The shallow waters of the Isle of Pines are full of surprises. I like
walking in the shallows, because I catch a glimpse of a different slice of
sea life than what I find when I'm snorkeling on the reef.
When I walk in tidal pools I'm looking for camouflaged critters.
These are the guys who hide in plain sight. As long as they remain
stationary, I don't
know they are there, because their camouflage blends in so well with the
sandy bottom.
The little fish in the upper picture would disappear into the
background if he didn't have the dark bands around the back half of his
body. Perhaps there's some nearby habitat where those bands melt
into the seabed.
Take a look at this critter. I've spent several years trying
to decide whether he's a frog or a fish. To me he looks more froggy
than fishy. Whatever he is, he stands out like a sore thumb and
would do well to move to an area that's green; any type of sea grass would
increase his chances of survival. If this guy stays where he is,
he will be lunch on someone's seafood platter.
In some ways I'm a lot like these critters. Sometimes I hide in plain
site, and sometimes I stick out like a sore thumb.
Most of the time I hide in plain sight. When you're cruising around
the world on a yacht it's usually best to blend in. There aren't that
many predators out there, and the few that are around are mainly attracted to
people flashing fistfulls of cash. Hundred dollar bills and
highfaluting ways make you stand out like the froggy fellow pictured above.
If you are engaged in a promotional campaign, then sticking out like a sore
thumb is the way to go, but if you want to survive unmolested by the misfits
of mischief, then blending in is a good master plan.
For the past twenty-eight years I have been hiding in plain site in nooks
and crannies around the world. Contrary to what the fear mongers say,
it's perfectly safe to live and travel in ninety-nine percent of planet
earth. All you need to do is blend in. If you don't do any flag waving
or misbehave, you'll be fine.
I'm going to tell you a secret of survival that will let you travel anywhere
you want with hardly any risk. You simply need to use Universal
Camouflage. The best camouflage out there is called love and
respect. If you want to blend in everywhere, just treat
everyone you meet with love and respect. It's easy and doesn't cost a
cent. It doesn't matter where you are, if you treat all people with
love and respect, they will treat you in the same way. The same is
true for foreign policy. Love and respect get the job done better than
fancy berets and laser guided bombs.
I don't believe the world is an inherently dangerous place. The real
problem is that we treat each other so badly. We have been weighed in
the balance and found wanting.
Excuse me, I have to go now. I'm decked out from head to toe in
Universal Camouflage, and I have places to go and people to meet.
When I treat everyone with love and respect, life is good.
