Wind and Sea Shells (circa 1950)
I was riding a single-speed fat-tired bicycle down the beach. I started from the jetty on the south side of the Fort Pierce inlet and went south against the wind. The wind was out of the southeast, as usual, but stronger than normal. It was slowing me down. So I pushed the bike through the soft sand above the high-tide mark and took to the road. Brush, trees and sand dunes between me and the beach sheltered me from the wind a bit, and the riding was easier. But about a mile south of the jetty the road ended. They told me it was washed out by a hurricane a few years before.

So it was back to the beach. Riding against that wind was like going uphill all the time, and it was getting stronger. The tide was low and the beach was firm and wide. I was looking for seashells and the further you go past the end of the road, the fewer people, and therefore, more shells.

But some days just aren't good for shell hunting and I guess this was one of those days. I picked up a few, but nothing rare, so about three miles south of the jetty, my legs gave out and so did my interest in shells. It was a long ride back, but with the wind behind me, it should be easier. By then the wind was blowing a steady 30 miles per hour with gusts to maybe 40. The ocean was getting choppy and the sky was almost completely overcast.

So I got back on the bike and started north. It was really easy pedaling. It was so easy, I stopped pedaling and coasted for a while. I kept coasting and didn't seem to be losing speed. The wind was blowing me back up the beach! From time to time, a gust would hit me in the back and I would actually gain speed. I think I was averaging ten or fifteen miles per hour. It was strange going that fast with the wind hitting me in the back instead of in the face. The only sound was the wind and a little jingle from a loose back fender.

Before long, I reached the jetty and took the road back to town. I rode the bicycle on the beach many times after that, but there was never again enough wind to sustain my speed without pedaling.

But there were better days for shell hunting.
Howard