Mark Rector Photography

I learned an important lesson this particular morning while on vacation. Not only do I need to tell my navigator wife a specific location to enter into her GPS from now on, but trust the destination, not the road you are on.

Mindy asked, where to? I simply answered, just put in Chalk Sound. We were ultimately headed out for Sapodilla Bay Beach which was supposed to take only 20 minutes to drive there from our villa. "Supposed" to.

I had been wanting to take some pictures of this insane powder blue water that I had just gotten a glimpse of on our previous trip to TCI. A taxi driver had driven us by it on the way to Sapodilla last April. He said it was Chalk Sound. Every now and then he'd go around a curve and I could slightly see this incredible blue water and then it would quickly disappear out of view. Well, I never got a chance that trip to get a good photo of Chalk Sound, so I was determined that this year would be different.

As we drove our little SUV for a few minutes, Mindy said for me to take a couple of turns here and there. After obeying my usually trust worthy co-pilot, I stopped the car and stared down a.... well, I don't even know what to call it. Road makes it seem like it was safe for cars to drive on. This looked more like an access road to the Grand Canyon or what astronauts see out the lunar vehicle windshield as they explore the moon. Knowing how much the wife trusted her Waze App, I hesitantly proceeded in the direction I was told to go. I kept saying this isn't the way the taxi driver took us last year, but the reply kept coming back "this is the way Waze says to go". I wish I could illustrate in words how rough this road got at several different points. We even had to get out a couple of times and see if our little SUV could even attempt to navigate the terrain without bottoming out. We truly needed to be in a military hummer or Monster Truck at this point. Being with my cousins helped some pretty intense and stressing moments like when the navigator replied, "I don't know. We've lost signal". I'm almost positive them being there saved our marriage. 2 hours into our 20 minute drive going 4 mph maximum speed, I start feeling like I won't even see civilization again, let alone Chalk Sound and Sapodilla Bay. Then finally, we came to this view that was just absolutely breathtaking. This old, rough road meandered right along the outer edge of Chalk Sound and provided me with the best location to get my shot. Well, we soaked it up for a few minutes, took the shot, and somehow got back onto pavement after adventuring thru the roughest remaining parts that road could throw at us. We even made it to Sapodilla.

But just like life, the road will get rough at times. Trust God the ultimate navigator and follow His path. Then finally.... enjoy the destination.

I give you, "Chalk Sound"

Happiness comes in waves.