The Elusive Water Spirits

  In the early morning after a cool night, a slight fog or mist often floats off the marsh and out over the waters of the Bay.  This mist hangs close to the water and looks a lot like the "fog" from the fog machines that folks use at Halloween.  If a breeze happens to be scooting across the Bay at the same time, the mist is whipped along the surface of the water. This sometimes causes the low-lying fog to spin and twirl.  The little vortices spin about like little ghosts dancing on the water.  

  This morning while Mark and I were enjoying the sunrise, we noticed dozens and dozens of the little "Water Spirits" dancing on the calm surface of the water.  The sunlight beaming across the water gave light to the little spirals of mist.  It was mesmerizing to see how many dancing "ghosts" were about the Bayou some of which were nearly two feet tall.  

  To observe the Water Spirits, conditions have to be just right.  The air has to be cool enough to keep the mist down to the surface of the warmer water.  The sunrise causes the surface to warm even more and with that the mist begins to rise.  An ever so slight breeze scoots the rising mist across the water causing the spinning motion.  With this, the "Spirits" begin their dance.  They will dance singly or in groups each intertwining with the other.  Sometimes twirling this way and that as the mist rises higher and higher.

  It is quite the phenomenon to view.  Hundreds of dancing Water Spirits covered the Bay with their graceful spinning.  What a perfect time to be on the pier!  I only wish my camera batteries had been charged enough to video the beauty set before us.  Still photographs just could not capture the cuties!  I will make sure to carry charged batteries with me for the next visit to the pier in hopes of capturing the beautiful Water Spirits as they dance!