| Dolphins at Daybreak Rome Point North Kingstown, RI |
| The following is an excerpt from the latest novel of P. J. Kurdziel, Overwhelming Obsession Jessica Swanson brushed back a strand of her honey blond hair as she surveyed the road before her. Her government issued vehicle bucked slightly as it climbed the Jamestown Bridge and headed towards North Kingstown, RI. She glanced just north of the bridge at the only undeveloped portion on this section of Narragansett Bay - Rome Point. This was her destination this afternoon and part of her current assignment. According to the dossier in the leather Coach portfolio on the passenger seat beside her Rome Point was recenlty donated to the state by the local power company that had bought the land to build a power plant. The controversy associated with building a nuclear power plant there was the very reason for Save the Bay's birth in the early '70's... But she was losing focus on the purpose of today's trip. As she stared out at the sun-dappled water of the Bay Jessica reflected on her twelve long years as an environmental police officer for the Federal Legal Environmental Enforcement Agency - FLEEA. She had cut her teeth as a rookie on assignments like apprehending the Coventry Cow Tipping Culprits. Her current tasking reflected her rising status among agents at FLEEA. She had just been assigned lead officer of a national task force investigating a mounting trend of polluting by otherwise law-abiding citizens. This current trend of leaving bits of paper, rubber stamps and plastic containers at pristine hiking spots was reaching epidemic proportions. Parents were encouraging their young children to take part. It was even rumored that crazed citizens were finding this rubbish, reburying it and bragging of their exploits on the 'Web. Jessica was inflamed by this reckless disregard for Mother Nature and was determined to put a stop to it. It was fortuitous that she was stationed in one of the most violent outbreaks of this new disease - southern New England - so that she could do her part to put an end to this affront to the environment. Jessica eased her rickety sedan north on Rt 1A towards Wickford. As she drove, her keen, azure eyes kept glancing right for the unmarked entrance to Rome Point that she had been told was 0.7 miles from the Rts 1A and 138 intersection. Background information prepared for her by a local expert indicated that she would find the spot she was looking for marked a state DEM sign asking visitors to pack out their own trash when visiting and by a green barway with a dirt road leading off towards the bay. She had been told that there were usually several vehicles parked there. Apparently only a few of the local inhabitants knew of this little Eden with its "hidden" wilderness on the bay. Her presence at this spot today was due to an anonymous tip from a concerned websurfer indicating that FLEEA might be interested a local eruption of the dreaded LB disease (so nicknamed at the office because the miscreants were considered to be Littering Barbarians.) Spotting the red barway marking the entrance she pulled over and prepared for the job she was about to do. She noticed the sign marking the turn for the Gilbert Stuart Birth Place on the right a dozen yards from where she parked her car. She donned her Nike running shoes and put her badge, compass and other tools of her trade in her Kelty day pack. With a deep sigh she mentally prepared herself for what lay ahead. She hiked east on the main dirt road leading to the water, never branching off on any of the smaller trails. Her lithe, athletic legs made quick work of the approximately 3/4 miles needed to reach the beach. She stayed for a few minutes at the beach, basking in the beauty of this rare undeveloped portion of shoreline. There were a few signs of man's encroachment on the surroundings but considering the unmaintained nature of this parcel of land it was relatively untouched. She resolved to give her best FLEEA effort to ensure that it remained that way. She headed north towards the end of Rome Point a half mile away, observing the assortment of shells gently washed up on the rocky beach. Maybe she should bring her niece back here in the summer for a day of mountain biking and a picnic or kayak down from Wickford when she completed the assignment. She resolved to come back on her own time to fully explore the beach all the way to the end of Rome Point as soon as possible, but she couldn't afford to be distracted by the beauty of her surroundings when she still had a job to do. As she rounded the end of the point she spied a tall metal pole set into the beach next to a large rock. There was a handful of people scattered around looking at a few seals wintering on the rocks off the point. Were any of these nature lovers actually fools obsessed with the LB disease? She turned around and headed up a small rise into the woods. At the top of the rise was a fire ring with a well-worn path leading back through junipers. The path appeared to be a trail back through the center of the point. Gradually the land on either side of her grew thinner until she reached a clearing where it seemed like the water of the Bay was closing in on both sides. To her left Jamestown was clearly visible and a large timber had been placed just below the path, possibly to prevent erosion. To her right was a small drop off to the rocky beach and the Hummocks were clearly visible. She stopped and looked at the Hummocks, small pieces of land between the point and the mainland. As she turned back towards the trail she thought she noticed something peculiar between the first two tall junipers lining the trail to her right. There was a small cairn of rocks between and slightly behind them.. A small portion of a Rubbermaid box was peeking from out of the rocks. Her heart started to pump faster as her cop's instinct took over. Could this be the evidence she was looking for? She carefully uncovered the box and read the faded letters in Magic Marker - "Dolphins at Daybreak." Her temper rose. What philistine would insult this wonderful place by leaving this box with the title of a children's book on it? She made up her mind right then and there to leave no stone unturned in her pursuit of these nefarious criminals and to discover every case of their encroachment upon the wilderness of southern New England. She returned the evidence to where she found it and quickly returned to the path back in the direction of her car. Make sure to check out the Epilogue to this tale, which also takes place at this location. Before you set out read the waiver of responsibility and disclaimer. LBNA Homepage Kurdziel Family Letterboxing Homepage |
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