Visitors to the islands often wonder about seasons. Do seasons exist in the tropics? Some even think there are no seasons at all. Once a National Park Ranger (this was a long time ago before they were really trained) used to tell tourists the trees had no rings because there were no seasons.
Of course there are seasons. Of course the trees have rings.
There is:
Tourist season and getting ready for tourist season.
Hurricane season and getting ready for hurricane season.
Summer and getting ready for summer.
The dry season (winter) and the wet season (summer).
I jest, of course, though the last is true. There is a dry and wet season.
But there is a spring, summer, fall and winter as well.
Each is marked by what plants and trees are blooming or bearing fruit. There are wind and ocean currents and temperatures that are expressed at different times of the year. In summer the ocean is mostly flat calm. In winter we get what are called ground-seas, it is the wave action from ferocious north Atlantic storms. Those waves travel all the way south to hit the rocky shoreline sending spay hundreds of feet into the air. Winter is a good time to go body surfing.
I love the subtlety of the tropical seasons. It's not so in your face as it is in more northern climes.
One has to be, perhaps, more aware and sensitive to notice changes. Perhaps it is what helped to make me an observer and a writer.
Do you prefer subtlety in writing? Or do you like it in your face?
