at Flickr.) A good time was had by all and I participated in the Historic Timeline as British Merchant and notorious scalliwag, Jesse Fish, along with the two esteemed gentlemen in the photo. The arrival of Don Pedro Menendez at the Mission of Nombre de Dios was met with great fanfare and cannon firings. There was a “first thanksgiving foods” cooking contest, cutting of the cake at the Colonial Spanish Quarter and a “Jollification” at the end of the night. We ended up at the Taberna del Gallo listening to my favorite group, The Bilge Rats, singing sea shanty’s. There is no finer Shantyman then Brad Taylor-Hicks. All in all, a wonderful 442nd birthday celebration for the Nation’s Oldest City.

Are you kidding me? At least he wore a latex glove for protection…

This is my buddy Jim doing what he does best. Defying Death. He is so attuned to the hundreds of gators here that it’s eerie. I’ll pass on the hand feeding of 12 foot gators, thank you very much. I’m brave… but really.

The St. Augustine Alligator Farm and Zoological Park in St. Augustine, Florida is a sheer delight. One of the finest animal sites I have ever visited. They hold the rare distinction of exhibiting every known species of the 23 crocodilians in existence. They even have white albino alligators and the ferocious saltwater crocodile, Maximo weighing in at 1250 pounds and stretching to over 15 feet.

Of course, my favorite shows are the feedings but they also have fantastic birds including a great vulture display and a world famous rookery where you can take photographs of nesting birds only inches away. Giant Galapagos tortoises, monkeys and emus. The list goes on and on. I appreciate that they continuously upgrade and improve this already wonderful place. The St. Augustine Alligator Farm and Zoological Park is one of my favorite stops in St. Augustine. This is a can’t miss in Florida.

The Scenic Cruise aboard the Victory III in St. Augustine, Florida is a nice way to see the City from the water. The Usina Family has been providing this narrated service for four generations. During the trip around the Matanzas Bay you see the the Castillo de San Marcos, Mission of Nombre de Dios Cross, The Lighthouse and the Bridge of Lions restoration project in full swing. Snacks and drinks are available on board and the ship is stable and stays in the intercoastal waters for about 90 minutes. Make sure to talk to the Captain who is always one of the Usina Family. A nice tradition in the Oldest City.